The Negro appeal., 1900-02-16
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE IMMINENT DIv1NE,S SUNDAY
DISCOURSE
subIe-.; G..e Responsibility of Those Who
Are Well and Strong-Physicai Energy
Not Indicative of Spiritual Power
Fight the Battles of the Weak.
Copyright 1901

ICOpyrlsht l"V1-i
WAsHtSGroN. d. C.-In this discourse DR..
Talmape sets forth the responsibility OF
thosa who are strong aud we'll, as in
former discourse he preached TO the dis
abled and "the shut in text, Judges xiv,
"Aud Samson went down to Timnath."
There are two sides to the character OF
Samson. The one phase OF MS llfe, IL foi-
lowed into the particulars, would admins
ter to the crotesque and the mirtlful, but
there is a phase OF his character fraught
With lessons of EClomn and eternal import.
To these graver lessons We devote our
sermon.
This giant no doubt in early life gave
evidences of what he was 20 be. 1t is al
most always 80. There were two NapoIeons
tho boy Napoleon and the man Napoleon
but both alike; two Howards-the boy
Howard and the man HOward-buc Doth
alike: two Samsons-the boy Samson and
the man Samson--but both alike. This
giant was no doubt the hero OF the play
ground, and nothing could stand before
his exhibition of youthful prowess. At
eighteen wears OF age he was betrothet TO
the daughter OF Il Philistine. Going down
toward Timnath. Il lion came out upon
him. and, although this young giant was
waaponless, he seized the monster BY the
long name and shook him hs hungry
hound shakes a March hare and made his
bones crack and left him by the wayside
bleeding under the shifting OF his fis5 aud
the grinding heft Of his heel
There he stands, looming up above other
men, a mountHin OF flesh, his arms punched
with muscle that can lift the gate OF a city,
taking an attitude defiant OF everything.
His hair had never been cut, and it rolled
down seven great plaitS over his shonl-
dera, adding to mis- bulk fierceress and ter
ror The PhilistineS want to conquer him,
aud therefore they must find out where
the secret of his strength lies.
There is an evil woman living in the val
tey OF Sorek by the name Of Delilah. Thcy
appoint her the agent in the case. The
PhilistineS are secreted in the same build
ing and then Delliah goes to work and
coaXes Samson to tell what is the secret OF
his strength "Well.'' he says, "if you take
seven green withes such as they. fasten
wild beasts with and put them around me
l should be- perfectly pOwerless." 50
she binds him with the seven green witheS.
Then she claps her hands and says, "Ehey
cOme-the Philistinesi" and he walks out
rs though there were no impediment. She
coaXes him again and says, Now, tell me
the secret of this great strength" And he
replies, "If YOU should take some ropes that
have never been used. and tie me with them
/ should be- Just like other men," She ties
him with ropes, claps her hands and shouts,
''They eome-the Philstinesl" He walks
out as easily as he did before--not single
obstruction. She coaxes him again. aud
he says, ''Now. if you should tSke these
seven long plaits of hair and by THIS honse
loom weave them into Il web, l could not
get away" So the hOuse loom Is rolled
up, and the shuttle dies backward and for
ward, and the long piaits OF hair are woven
into web. Then she elaps her hands and
says, "fhey come--tha Philistinesl' He
walks out as easily as he did before, drag
gng IA part of the loom with him.
But after awhile she persnades him to
tell the truth. He says, III you should
n a n rn n r cn n this lnnsp
hair, l should be pOwerIess and in tho
hands OF my enemies" Samson sleeps, and
that she may not wako him up dur
ing the process of shearing. help
Is called in. You know that the BARRIERS
oi the East have such II skilIful way
OF manipulating the head to this very day
that, instead OF waking upa sleeping man,
they will put Il man wide awake sOEnd
asleep. I hear the blades OF tho shears |
grinding against each other, and | SEQ the
long locks falling off. The shears or razor
aceomplishes what green withes and new
ropes and house loom could not do. Sud-
denly she claps her hands and says, "rhe
PhilisttneS be upon thee. Samson!' He
rouses up with struggle, but his strength
Is all gone. He is in the hands OF his Ell
emies.
+ hear the groan OF the gian. ne they
take his eyes ont, ami then l see him stag
gering on in his blindness, feeling his way
as be goes on toward GAIA. The prison
door is open, and the giant is thrust in.
He sits down and puts his hands on the
mill crank, which, with cxhalsting hori-
Hontal motion, goes day after day, week
after week month after month--work,
work. work! Tho CONSERVATION of the /
world i'll captivity. his locks shorn his
eyes punctured, grinding corn in GAIA!
First of all, behold in this giant OF the /
text that physical power is not always an |
index OF moral power. He was huge man |
The fOnnH
whom he slew found it out; yet he was the |
subject OF petty revenSGs and Outgianted |
by low passion. am far from throwing /
any discredit upon physical stamina. !
There are those who seem TO have great |
admiration for delicacy and sickness of |
constitution. | never could sea any glory |
in weak nerves or sick headache What |
ever effort in our day is made to make the |
men and women more robust should have !
the favor OF every good citizen as we'll as |
of every Christian. Gymnastics NAV Je |
positively religious.
Good people sometimes ascribe TO n |
wicked heart what they ought to ascrbe |
10 Il slow liver. The body and soul are |
such near neighbors that they often catch !
each others diseases. Those who never |
saw sick day and who, like Hercules |
show the ginnt in the cradle have more to |
answer for than those who are the sub /
jects OF lifelong inirmities. He who cnn |
lit twice as much as you can and walk |
twice az far and work twice as long will |
have double account to meet in the judg- |
ment. tt| |
How often it, is that you do not find /
physical energy indicative or spiritual |
powerl Ii Il clear head Is worth more than !
one dizzy with perpetual vertigo, if muscles |
with the play OF health In them are worth !
more than those drawn up in chronic
"rheumntics," if an eye quick to catch !
passing objects ia better than one with
vision dim and uncertain, then God will |
require OF us efficiency just in proportion
to what He has given az. Physical energy /
ought to be type OF moral power We
ought to have rs good digestion of truth as
we have capacity TO assiloilate food. Our
spiritual hearing ought to be as good as
our physical hearing. Our spiritual taste
ought to be as clear as our tongue. Sam
sons IN body, we ought TO be giants in moral
power.
But while you find great many men who
realize that they ought to use their money
Alright and use their intelligence Alright.
how few men you find aware OF the fact
that they ought to use their physical or
gansm arightl With every thump OF the
heart there Is something saying: "Workl
Work." And lest We shonld complain that
We have no tools to work with, God gives
n = hoU dc nd |