Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-01-23


we're In the Face of Failure-Enthu-
siasm VIII Overcome Difficulties
ICopyric;ht. 1899. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-From scene
in ancient story DR.. Talmage, in this
discourse, draws lessons as appropriate
for this time as they were appropriate
for the time when the event occurred
many centuries ago; text, Judges Ill,
Is. But when the children of Israel
cried unto the Lord the Lord raised
them up a deliverer, Ehud, the son of
Gera, Benjamite, man left handed,
and by him the children'of Israel sent
present unto Eglon, the king of Moab, -
Ehud was a ruler in Israel He was
left handed, and, what was peculiar
about the tribe of Benjamin, to which
he belonged, there were in it roo left
handed men. and yet so dexterOus had
they all become in the use of the left
hand that the Bible says they could
sling stones at q .hairbreadth and not
miss Well, there was a king by the
name of Eglon, who was an oppressor
of Israel He imposed upon chem q
most outrageous tax. Ehud, the man of
whom I first spoke, had divine COM
mission to destroy that Oppressor. He
came pretending that he was going to
pay the tax. and asked to see King
EgIon. he was told he was in the sum-
mer house. the place to which the king
retired when it was too hot 10 sit in the
palace. This summer house was place
surrounded by flowers and trees and
Ehud entered the summer house and
said to King Eglon that he had secret
GRAND with him Immediately all the
attendants were waved out of the royal
presence. King Eglon rises up to receive
the messenger. Ehnd, the left handed
man. puts his left hand to his RICH
side, pulls out dagger and thrusts
Eglon through until the haft went after
the blade. Eglon falls. Ehud comes
forth 10 blow a trumpet Of liberty amid
the mountains of Epl1rain, and a great
host'is marshaled, and proud Moab sub
mits to the conqueror, and Israel is
freel So, O Lord, 1etsall thine enemies
perish So, o Lard, let all thy friends
triumph
i learn, first, from this subject the
power of left handed men. There are
some men who, by physical organiza-
ton, have as muchstrength in their left
hand as in their right hand, but there
is something in the writing of this text
which implies that Ehud had some de-
feet in his right hand which compelled
him to use his left. Oh, the power of
left handed menl Genius is often self
observant, careful fof itself, not given
d 4r>1I TO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, while many a man
with no natural ,endowments, actually
defective in physical and mental organ
Ization, has an earnestness for the right,
q patient industry, an all consuming
perseverance, which achieve marvels for
the kingdom of Christ Though left
handed, as Ehud they can strike down
E sin as great and imperial as Eglon.
have seen men ,of'wealth gathering
sbout them all their treasures, snuffing
a5 the cause of a world lying in wicked
ness, roughly ordering Lazarus off their
doorstep, sending their dogs, not to lick
mis- sores, but TO hound him off their
premises catching all the pure rain Of
Gods blessing intotthe stagnant, ropy,
frog inhabited pool of their own self
lshness-right handed men, worse than
useless many a man with large
heart and little purse has, out of his
limited means, made poverty leap for
icy and started an influence that over
spans the grave and will swing round
and round the throne of God, world
without end. A1neni
All, mel It is high time that you left
handed men, who have been longing for
this gift, and that teloquence, and the
other mans wealth, should take your
left hand out of yo11r pockets. Who
made all these railroads? Who set up
all these cities? Who started all these
churches, and schools, and asylums9
Who has done the tugging, and run-
ming, and pu1lingf Men Of no wonder
fuIsendowments, thousands of them &C
knGwledging themselves to be left hand
ed, and yet they were earnest, and yet
they were determined. and yet they
were, triumphant.
But do not suppose that Ehud the
Hrst-5ime he took sling in his left
hand could throw a stone at hair
breadth and not miss. I.suppose it was
practice that gave him the wonderful
dexterity. Go forth to your spheres of
duty and be not discouraged if in your
first attempts you miss the mark. Ehud
missed 1T. Take another stone, put it
carefully into the sling, swing it around
your head, take better aim, and the
next time you will strike the center
The first time a mason rings his trowel
upon the brick he does not expect to
put up perfect wall The first time
carpenter sends the plane over board
Or drives q bit through beam he does
not expect to make perfect execution.
The first time boy attempts a rhyme
he does not expect to chime +4Lalla
Rookh'' or a LADY of the Lake" Do
l, S11,-ra1.i If Ii, 1o111. first