St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-01-15
SERVICE OF THE MASTER
Rev. DR.. Talmage breaches Oh
Christian Physical Power.

vi.aely Lessons Drawn From tho Story Of
samson-The Proper and Improper
Uses OF strength-SAncti-
fed Muscles.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage. in the fol-
lowing sermon, points out how giants
in body and mind or soul ought to con-
aecrate their powers to good and great
purposes. The text is:
And Samson went down to Timnath.-Judges,
xiv, l.
There are two sides to the character
of Samson. The one phase Of his life,
if followed into the particulars. would
administer to the grotesque and mirth-
full; but there is phase OF his char
acter fraught with lessons of solemn
and eternal import. To these graver
lessons we devote our sermon. This
giant no doubt in early life gave evil
dence of what he was to be. 1t is al
most always so. There were two Ma
poieons-the boy Napoleon and the
man Napoleon-but both alike;
two Towards. the boy How
ard and the man Howard-but both
alike; two Samsols-the boy Samson
and the man Samson-but both alike.
This giant was no doubt the hero OF
the playground, and nothing could
stand before his exhibitions of youth
full prowess. At Is years of age he was
betrothed to the daughter OF Philis-
tine. Going down toward Timnath,
lion came upon him, and. although
this young giant was weaponless, he
seized the monster by the long name
and shook him as hungry hound
shakes March hare, and made his
bones crack, and left him by the way
side bleeding under the shifting OF his
fist and the grinding of his heel.
There he stands, looming up above
other men, mountain Of flesh, his
arms punched with muscles that can
lift the gate of a city, taking an attt-
tude defiant of everything. His hair
had never been cut, and it rolled down
| in seven great plaits over his shoulders,
adding to his bulk, fierceness and ter
ror. The Philistines want to cong uer
him. and therefore they must find out
where the secret of his strength lies.
There is dissolute woman living In
the Valley of Sorek by the name OF
Delilah. They appoint her the agent
in the case. The Philistines are Sc
GREETED in the same building. and then
Delilah goes to work and coaxes Sam
son to tell what is the secret OF his
strength. "Well," he says, IF you
should take seven green withes. such
as they fasten wild beasts with, and
put them around me, should be per-
fectly powerless." So she binds him
with the seven green withes. Then
she claps her hands and says: "They
come-the Philistines- and he walks
as though they were no impeachment.
She coaxes him again, and says: Now
tell me the secret OF this great
strength" and he replies: If
you should take some ropes
that have never been used
and tie me with them should be just
like other men," She ties him with
the ropes, Chaps her hands. and shouts:
.'They come-the Philstines." He walks
out as easily as he did before-not a
single obstruction. She coaxes him
again, and he says: Nov, if you
should take these seven long plaits OF
hair, and by this house-loom weave
them into a web, could not get away"
So the house-loom is rolled up, and
the shuttle flies backward and for
ward. and the long plaits of hair are
woven into the web. Then she claps
her hands and says: They come-the
Philistinesr' He walks out as easily as
lie did before. dragging part OF the
loom with him.
But after awhile she persuaded him
to tell the truth. He says: IF you
should take q razor or shears and cut
off this long hair. l should be power
less and in the hands Of my enemies. +"
Samson sleeps, and that she may not
wake him up during the process OF
shearing, help is called in. You know
that the BARRIERS of the east have such
q skillful way of manipulating the
head to this very day that, instead OF
waking up sleeping man. they will
put a man wide awake sound asleep.
| hear the blades of the shears grind
ing against each other, and l see the
long locks falling off. The shears or
razor accomplishes what green withes
and new ropes and house loom could
not do. Suddenly she claps her hands
and saws: .sThe Philistiues Oe upon
thee, Samson!" lie rouses up with
La struggle, but his strength is
all gone. He is in the hands
of his enemies.
hear the groans of the giant as
they take his eyes out. and then l see
him staggering on in his blindness,
feeling his way as he goes on toward
GAIA. The prison door is open, and
the giant is thrust in. He sits down
and puts his hand on the mill crank,
which, with exhausting horizontal
motion, goes day after day, week after
week, month after month-work,
work, work! The CONSERVATION OF
the world in captivity, his locks shorn,
his eyes punctured, grinding corn in
GAIA!
First of all behold in this giant Of
the text that physical power is not al
WAYS an index of moral power. He
was huge mantle lion found it out;
and the 5000 men whom he slew found
It out; yet he was the sub ject Of petty
reyeppes and out-gianted by low pas.
sion. am far from throwing discredil
upon physical stamina There are
those who seem to have great admira.
ton for delicacy and sickness OF con.
stitution. Inever could see any glory
in weak nerves or sick headache.
Whatever effort in our day is made to
,,,l,a ,voak men and women more no.
bust should have the favor of every
good citizen as well as OF every good
Christian. Gymnastics may be posi-
lively religious.
Good people sometimes ascribe to
wicked heart what they ought to as
cribe to slow liver. The body and
the soul are such near neighbors that
they often catch each others disease.
Those who never saw sick dav, and
L.. s,~