St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-02-25
Dr.. Talmage on the Subject Of Is
rael's Deliverer.
Hls Divine Connissjoa t. Destroy
m OpPressGr-Denunc OF
Worshipers Of MaDnens
fFs who Sect II Sin.


to Eglon, The king of Moab"
Ehud was a ruler in Israel. BE was
left-ban.,ed. and what was peculiar
about the tribe of Benjamin, to which
he belonged, there were in 1t 200 left
handed men, and yet so deAtrous had
they all became in the use of the left
hand that the Bible says they could
sling stones al hairbreadth and not
miss. Well, there was a king by the
name of EgIon, who was an oppressor
of Israel. He imposed upon them a
most outrageous tax. Ehud. the man
of whom first spoke, had Divine CON-
mission to destroy that oppressor. lie
came pretending that he was going to
pay the tax, and asked to see King Eg-
lon. He was told he was in the summer
house. the place to which the king re-
tired when it was too hot to sit in the
palace. This summer house was place
surrounded by flowers and trees and
sprineing 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 in after the blade. Egion falls
and Ehud comes forth to blow trurn-
pet of liberty amid the mountains of
Ephraim, and great hos. is marshaled.
and proud Moab submits to the con-
queror, and Israel is free. So. o Lord,
let all Thine enemies perish! So, O
Lord. let all Thy friends triumph!
learn first from this subject the
power of left-handed men. There are
some men who. by physical organiza-
tioE, 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 defect in his right hand which
compelled him to use his left. Oh, he
power of left-handed men! Genius is
often self-observant, careful of itself,
not given to much toll, burning incense
to its own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. while many
q man, with no natural endOwments,
actually defective in physical and men,
tai organization, has an earnestness for
the right, patient industry. an all-con-
suming perseverance,, which achieve
marvels for the kingdom of Christ.
Though left-handed, as Ehud. they can
strike down sin as great and imperial
rs Eglon.
have seen men of wealth gathering
about them all their treasures, snuffing
at the cause of . world lying in wicked
ness, roughly ordering Lazarus on
their doorstep, sending their dogs, not
to lick his sores, but to hound him of
their premises; catching all the pure
rain of Gods blessing into the stag
nant, ropy, frog-inhabited pool of their
own Observation-Disclosures men,
worse than useless-whi!e many a man
with large heart and little purse has
out of his limited means made poverty
leap for JOY and started an influence
that overspans the grave and will swing
round and round the throne of God
world without end. Amen.
All. me! It is high time shat you left
handed men, who have been longing
for this gift and that eloquence and the
other mans wealth, should take your
left hand out of your pockets. VINO
made all these railroads? Who set up
all these cities? Who started all these
churches and schools and asylums?
Who has done the tugging and running
and pulling? Men OF no wonderful en-
Gowments, thousands of them acknowl-
edging themselves to be left-handed,
and yet they were earnest. and yet
they were determined, and yet they
were triumphant.
But I do not suppose that Ehud. the
first time he took sling in his left
hand, could throw . stone at hair
breadth and not miss. I supPose il was
practice that gave him the wonderful
dexterity. Go forth to your spheres of
duty and be not discouraged ii. in your
first attempts, you miss the mark.
Ehud missed 1t. Take another stone.
put it carefully into the sling, swing
1t 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 q perfect wall. The
first time q carpenter sends the plane
over a board or drives q bit through
beam he does not expect to make per-
feet execution. The first time q boy
attempts rhyme he does not expect TO
chime q "Lalla Rookh" or 2 LADY Of
the Lake." Do not be surprised If in
your first efforts at doing good you are
not very largely successful. Under
stand that usefulness is an art, a
science, q 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, 'it
is very easy now, but spoiled hatful
Of eyes to learn that" Be not surprised
If it takes some practice before we 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 repent
ance for the smooth stone from the
brook, take sure aim, God direct the
weapon. and great Goliaths will tumble
before you.
When Garibaldi was going out to bat
tie he told his troops what he wanted
them to do, and after he had described
what he wanted them to do they said:
well, general, what are you going to
give US for all this?" ''Well," he replied,
Il don't know what else you will get,
but you will get hunger, and cold, and
wounds. and death. How do you like
it," His men stood before him for q
little while in silence and then they
threw up their hands and cried: 1--WE
are the men! We are the men!" The
Lord Jesus Christ calls you to His serv-
ice. I do not promise you an easy time
in this world. You may have persecu-
tons. and trials. and misrepresenta-
tons. but afterward there comes an
eternal weight of glory. and you can
bear the woundA and the hrnises- and