The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-12-03
ANCIENT ATHLETES.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Uses Them as the
Basis of a Sermon.
The Wrestler with a Human Adversary
Made to Typify the Constant strug-
gle of Gods Chosen Against
the Power of EVIL.

truths. The text is: I'VE wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against
municipalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places. "-Ephesians vi, IL.
Squeamishness and fastidiousness
were never charged against Paul's
rhetoric. In the war against evil he
took the first weapon he could lay his
hand on. For illustration, he en-
ployed the theater, the arena, the foot
lace, and there was nothing in the
Isthmian game, with its wreath OF
parsley; or any Roman circus, but he
felt he had right to put it in sermon
or epistle, and are you not surprised
that in my text he calls upon a wrest-
ling bout for suggestiveness? Plu-
tarch says that wrestling is the host
artistic and cunning of athletic games.
We must make wide difference be-
tween pugilism, the lowest of specta-
cles, and wrestling, which is an eff
fort to put down another on floor or
ground, and we, all of us, INDUCED in
it in our boyhood days, if we were
healthful and plucky. The ancient
wrestlers were first bathed in oil, and
then sprinkled with sand. The third
throw decided the victory, and many
a man who went down in the first
throw or second throw, in the third
throw was on top, and his opponent
under. The Romans did not like this
game very much, for it was not saw
age enough, no blows or kicks being
allowed in the game. They preferred
the foot of hungry panther on the
breast of fallen martyr.
In wrestling, the opponents would
bow in apparent suavity, advance face
to face, put down both feet solidly,
take each other by the arms, and push
each other backward and forward I'M
til the work began in real earnest, and
| there were contortions and strangu-
lations, and violent strokes of the foot
of one contestant against the foot OF
the other, tripping him up, or with
struggle that threatened apopleXy OF
death, the defeated fell, and the shouts
of the spectators greeted the victor
| guess Paul had seen some such con-
test, and it reminded him of the
struggle of the soul with temptation
and the struggle of truth with error
and the struggle of heavenly forces
against apollyonic powers, and he die
tates my text to an amanuensis, fol
| all his letters, save one to Philemon
seem to have been dictated, and as the
amanuensis goes on with his work ]
hear the groan and laugh and shout
of earthly and celestial belligerents:
eve wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities
against powers, against the rulers Of
the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places"
l notice that as these wrestlers ad
vanced to throw each other they bowed
one to the other. 1t was civility
not only in Grecian and Roman games
but, in later day, in all the wrestling
bouts at Clerkenwell, England, and il
the famous wrestling match during
the reign of Henry Ill, in st. Giles
Field, between men of Westminste1
and people of London. However rougl
twist and hard pull each wrestle
contemplated giving his opponent
they approached each other with pc
likeness and suavity. The genuflex
ions, the affability, the courtesy in nj
wise hindered the decisiveness of tn
contest. Well, Paul, / see what yo,
mean. In this awful struggle between
right and wrong, we must not forge
to be gentlemen and ladies'. Affabili
ty never hinders, but always help
You are powerless as soon as you ge
mad. Do not call rumsellers murder
ers. Do not call infidels fools. D.
not call higher critics reprobates. ID
not call all card-players and theater
goers children of the devil Do no
say that the dance breaks through in
to hell. Do not deal in vituperatio
and billingsgate and contempt and ad
jectives dynamite. The other sid
can beat us at that. Their die
tionaries have more objurgation an
birthstone.
/, Remember also that these wrestler
went through severe and continuou
course of preparation for such worl
They were put upon such diet a
would best develop their muscle. A
{ Paul says: Every man that strivet
for the mastery is temperate in a
, things" The wrestlers were put III
t der complete discipline - bathing
, gymnastics, struggle in sport wit
5 each other to develop strength an
give quickness to dodge of head an
/ trip of foot; stopping ii lift each othe
er off the ground; suddenly rushin
, forward; suddenly pulling backward
! putting the left foot behind the otl
: er's right foot, and getting his oppc
: nent off his balance; hard training fc
/ days and weeks and months, so ths
n when they met it was giant clutchin
r giant. And, my friends. if we do nc
: want ourselves to be thrown in tn
: wrestle with the sin and error of til
e world, we had better get ready b
e Christian discipline, by holy self-d
: NAL, by constant practice, by submit
Y ting to Divine supervisal and dire
e ton. Do not begrudge the time an
money for that young man who is
: preparation for the ministry, spendiu
e two years in grammar school and for
l. years in college, and three years
4 theological seminary. l know tn;
i nine years are big slice to take off
s mans active life, but if you realize
d the height and strength of the archa