The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-02-01
gives timely warn


hit 10 tell mariners to stand OFF from
that dangerous point. SO all the IRON
bound coast Of moral danger is marked
with Saul and Herod, and RehOboam,
and Jezebel. and Abimelech. These Dad
neoDIe are mentioned in the Bible not
only as warnings, but because there
were sometimes flashes OF good conduct
in their lives worthy Of imitation. Goa
sometimes drives very straight lial'
with very poor hammer.
The city of Shechem had to be TAKEN
and Abimelech and his men were 10 90
il I see the dust rolling up from thelr
nvcitnd march. hear the shouting or
the CAPTAINS and the yell Of the besels-
crs. The swords clack sharply on inc
narrving shields, and the VoclIerauoh
Of two armies in death grapple IS nor
r;ble to hear. The battle goes on al
day; and as the sun is setting Aoi:Ae-
loch ami his army err; "S0rFenoeF:
to the beaten foe. And, unable longer
70 resist the city of Shechem falls; ana
there are pools of blood and dlsSeVerea
limbs. and glazed eyes looking up beg
gingly for mercy that war never shows
and dying soldiers with their head Oh
tha Ian of mother. or wife. or sister,
who have come out for the last ollceS
of kindness and affection: and groan
rolls across the city, stopping not, De-
carse there is no spot for it to rest, so
fnN is the place of other groans. \
CITY wounded. A city dying. a city
dead, Wall for Shechem, all We VINO
know the horrors of sacked town.
Ash look over the city, can find only
enc building standing, and that is the
temple of the god Berth. Some SOL
diers outside of the city in a tower,
finding that they can no longer defend
chechem. now begin to look out tor
their own personal safety, and they NY
to this temple of Berth. They go With
In the door, shut it, and they say: NOV
. we are safe. Abimelech has taken enc
whole city. but he cannot take this tenn
. n]e of Berth. Here we shall be undel
the protection of the gods Berlth
the god! do your best now for these rel
I ugees. If you have eyes, pity them
y If YOU have hands, help them. II yo'
5 have thurderbolts, strike for them
e But how shall Abimetech and his arm
{. take this temple of Berth and the mel
q who are here fortified? vii. they q
s. It with sword? Nay. Will they DO
y with spear? Nay. With batterlng
Il ram. rolled up by hundred-aEne
strength crashing against the walls
Nav. Abimelech marches his men |
q wood in Zalmon. With his axe Il
IL hews off a limb of tree, and puts ina
ie limb upon his own shoulder, and the
IA he saws to his men: "You Go the same
~ They are obedient to their commahoe
'h There is a struggle as to who shall nav
&c axes. The whole wood is full OF peh'
ne inc boughs, and the cracking and II
u hacking. and the cutting, until ever
10 one of the host has the limb OF tn
ne cut down, and not only that, but b;
le. mt If on his shoulder just as Abimele(
showed him how. are these men
armed with the tree branch? The r
al al NV comes "All armed" And tn
10 march on. Oh, what a strange arm
'e with that strange equipment. IN
GU come I'D to the foot OF the temple
10 Berth. and Abimelech takes his limb
M, n, p tree and throws it down; and the III
ILL., nlotoop of soldiers come up ana IN
'he throw down their branches: and t
Ell second platoon, and the third, until
10 around about the temple OF Berth inc
- is a pile of tree branches. me SheC
I'll entities look out from the window or |
.o' temple upon what seems to them en-
iho ish NAV on the part of their eneml
l.a- But soon the fints are struck, ana
iie' sharks begin to kindle the brush, a
" the fame comes up all through the p
and the red elements leap to the ca
mont and the woodwork begins
up blaze and one arm Of fame is thro
'ra- IN on the right side of the temple,
Ill another arm of fame is thrown up
ack the left side of the temple, until II
0eu CLASH their lurid palms under the "
Wv night sky, and the cry Of Fire. WI
am in and Fire. without, announces
Id terror and the strangulation, and
IN doom of the Shechemites, and the CT
ne -. plete overthrow OF the temple OF
= IN god Berth. Then there went u
., VS. shout. long and loud, from the 81
;. -, lungs and swarthy chests OF Ablmel
tuu and his men, as they stood amid
ara ashes and the dust crying: "Nicti
t of victory"
cifc Nov | learn first from this SUBJ
the folly of depending upon any
form of tactics in anything we hay
CON- 10 Tor this world or for God.
,om. over the weaponry Of olden tines
, of Inns. battle-axes, habergeon9, and S
on me a single weapon with which A!
CORN elech and his men coulu ISve ga
to- such ccnplete triumph. 1t Is no