Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-01-19


sermon shows how some people multi
ply their resources for usefulness and
In novel Way urges the putting forth
of more energy in right directions;
text, Ii. SamHei 1873: "'rhou art worth
10000 OF us"
One of the most WOndrOuS characters
of his timeW David A red-haired boy,
he could shepherd a flock or carry ten
Soaves and ten slices of milk cheese to
his brothers in the regiment or with
ieaiherR thong, slone-ioaded. bring
down giant whose armor weighed
two hundredweight of metal, or cause
lion which roared at him in rage to
roar with pain as he flung il, dying,
10 the roadside. or could marshal host
or rule AN empire, or thumb harp so
successfully that it cured Saul's demen-
TIA harp from whose strings dripped
pastorals, elegies, lyrics. triumphal
marches. benedctions. Now, this man,
combination of music and heroics, of
dithyrambs and battlet fields, of coun-
try quietudes and craftsmanship, is to
TT out military expedition. Four
thousand troops, according to 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. Joah, 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. He will lead them in the awful
charge, for he has not a cowardly nerve
in all his body. lie did not propose to
have his troops go into perils which he
himself would not brave, and the bat
tletield required as much courage then
as now for the opposing forces must,
in order to do any execution at all,
come up to within positive reach of
saber and spear. But there came up
from the troops and the civilians
mighty protest against Davids taking
the field. His life was too important TO
the nation If he went down. the en-
pire went down. whereas if the whole
1000 Of the ranks were slain another
army might he marshaled and The de-
feat turned into victory. The army and
the nation practically cried out: No.
No! Aou cannot go 10 the front We
estimate you as 10000 men. Thou art
worth 10000 of us
That army and that nation then and
there reminded David and now remind
US, of the fact which we forget or never
appreciate ut all that some people are
morally or spiritually worth far more
thar Others and some worth far less.
The census and statistics of nejghbor
hoods. of churches. of nations, serve
their purpose, but they can never &C
curately express the real state of
things. The practical subject that !
want to present to-day is that those
who have especial opportunity especial
graces, especial wealth, especial talent,
especial eloquence ought to make up
Cy especial assiduity and conservation
'or those who have less opportunities
and less gifts. iou ought TO do ten
times more for God and human upift-
inc than those who have only tenth
file Of the 1000 Of the text told the
truth when they said; Thou art
worth 10000 Of U.S.
In no city of its size are there so
many men Of talent as are gathered in
his capital Of the American nation,
Some OF the states are at times repre-
sented by men who have neither tai.
ents nor good morals Their po'itica
party compensates them for partisan
services by sending them to congress,
or by securing for them positions In
the war or navy or pension or print.
ing departments They were nohodies
before thay left home. and they are no.
bodies here Hut they are exceptional
Al the states of the Union generally
send their most talented men and men
Of exemplary lives ard noble purposes.
Some Of them have the gifts aud quail
ficatior~ Of ten men of 100 mcn-yea
Of .Gp mef--and their constituents
could lrnthfuly employ he words Of
my text and say: Thou art worth TO-,
zoo Of II,
With .Hch opportunity are they aug
peniing their usefulness in every pos
sible direction? 1t is stupeudous
thing 10 have power-politica' power,
socia power. official power. Il has
often been printed and often quoted as
one of he wise savings Of the anCienls:
knowledge Is power" Yet it may as
certainly be power for evil a. for good
The lightning express rail train has
power for good II il is on The track. but
horrible power for disaster If Il leaves
he track and piunges down the EN-.
bankment. The ocean steamer has pow.
er for good sailing in right direction
and 10 safe waters and under good
helmSmen and wide awake watchmer
on the lookout. but indescriba bic power
for evil If under full Roadway il strikes
the breakers As steam power or cleo.
;ricity or water forces may be stored ID
boilers. in dynamos. IN reservoirs. 10
be employed all over town or city 50
God sometimes puts in one man enough
faith to supply thousands Of meu with
,-odrage. Ii man happens % be thus