Connecticut western news., 1899-01-26
STRIKING DOWN SIN.
GENUS NOT NECESSARY TO COMBAT
 POWERS OF EVIL.

Rev. pr. Talmage Admonisbes Us to
 Persevere In Doing Good - Perse-
 were In the Face of Fnilure-Enthu-
 siasm Will Overcome Difficulties. lCopyright, 1889, 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 iii, 15, But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord the Lord raised them up deliverer, Ehhd, the son of Gera, a Benjamite, man left handed, and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon, the king of Moab. ''
 Ehud was ruler in Israel He was left handed, and, what was peculiar about the tribe of Benjamin, to which he belonged, there were in it TOO 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 hairbreadth and not miss We'll, there was a king by the name of Eglon, who was an oppressor of Israel He imposed upon them 8 most outrageous tax. Ehud, the man of whom first spoke, had a divine com mission to destroy that oppressor. He came, pretending that he was going to pay the tax, and asked to see King Eglon. He was told he was in the sum- mer house, the place to which the king retired when it was too hot to sit in the palace. This summer house was place surrounded by flowers and trees and springing fountains and warbling birds. Ehud entered the summer house and said to King Eglon that he had secret errand with him. Immediately all the attendants were waved out of the royal presence. King Eglon rises up to receive the messenger Ehud, the left handed man, puts his left hand to his right side, pulls out dagger and thrusts .Eglon through until the haft went after the blade. Eglon falls. Ehud comes forth to blow trumpet of liberty amid the mountains of Ephraim, and great host is marshaled, and proud Moab sub mits to the conqueror, and Israel is freel So, O Lord, let all thine enemies perish. So, o Lord, 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- tion, have as much strength 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 issoften self observant, careful of itself, not given to much toll, burning incense to it's own aggrandizement, while many man with no natural endowments; actually defective in physical and mental organ ization, has an earnestness for the right, g. patient industry, Nan all consuming perseverance, which achieve marvels for the kingdom of Christ. Though left handed, as Ehud, they can strike down a sin as great and imperial as sEglon.
 I have seen men of wealth gathering about them all their treasures, snuffing at the cause of world lying in wicked ness, roughly ordering Lazarus off their doorstep. sending their dogs, not to lick his sores, but to hound him off their premises. catching all the pure rain of Gods blessing into the stagnant, ropy, frog inhabited pool of their own self ishness right handed men, worse than nseless-while many man with large heart and little purse has, out of his limited means, made poverty leap for joy and started an influence that over spans the grave and will swing round and round the throne of God, world without end Amenl
 An, mel It is high time that you left handed men, who have been longing for this gift, and that eloquences and the other mans wealth, should take your left hand out of your pockets. Who made all these railroadsf Who set up all these citiesf Who started all these churches, and schools, and, asylums7 Who has done the tugging, and run ming and pulling3 Men of no wonder ful endowments, thousands of them ac- knowledging 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 first time he took 8 sling in his left hand could throw 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 it. 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 mason rings his trowel upon the brick he does not expect to put up a perfect wall The first time carpenter sends the plane over board or drives a bit through beam he does not expect to make perfect execution. The first time boy attempts a rhyme he does not expect to chime a "Lalla Rookh" or ''Lady of the Lake. Do not be surprised if in your first efforts at doing good you are not very largely successful Understand that usefulness is an art, science, trade. There was an oculist performing very difficult operation on the human eye. A young doctor stood by and said: "How easily you do that It don't seem to cause you any trouble at all {" "Ah," said the old oculist. cit is very easy now, but I spoiled hatful of eyes to learn that. . Be not surprised if it takes some prac- tice beforewe can help men to moral eyesight and bring them to vision of the cross. Left handed men, to the work Take the gospel for sling and faith and repentance for the smooth stone from the brook Take sure aim, God direct the weapon, and great Coli aths will tumble before you.
 When Garibaldi was going out to battle, he told his troops what he want ed them to do, and after he had de- scribed what he wanted them to do they