Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-11-17


DEWITT Talmage selects prominent
Biblical figure to present practical
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 fastidousness
were never charged against Pauls
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
race, and there was nothing in the
Isthmian game, with its wreath OF
parsley; or any Roman circus, but he
felt he had q right to put it in sermon
or epistle, and are you not surprised
that in my text he calls upon 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-
Giles, and wrestling, which is an ef-
fort to put down another on floor or
ground, and we, all of us, INDUCED in
it in our hoyhood days, if we were
healthful and plurky. The ancient
wrestlers were first bathed in oil, and
then Sprinkled with sand. The third
throw decided the victory, and many
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 III 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 apopleNy or
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 apollyonc powers, and he die
tates my text to an amanuensis. for
all his letters, save one TO Philemon,
seem to have been dictated, and as the
amanucnSis goes On with his work |
hear the groan aud laugh and shout
of earthly and celestial bclligereuts:
1--WE wrestIe not against flesh and
blood, but against principalitics,
AGAINST powers. against the rulers OF
1lir darkness OF this world. against
jri,uaI Wickcdnc>s in high places
notice thai rs these WrestlCrS adj
Naucrd To throw each other they bowed
cur to the other. 1t was a riNility,
moi only ia GrCcian and Roman games,
hat, in iatcr day, in all the wrestling
bouts at thrllrnWci. England, and in
Vie famous wrestling match during
Tie reign of Henry ILL.,. in st. Giles
Field. between men of Westminster
aud people of London. However rough
twist and hard Il pull each wrestler
contemplated giving his opponent,
they approached each other with po-
likeness and Suavty. The genufeX-
ions the atrabiIi1y. the courtesy in no
Wise hiudcrcd the decisiveness of the
contest. Well. Paul. | see what you
mean. In this awful struggle between
right and wrong, we must not forget
to be gentlemen aud ladies. abli-
" never binders. but always help.
! on are powerleSs as soon as YOU get
mad. DO not call rumsellers murder
ers. DO not call iniidels fools. Do
not cali higher critics reprobate Do
not call all card players and theater-
poers children of the devil. Do not
SLY that the dance breaks through in
TO hell. DO not deal in vituperation
and billingsgatc and contempt and adj
y,ectives dynamite. The other side
can beat us at that. Their die
tionaries have more objurgation and
birthstone.
Remember also that these wrestlers
went through severe and continuous
course OF preparation for such work.
they were put upon such diet as
would best develop their muscle. As
Paul says; Every man that striveth
tor the mastery is temperate in all
rEings, The wrcstlcrs were put I'M
Ser complete discipline = bathing,
gymnastics, struggle in sport with
g.ch other 10 develop strength and
yi,e quickness to dodge of head and
"Trip OF foot; stopping ii lift each other
,r OIL the ground, suddenly rushing
forward: suddenly pulling backwards;
painting the left foot behind the 9TH
ers right foot, and getting his oppo-
nent off his balance; hard training for
days and weeks and months, 50 that
when they met il was giant clutching
giant And, my friends, if we do not
want ourselves 10 be thrown in this
wrestle with the sin and error of the
world, We had better get ready by
Christian discipline, by holy seli-de-
NAL. by constant practice. by submit