Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-01-30

for today Rev. DIR. Talmage took for his
subject "The Power Of Example," The
text selected was Judges TX, 4S: 'And
Abimelech took an Ak in his hand and cut
down bough from the trees and took it
and laid it on his shoulder and said unto
the people that were with him, What ye
have seen me do make haste and do as l
have dono And all the people likewise
cut down every man his bough."
Abimelech Is a name malodorous In
Bible history and yet full OF profitable
suggestion. Buoys are black ard un-
comely, but they tell where the rocks arc.
The snakes rattle is hideous, but it gives
timely warning. From the piazza of my
summer home, night by night, saw
lighthouse Is miles away, not placed there
for adornment, but to tell mariners to
stand of from that dangerous point. So
all the ironbound coast Of moral danger Is
marked with Saul and Herod and Reho-
boam and Jezebel and Abimelech. These
bad people are mentioned In the Bible not
only as warnings, but because there were
sometimes flashes Of good conduct In their
lives worthy Of imitation. God sometimes
drives very straight nail witha very
poor hammer.
Taking City.
The city of Shechem had to be taken,
and Abimelech and his men were to do 1t.
/ see the dust rolling up from their excited
march. hear the shouting of the cap
tains and the yell of the besiegers. The
swords clack sharply on the parrying
shields, and the vociferation of two armies
in death grapple is horrible to hear. The
battle goes on all day, and as the sun is set
ting Abimeleoh and his army cry, 'Surren-
der!" to the beaten foe, and, unable Ion
ger to resist, the city of Shechem falls,
and there are pools of blood and discovered
limbs, and glazed eyes, looking up beg
gingly for mercy that war never shows,
and dying soldiers, with their head on the
lap of mother or wife or sister, who have
come out for the last offices of kindness
and affection, and groan rolls across the
city, stopping not, because there is no spot
for 1t to rest, SO full is the place Of other
groans. A city wounded A city dyingl
A city dead! Wall for Shechem, all ye
who know the horrors of sacked town.
As look over the city can find only
one building standing, and that is the
temple Of the god Berth. Some soldiers
outside Of the city in tower, finding that
they can no longer defend Shechem, now
begin to look out for their own personal
safety, and they fly to this temple of
Berth. They go within the door, shut 1t,
and they say, "Now we are safe. Abim-
elech has taken the whole city, but he
cannot take this temple Of Berth. Here
we shall be under the protection of the
gods" o Berth, the god, do your best
now for these refugeesl II you have eyes,
pity them; If you have hands, help them;
il you have thundorbolts, strike for them.
But how shall Abimelech and his army
take this temple of Berth and the men
who arc there fortiflodP Will they do it
with swordP Nay! Will they do it
with spear? Nayi With battering ram,
rolled up by hundred armed strength,
crashing against the walls? Nay Abim-
elech marches his men to wood in Zal-
mon. With his ak he hews off limb of a
tree and puts that limb upon his own
shoulder, and then he says to his men,
"You do the same"
They are obedient to their commander
There is a struggle as to who shall have
axes. The whole wood is full of bending
boughs, and the cracking, and the hack
ing, and the cutting, until every one Of
the host has limb of tree cut down,
aud not only that, but has put it ON his
shoulder Just rs Abilnelech showed him
how. Arc these men all armed with the
tree hranohs Tho reply comes, "All
crmcd!1 And they march on. Oh, what
:. strange army, with that strange equip
n:enti TEey come up to the foot of the
temple 1T BERTH, and Abimelech takes his
| lin,5 of srec and throws it down, and
tie f.;st platoon Of soldiers come up, and
.i.oy .i.rcG down their branches, and the
second I.!aecon, arl the third, until all
| atsuId Gtoa; the temple of Berth there
| 3 u Inla Of .ree branches The Shechemites
| LOOK Gut from the window of the temple
| upon what seems to them childish play on
| the part OF their enemies But soon the
emts alo struck, and the spark begins to
ki;.a.s tEe brush, and the flame comes up
Nil through the pile, and the red elements
lea., &o the easement, and the woodwork
bcgtas 80 blaze, and ono arm Of flame is
.arcwo Up on the right side of the temple,
and abot!aer arm of flame is thrown uI
ca tho left side of the temple, until they
riesp their lurid palms under the wild
! night sly and the cry IT "Flrer' within
4 ard {. Firep' without announces the terror
1 IN. tho strangu.ation, ald the doom oi
tile Shechemites, and the complete over,
,h-ow of tho temple of the god Berth
| Then there went up shout, long ano
loud. from the stout lungs and swarthy
c!.ests of Abimelech and his men as they
staoci amid tine ashes and the dust crying
Victory. victoryp'
The Tactics Used.
Now / learn first from this subject th,
folly OF depending upon any one form o
tactics,in anything we have to do for thi
world or for God. Look over the weaponr,
of olden tiines-javelins, battleaxes, haber
geons--and show me single weapon witt
| which Abilnelech and his men could hav,
gained such complete triumph. 1t is nj
easy thing to take temple thus armod
have seen house where, during Revolu
tionars times, a man and his wife KEEP
back whole regiment hour after hour be
cause they wore inside the house and th
assRIlting soldiers were outside tho house
Yet hero Abimeiveh and his army com
up, they surround this temple, and the
capture it without the loss of q single mai
on the part rf Abimelech although sup
! pose some OF the old Israelitish heroes toll
Ablmeicch, You arc only going up ther
to be cut to pieces" Yet you arc willin,
to testify today that by no other mode
certainly not by ordinary modes-coul
that temple so easily SO thoroughly, hay
been taken. Fathers and mothers, bretil
ron and sisters i'm Jesus Christ, what tn
church most wants to learn this day
that any plan is right, is lawful is best
which helps to overthrow the temple of ST
and capture this world for God. We al
very apt to stick to the old modes Of al
tack We put on the old style coat {
mail. We come up with the sharp, keer
glittering steel spear Of argument, expect
ing in TINT way to take the castle, bu
they have 1000 spears where we have II
And SO she castle Of sin stands. Oh, m
friends, we will never capture this worl