The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-21


ferS demanding payment of your sharp
bet. You may lug the gates of GAIA
to the hills Of Hebron, ana they shall
be light load compared with the burden
of soul you shall ever carry from your
love Of the unworthy and companionshlp
with the vile. Put no tr-st in these
women of the Philistines, ana let not
thine heart desire them however beautiful
thsy may be. Dalliance with Deiilah
ends with the toll of the ass in turning
miilstones in the prison of your enc
mics. There is no happiness in dying
amid the ruins of Dagons temple. Shun
the weakness OF the strong and seek Him
who is strength to the weak.
Samson was strong when he was filled
with the Spirit of the Lord, but weak
when he trusted in himself. Up to a
certain point in his career the sacred
Samson with the words. The Spirit OF
the Lord came upon him" Then this
preface is discontinued Samson seems
to act in his own strength, and it is not
long until his weakness and downfall
follow. When he was weak he was
strong. When realizing his own wea'l-
ness, he put his strength in the LORI,
and he was strong, invincible. But
when he ceased to recognize his need
of divine sire myth AMI trusted in him
self he was weak and easily over
come. This is a type of our spiritual
history. We are strong when we trust
in God and weak when we trust in our
selves
Strong in Thy strength all right to do.
Lies battle I can win.
And in Thy strength will put to flight
Each soul destroying sin.
THE STRONG WEAK MAN
The Epworth league lesson is found
In Judges xvi. 2c-3l 1t IS the story Of
Samson 1t is more than a pleas ng tale
of life in primitive times. 1t has mean
ing for us in our present day and for
each one IN his own field of wo:k
He is the Oh, rished child of his par
ents, who have hoped great things from
him and done all they knew how to do
so that he might have the best chance in
life. He had a secret strength and
mission which should have remained sa-
cred to him AMI which if kept inviolate
would have kept him safely.
His weakness was that which 80 often
proves fatal to strong animal natures.
He failed to control his physical powers
and appetites In submission to his d.
vine mission and for its further2nce. He
loved a woman. That might have been
a help to him. But she was a Philistine
fail to be a hin6rance to him so long
as she remained Phiiistine. She was
not a Ruth OF Moab who rived the
God of Naomi and became a daughter
of Israel. He loved unwisely. His pas
sion was a weakness, became a sin ana
ensnared his whole life Whether 1t was
the FINITE woman or she of GAIA or
Delilah of Screk he was most unwise
in his alliances. What a study is this
craft and crime! 1t begins in lust and
cotinues in hatred, violsce. lying ana
murder to the end Those were w.la
times and rough people, we say. Were
they any more so than we have now?
This same story can be read in new edi-
lions in almost every commun1ty-no less
fatal now than then because bound in
more sumptuous style.
An element that contributed to Sam
sons weakness was evil assoc atom.
Evil associates have weakened many a
strong man. They have been able to
stand against themselves, but not to
withstand the evil influences Of Their
associates. Too much care cannot be
exercised in choosing intimate friends.
EVIL communications corrupt good
manners" and also good men, and If we
would not be corrupted we must avoid
the evil associations.
sons downfall. The man who was strong
while he kept his religious vows became
weak when he broke them. His strength
departed with the breaking Of his Nazar-
tie vow. This should be a warning to
Christians. We have taken the pledge.'
We have viewed VOW The keeping Of
it will strengthen us in all the places
Of our religious lives Failure to keep
1t will weaken us. Broken vows mean
be unconscious to the spirits departure,
but when temptation comes we will fall.
Feats of strength always interest We
admire the strong man. There is great
satisfaction also in feeling that we have
strength and can do things well We like
to do hard things for very gladness of
eXerting our powers and conqUering If
other people see us and praise the work,
that adds to our pleasure. We also en-
JOY comparing strength with Others
and competing with them in toll The
sense of superior ability gives elation Of
soul, which we value more than the
strength itself. We delight in the feel
ing of ability and superiority
But there Is the greatest difference in
the value or worth Of the various kinds
Of strength we can have. Bodily power
is good, but is the lowest Of all our
powers in the scale of excellence.
Brain power Is better than muscle and
Drawn. The man who thinks is superior
to the man who digs, or, to PIT 1t In
another fashion, we are higher in the
scale of being and more worthy In our
estimation by our thought than by pow
ers of body. Highest worth lies in soul
power. The right and truth lift US in
height far above all mere think ing and
exercise of physical force
Strong in Thy strength, oh. let me be
Till victory Is won,
And in Thy strength at length I rise
To hear Thee say, well doneY'
NOTABLE DAYS OF THE WEEK.
July q is the seventh Sunday after
Trinity in the Anglican church calendar,