Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-01-27
STRIKING DOWN SIN.
GENIUS NOT NECESSARY TO COM8AT
POWERS OF EVIL.

1 ilAAAOllsl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-From a scene
In ancient story Dr. Talmage in this
discourse. draws lessons as appropriat,
for this time as they were appropriate
for the time when the event occurred
many centuries ago; text. Judges Ill
10. But when the children Of Israe
cried unto the Lord the Lord raised
them up a deliverer, Ehud, the son Of
Gera, a Benjamite, man left handed
and by him the children of Israel sent q
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 700 leff
handed men. and yet so dexterous ha(
they all become in the use Of the lefi
hand that the Bible says they could
sling stones at a hairbreadth and not
miss Well. there was a king by the
name Of Eglon. who was an oppressol
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. HC
came, pretending that he was going &c
pay the tax, and asked to see KING
Eglon. He was told he was in the sum
mer house, the place to which the kina
retired when it was too hot to sit in the
palace. This summer house was place
surrounded by flowers and trees anc
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 roya
presence. King Eglon rises mp to receive
the messenger. Ehud. the left handed
man. puts his left hand to his right
side, pulls out a dagger and thrust'
Eglon through until the haft went aftei
the blade. Eglon falls Ehud comes
forth to blow trumpet Of liberty amid
the mountains Of Ephraim, and a 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 arr
some men who. by physical organiza-
ton, 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 mem Genius is often sell
observant. careful of itself. not giver
TO much toll, burning incense to its OWL
aggrandizement while many mar
with no natural endowments, actually
defective in physical and mental organ
ization. has an earnestness for the right
a patient industry, an all consuming
perseverance, which achieve marvels fol
the kingdom of Christ. Though lef'
handed. as Ehud, they can strike dowE
a sin as great and imperial as Eglon.
I have seen men Of wealth gathering
about them all their treasures, snutiins
at the cause Of a world lying in wicked
ness, roughly ordering Lazarus of theil
doorstep, sending their dogs, not to licl
his sores, but to hound him off theil
premises, catching all the pure rain o
Gods blessing into the stagnant' ropy
frog inhabited pool Of their own self
ishness-right handed men, worse thai
useless-while many man with larg'
heart and little purse has, out Of hii
limited means, made poverty leap FOL
ioy and started an influence that over
spans the grave and will swing rounC
and round the throne of God. worlC
without end Amenl
All, mel 1t is high time that you lei
handed men, who have been longing toI
this gift, and that eloquence, and th'
other mans wealth. should take you
left hand out of your pockets. Wh'
made all these railroads ? Who set NJ
all these citiesI Who started all thes'
churches. and schools, and asylums
Who has done the tugging, and run
ming. and pullingl Men Of no wonder
full endOWments. thousands OF them ac
knowledging themselves to be left hand
ed, and yet they were earnest, and ye
thew were determined. and yet the.
were triumphant
But 1 do not suppose that Ehud tn
first time he took sling in his lei
hand could throw stone at hair
breadth and not miss suppose 1t wa
practice that gave him the wonderful
dexterity. Go forth to your spheres o
duty and be not discouraged if in you
first attempts you miss the mark. Ehu
missed it. Take another stone. put
carefully into the sling swing it aroun
your head. take better aim. and tn
next time you will strike the center
The first time a mason rings his trowt
unon the brick he does not expect I
put mp a perfect wall. The first time
carpenter sends the plane over boar
or drives a bit through beam he doe
not expect to make perfect execution
The first time a boy attempts rhym
he does not expect to chime "Lall
Rookh" or "Lady Of the Lake. u
not. be surprised if in your first eiforl
at doing good you are not very largel
successfuL Understand that usefulne'
La an art, q science, trade. There wi
an oculist performing a very dlihcu
operation on the human eye. a youn
! doctor stood by and said "How easil
YOU do that 1t don't seem to cause 20
any trouble at all " "Ah. said II
old oculist. at is very easy now. but
epoiled a hatful Of eyes to learn that
Be not surprised If it takes some pra
tice before we can help men to NOR
. eyesight and bring them to vision
the cross Left handed men, to u
work. Take the gospel for sling an
r faith and repentance for the smoo'
, stone from the brook. Take sure am
God direct the weapon, and great Gol
= aths viii tumble before you.
: When Garibaldi was going ont
battle, he told his troops what he wan
ed them 10 do. and after he naa q
scribed what he wanted them to do the
said "Wen, general, what are You g
ing 70 give us for all thisr wen,
= he replied, II don't know what ei
Won viii get, but you will get hung