The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-28
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject. The Responsibility OF Those Who
Are woll and Strong-Physical Energy
Not Indicative of Spiritual Power
Fight the Battles Of the Weak.

Not Indicative of Spirituai Power
Fight the Battles of the Weak.
Copyright lsuU.l
WASHINGTON. D. C.-In this discourse Dr..
Talmage sets forth the responsibility OF
those who are strong aud we'll, as 10 q
former discourse lie prenoheu' to the dis
abled and "thc shut in." text, Judges xiv.
l, "Aud Samson went down to 'Tlmnath.'
There are two sides to the character o;
Samson. The one phase OF his lie, II toi-
lowed into the particulars. would admins
ter to the grotesqup and the mirtifrl, but
there is phase Of his character fraught
with lessons OF solemn and eternal import.
TO these graver lessons We devote our
sermon.
This giant no doubt in eArly life gaTe
evidences OF what he was 70 be. 1t 10 al
most always 30. There were two Napo.ecIs
tho boy Napoleon and the man Napoleon
but both alike: two Howards-the boy
Howard aud the man Howard-bu. both
alike; two Samsons-the boy Samson aud
the man Samson-but both alike. THIS
giant was no doubt the hero OF tue play
ground, and nothing could stand before
his exhibition youthful prowess. At
eighteen years OF age he was betrothef to
the daughter OF q Philistine. Going down
toward Tlmnath, g. lion came out upon
him, and, although this young giant was
weaponless, he sslzedSt monster BY the
long name and shook him as a hungry
hound shakes Mnrch hare and made bis
bleeding under the sunitiug OF his fist and
the grinding hett Of his heel.
i There he staEds, looming up above other
men. a mountain Of flesh, his arms punched
with muscle lat can lift the gate OF a city,
taking an. attitude defiant OF everything.
His hair had never been cut, and 1t rolled
down seven great plaits over his shoul-
ders, adding to mis- bulk flerceness aud ter
ror. The Philistines want to conquer him,
aud therefore they must, find out where
the secret-of his strength lies.
There ls an evil womqS living in the val
ley ofSorek by the name ofDelilah. They
appoint her the agent In the case. The
Philistines are seorstedS In the same build
ing. and then u DeliAh goes to work and
Goa xes Samson to teilwhRt Is the secret yol
his strengkh zsWeil, Il; he says, .'if you take
seven green withes uchS as they, fasten
Wild beasts wsth and put them ;aroundSm me
I 4 should sbe perfectly power erless. $50
she binds bin with the eeven green wftfess
Then she, ,clRps bets hand and says, Riiey
comethe Pfiillstfnesl and he walks ont
as though there were no impedl She
,coaxes him again and says, - n ow, tell me
thesecret OF this great strength. "a And ne
replies, SIT y on should take me rope TINT
have never been used, and tie me With them
I should be just like other men. She ties
s"They come-tbe Phillsttneslg He, walks
out as easily as he did befose not q sineIee 2
obstruction. She conxes3 n agnfn, ana
he says, Now. If you shoul axe, thsse
seven long plaits OF hair and Quse
loom weave them into wei
get. away" 50 the house 4 fsroif6d
up, and the shuttle files baek nd Ghd for4
ward and the long plato ,oi = klfatsw ven
intoaweb. Thsp4h1 tht ti erl1dndS aud
says, "They codt-tM YhiilstitesE., He
walks out as easily as 1e dihbefore, drsIc::
ging purt OF the loomswith b. htu.
But after awhile Sue persuadss hfHsA o
tell the truth. He says,&"If Yod sh0fld
take q razor or shears and CUTOFF this Itl'g
hair. should be powerless and IN fne
hands of my enemies" Samson sleeps, and
that she may not wake him up dur
Ing the process OF shearirg. help
is called in. You know that tho BARRIERS
oi the East have such u skillfCl way
Of manipulating the head to this very dny
chat, instead o. waking up a sleeping man.
they will put a man wide awake so"nd
asleep. I hear the blades OF the shears
grinding against each other, and see the
long locks falling of. The shears or razor
accomplishes whnt green withes nnd new
ropes and house loom could not do. Sud
denly she claps her hands and says. The
Phillstines he upon thee, Samson! He
rouses up with n struggle, but his strength
Is all couc. He is in the hands OF his en-
amles.
I hear the groan Of the gian! az they
take his eyes out, md then see him stag
IN, Il ind Faaljnr hia
ss he goes on toward Gaza. The prison
door Is open, and the giant is thrust in.
He sits down and puts his hands on the
mill crank, which, with exhausting hori-
zontal motion, goes day after day, week
utter week, month after month-work,
work, work, The CONSERVATION OF the
world in captivity. his locks shorn, lis
eyes punctured, grinding corn In Gaza!
First OF all, behold IL this giant OF the
text that physical power is not always IN
index OF IN raj power. He was II huge mum
the lion found 1t out and the 5000 men
swhom he slew found it ont; yet he WAS the
subject OF petty rerenges and outglanted
by low px sslon. am far from throwing
ssAy tiseredlt upon physical stamina:
5ssI2f3f6Ere those who seem to have great
I'D dfitatfon for delicscy and sickness Of
constitution. never could sec any glory
sfHWank nerves or sick headache. What
s6vef effort In our day Is made to make the
;3lle5f hS3d women mora robust should have
Skh84aSor;ot every good citizen rs wcll rs
3of eNeff Christian. Gymnastics may be
sp0sit txeiy religious.
f76od paopie sometimes ascribe t. 4
Wicked heartSRhat they ought to ascr'bs
,f05KESloW, HRef. The body and soul afs
lsffeh 66a nHaghbors that they often catch
each s0ther'S diseases. Those who never
;saH Esiek day and who, like Hercules,
show the giant In the cradle have more to
answer for than those who are the sub
jects OF lifelong in(lrmities. He who can
lit twice as much as you Gun and walk
twice us fur and work twice rs long will
have a double accountt to meet In the judg-
ment. 6}r,
How often it 'fssthat you do not md
physical energy Indicative OF spiritua.
powerl,s IfAciear hendis worth more than
one dizzywtt perpetualyertigo, il muscles
wiShthe pIly 6f health In them nre worth
more thunS those drawn up in chronic
"rheumatios,R II an eye quick to catch
passing objects Is better than one with
vision dim and uncertain, then God will
require OF US efficiency just in proportion
to what He has given as. Physical energy
ought to be type OF moral power. We
ought to have rs good digestion Of truth rs
We have capacity to asslinilate food. Our
spiritual hearing ought tC be rs good ns
our physical heartug. Our spiritua! taste
ought to be rs clear as our tongue. Sam
sons In body, wo ought to be giants In moral
power.
But while you And great many men who
realize that they ought to use their money
Alright md use their. Intelligence Alright,
how few men you find aware OF the fact
thu: they ought to use their physical or