The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-05-31
TRlUMPHS OF PLUCK.


s't A'''SHct paw Iiui,i, ll'diHc
Sunday morning To members Of th
= q. A. r. His subject was ctr
: umphs Of Pluck" and his text wa
taken from Judges iii, 81 ".5ham
gar, the son OF Anath, slew of th
Philistines six hundred men with al
OK goad." lie said in part:
"rhe historical period of th
scripture was time Of great troubl
to the lsraelites. Their country wa
overrun by their enemies. Tn
Phillstines had possession Of al
public highways, watering place
and every strategic point. Bywayl
and secret paths had to be used by
the lsraeliies in passing through
their own country, which was infest
ed by marauding bands, who pill
aged their homes and murdered
their families. All Israel was filled
with mourning.
"The cause Of their trouble was a
rebellion against God. The mass
Of the people had gone after the
idols Of the heather. 1t was new,
and they wanted something differ
ent from what they had. They
were not unlike many O. the people
of to-day who are tired of everything
conservative in church and state.
They long for new policies, new
methods, new preaching, new wives,
new husbands, and new everything.
Like the Greeks in st. Paul's time
they are always looking for some
new thing. Many OF these Israelites
no doubt said: The laws Of Moses
are too rigid for us to-day. We
need TO be a little more polite ,
So the warnings OF their priests and
judges were unheeded I'm il the
time came when the Almighty was
their God no longer, but the gods Of
wood and stone, which they could
make for themselves, and like th, m
selves, and trouble came upon
them.
WHEN SHAMGAR APPEARED.
'lt was while such state Of af-
fairs prevailed that a stranger APP
peared. He was the third 10 the
inc OF judges which extended from
Joshua to Saul. He feared and
yorshipped the true God lie was
farmer, and had the pluck to 90
With his hired men and OK teams,
hough be knew he was watched by
Keen eyes of the enemies Of his
country.
$50 it came to pass on day
While p.owing in his field that 600
'hiistines came from the thickets
urrounding his farm and ran upon
i'm with the shouts Of demons.
'hamgar did not faint, nor did he
ash away to hide, nor yet he did
lot hold ur his hands and beg for
lis life. lie held in his hand
tick six or eight feet long and three
nches thick 1T the hand en- 1t
ias what he had, it was all he had
0 defend himself with. He met
he enemy with what he had and
lew 600.
You may say Shamgai victory
'as miracle. So il was. All of
Iod's interpositions on behalf OF
lis people are supernatural. The ,
onduct and defense of Israel from !
'gypt to Canaan was miraculous. {
Q i the n aintenance Of His church; {
Is the conversion Of sinner, and !
is every victory Of the cross. But j
cd uses huran agency in the Z
aiding and maintenance of His
,iritual kingdom on the earth He
smands Of His subjects to use I,
hat they have, and only what they !,
I'VE. David used only a pebl le /,
I'd sling in Staying the giant. )
"Human life is full Of trouble. q
an is born to trouble. 1t marks =
5 pathway from tke cradle to the {,
ave. No one ever gets too good 4
have a cross or too pious to be 4
mpted. Ii he says he does he is =
fanatic. Childhood has its I
oubles, school days are beset with j,
mptations, fatherhood and mother "
'od are oppressed with anxious tf
'urs. Christian life is marked !;
tn self-denials; statesm IN, as a =
lie, have more clouds than sun Il
inc. !,
WHAT PLUCK Is. ~
"Pluck is q compound of good al
mmon sense, unilinching cour- W
g ADD an undying hang on. Sham W
r had pluck. The pilgrim faith ca
had pluck. Washington and Iii
, little continental army had it tollo
. bone until liberty was won th
lr fathers and mothers who faced b
verify, wolves and Indians in ID
king homes, scho houses and b,
arches all over this fiir land were ci
icky. Our b,ys (who are now 5,
r grandfathers, the few who are y
y, who marched to the City OF