The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-05-01
SERMON BY
REV. ]. SHAPE
Ssrm On by Rev John Shape.

SerWon ny NeV JOHN oudPS'
Prea ched at Delaware Avenue
Baptist Church, April 2Sth, 1901.
Sub ject, Gideon three hundred
m en-. Text: "And they stood
e very man in mis- place. Judges I,
p.
The text gives the reason of the
sig nal victory OF 800 men over $780,
900, a victory wrought. not BY
mig hit, nor by power, but by the
spir it Of the Lord.
For every great battle. physical.
mental orspiritual, there is always
pre- paration. The leader must be
pre- pared to lead the army and the
ar my must be prepared to follow
Gi deon 8 preparation, which began
W it'll Gideon's life. Like Yelling
ton after Waterloo, who, visiting
his old home village with former
companion one day and pointing to
the playground at the public school
which, as lad he had attended,
said at was there the battle OF
Waterloo was fought and won. y
So Gideon's victory goes back be-
yond the Israelitish camp by the
we'll OF Harod, back OF the hill Mo.
reh, to the threshing floor of his
father Joash; and there with Jeho-
yah for his instructor, Gideon fought
aud won the battle against the Mid
ianltcs. To be wholly prepared for
any battle is to have it half won at
the start. This threshing wheat
by the wine press his call direct
from the angel of Jehovah. his first
work began at home, the destruc-
ton Of the Baal groves, the miracle
OF the fleece, all were fitting him
to the victory, which was the re-
suit of the most climactic contest of
his life.
But what about the preparation
tor the army? Jehovah will fit
them also tor the fight. First of
all they are too many. God and 300
are more than any Gideon and 3d.
900. The victory won by $4,000 and
they would claim the glory too, and
forget the God of Battles. Won by
a handful. it would clearly be seen
that God was on their side.
So first, an opportunity is offered
the faint hearted and the fearful to
return and $1,000 60 back from Gill
cad s mount. Then another test is
put. Thirsty with their march,
the army is brought by Gideon to
the running stream TO drink. Let's
watch them Some leisurely unite
their military equipments, ease
them of their glrdles, and, kneeling
down, enjoy good ongdrnk. Did
| say some?-there were 900 of
them. There were 800 who. with
out stopping, merely stopped, and
lifting water in their hands, Tapped
it as dog lappeth hurrledly with
his tongue, and then resume the
march, but Gideon calls them back;
these he sets by thems elves, 'like-
wise every Que who boweth down
his knees TO drink. BY the 300
God will give the victory.
One more sign Tor Gideon and the
preparation is complete. He with
his servant may so down by night
to the enemys camp and lsteu to
what he hears. One of the soldiers
is telling a dream which he had
to comrade. IA cake of bar
ley came aud tumbled into the Md
ianitish camp and smote it that It
fell and overturned it. And his
comrade says "Thls barley bread
is Gideon 8 sword and he will over
turn the Mldian host. -
Back TO his own camp Gideon
goes. The time to strike has come;
the decisive moment is at hand. He
will be strategic. Into3 companies
of a hundred each he divides the
300. Into the hands of each man
places a trumpet and picher with
a torch with light obscure. Trun-
pets were given only to leaders of
selected companies. The enemy
will at once Tear at the blowing OF
these in Instruments that 300 compau-
les, not 800 men, are bearing down
upon them At signal from Gid
con 800 trumpets blew. 300 pitchers
are broken, 800 torches flare, 300
lusty voices peal in one glad exul-
tant shout "1he sword of the Lord
and OF Gideon" and then 'they
stood every mani his place "and
all the host ran and cried and fled. "
1t must have been an amusing sight
800 men with torches and trumpets
standing still and 10000 INDIAN
ties lleelng from an imaginary foe
and Staying each other with the
sword as they continue in their
h:adlong rush.
From Napthal and Asher and
Manaaseh aud Ephraim, the Israel
ties gather themselves aud pursue
the fleeing Midlanites aud the vlc-
tory "lror the Lord aud for Gideon
is complete.
My friends, we are engaged in a
great tight. Our Zoe is great foe,
But we Will win. Tor God is on our
side. Some times our warfare is
deIensive; sometimes aggressive.
We would rather it would be ag-
gressive continuously. We would
rather tight the good fight of faith,
and run the way OF God s command
men,s than 10 stand still aud see
the salvation OF the Lord But the
highest, last and hardest part of
the Christian soldiers duty is to
stand. "Having done all stand
We may have our feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel OF peace,
our IONS grit about with truth. on
our heads the helmet Of salvation,
over our bodies the shield Of faith.
and IN our hands the sword OF the
spirit. but. having done all this. we
are to stand. How hard this is!
Put sword 10 our hand and tell