The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-03-17
WANT MORE DAVIDS.
Or. Talmage Says Every COMMIT
nifty Should Have One.
The People Need Energetic Christian
Leaders I'm Their Fight Against
snfnn-Lesson from the
Ola Prophet.


ci'coursed upon DR. Taimage i'm this
sermon shows how some people multi
ply their resources for usefulness ane
in novel way urges the putting fortl
OF more energy i'm right directions:
text II. Samuel 1873: Thou art worth
10000 of u.s."
One OF the most wondrous characters
ofhis time was David. a red-haired boy.
he could shepherd a flock or carry ten
loaves and ten slices of milk cheese 10
his brothers I'M the regiment" or with
leathern thong, stone-loadod. bring
down a giant whose armor weighed
two hundredwcight Of metal. or cause
o lion which roared at him in rage TO
roar with pain as he flung il. diving.
TO the roadside. or could marshal host
or rule an empire. or thumb harp so
successfully that it cured Saul's demen-
ua-a harp from whose strings dripped
pastorals' elcgies, lyrics. triumphal
marches, benedictions. Now. this man.
combination Of music and heroics. of
dithyrambs and battlefclds. Of coun-
try quietudes and statesmanship is TO
fit out military expedition. Four
thousand troops. according 10 Jo-
sephus. were sent into the field. The
captains were put in command Of the
companies and the colonies in COM
mand of the regiments. which were
disposed into right wing. left wing
and center Gen. Joab. Gen. Abishai
and Gen. Ittai are to lead these three
divisions. But who shall take the field
as commander in chief? David offers
his services, and proposes to go TO the
front. Tie will lead them in the awful
charge. for he has not a cowardlv nerve
in all his body. lie did not propose to
have his troops 60 into perils which he
himself would not brave. and the bat
tleteld required as much courage then
as now, for the opposing forces must.
In order to do any execution az all.
come up 10 within positive reach of
saber and spear. But there came up
from the troops and the civilians a
mighty protest against David's taking |
the field. His life was too important TO |
the nation. II he went down. the en- /
pire went down, whereas if the whole /
1000 Of the ranks were slain another 7.
army might be marshaled and the de-
feat turned into victory. The army and
The nation practically cried out: NO!
MOL You cannot 60 to the front. We
estimate you as 10000 men. Thou art
worth 10000 Of u.s."
That army and that nation then and
here reminded David. and now remind
IS. of the fact which we forget or never
appreciate AT all that some people are
morally or spiritually worth far more
han others and some worth far less.
he census and statistics of neighbor-
oods, of churches. of nations. serve
heir purpose, but they can never ac-
urately express the real state of
hings. The practical subject that I
rant to present to-day is that those
'ho have especial opportunity. especial
races, especial wealth, especial talent,
special eloquence, ought to make up
y especial assiduity and consecration
IT those who have less opportunities
nd less gifts. You ought TO do ten
mes more for God and human uplift-
q than those who have only a tenth
your equipment. The rank and the
e Of the 1900 Of the text told the
nth when they said; Thou art j
orth 10000 of US" s
In no city Of its size are there so
any men Of talent as are gathered in
is capital of the American nation. +
me Of the states are at times repre- o
nted by men who have neithci tall l'
IS nor good morals. Their political a
rty compensates them for partisan -
rvices by sending them TO congress, b
by securing for them positions in g
e war or navy or pension or print q
2 departments. They were nobodies ~
fore they left home. and they are no. T
dies here. But they are exceptional. h
the states Of the Union generally OF
id their most talented men and men hi
exemplary lives and noble purposes. al
me Of them have the gifts and quail th
ations Of ten men. OF 100 men-yea. -
1000 men--and their constituents IT,
I'D truthfuliy employ the words Of 10y
text and say: Thou art worth TO- tu
of us" ar
With such opportunity are they aug th
nting theiI usefulness in every pos re
le direction? 1t is sfupendous tei
ng 10 have power-politica power III
ial power. official power II has tr,
en- been printed and often quoted as CO.
Of the wise sayings Of the ancients: ne
iowledge is power" Yet IL may as yo
tainly be power for evil as for good. or
; lightning express rail train has
yer for good If it is on the track. but ,.,a
rible power for disaster if ii leaves tla
track and plunges down the en- -.
kment. The ocean steamer has pow ,,n
Tor good sailing in right direction 80
in safe waters and under good -.
nsmen and wide asyake watchmen
he lookout. but indescribable power ~" ~,
evil if under full headway ii strikes 49,
breakers. As steam power or elec- w.
ty or water forces may be stored in any
erS, in dynamos. in reservoirs, to
mployed all over a town or city, so '',
sometimes puts in one man enough =" ,
! TO supply thousands Of men with anu ,,
age. If man happens to be thus '' o's'
'wed let him realize his opDortu- ,n''
and improve il. At this time mil yea
Of men are a-tremble lest this ma e,s'
make mistake, and enter upon we
, policy Of government for he ISL I'D d
Of the sea that will founder the re- cess
,o Cd ,,.;lf s;..- arcl