Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-05-09

C
mighty champion who had never
known defeat during all the 20 years
he had judged Israel. come At last to
this! Could Il be possiblef
He shook himself to see II he were
awake. and 1t was not all a hideous
dream. but the clank OF the chains
came as an answering voice He nst
ed his trembling hands to the sight
less eyes.
"Oh. Cod" he cried. how could I
have done this thing?" And in the
agony OF his despair he beat upon hts
breast until the ring Of the rafting
chains echoed and reechoed through
the prison house.
Like a food there swept across his
soul the memory OF his wrongdoing.
How he had allowed himself step by
step TO be drawn into the power OF
that wicked woman How he had
sought his own ease and pleasure and
had forgotten HIS high calling and OBJ
legation. And, worse still. how he
bad fallen so low as to reveal the
sacred secrets OF his God TO the heart
Of a profane and prohigate Philistine
woman.
During these meditations. when Il
seemed as though his very soul
would be crushed by the burden OF his
guilt and his God had forsaken him
| forever. there came into the prison
house a company OF the lords Of the
Philistines. whose citation was mani
Tested as they looked down upon their
old enemy and tainted him with the
humiliation Of his position and Sloried
in his weakness. \. last they tired
- : ~ diversion and turned TO go.
saying as they Gid so:
We must needs offer a great sacri-
fee to our god. Dagun. for see how
he hath delivered into our hands our
enemy"
The words aroused Samson. and
long after they had departed he kept
repeating them over and over and
saying TO himself:
Nay. Il was not the god Dagon. but
my sin that brought me TO this place.
Shall Dagon. indeed. receive the
slory7" And he buried his head low
between his knees as he realized how
.rievously he had compromised the
cause 81 his God And even while he
was thus bowed there came whisper.
ing TO his soul that with his God there
was forgiveness and mercy.
"Oh, Cod" he cried. as he lifted
hia sisvb.taeu are- tov,r,t b,,,-o., s.to.
this thing come to pass that may yet
show that it is to God that victory be-
longeth, Let not these uncircum-
cised Philistines forget that the God
Of Israel and not the god Dagon rul-
eth"
From that moment something Ike
peace came to Samson. and as the
days came and went the repentant
heart OF Samson reached out in faith
and took fresh hold upon the God TO
whom his life had been cousecrated.
Thus there grew up in his heart a new
hope and confidence. and the old
thrill Of his strength and power came
back to him
At last the great day of the feast
and sacrifice TO Dagon. the god of the
Philistines. arrived. Multitudes crowd
ed into the great amphitheater. and
other thousands filed the roof over
looking the arena Then came the
/ cry for Samson that he might make
/ sport for them. and while they waited
/ impatiently messenger was dis
patched 10 the prison house 10 fetch
him. What a shout that was as they
saw the form OF their old enemy come
cropping into the arena before them,
How different from the old Samson
who had withstood the armies OF the
I Philistines and had. single-handed.
slain thousands OF their strongest
men There he was in their power.
/ forced to make sport for them, and
right royalty did they cheer his every
feat and shout in his ears:
Now doth our god Dagon find
pleasure in Samson, Now are we
avenged for all that Samson hath
done unto u.s."
And while the tumult was at its
height. Samson turned to the lad that
had led him into the arena and said:
Suffer me that / may feel the pill
lars whereupon the house standeth,
that I may lean upon them"
The shouting ceased as he reached
a position between the two main pill
lars which sustained the weight of
the roof Eagerly his hands CROPPED
about until they touched the great
wooden piers. All eyes were turned
upon him now in wonder TO see what
next he would do and a breathless ex-
pectancy filed the place
Suddenly upon the stiffness which
had fallen rose the voice of Samson
as he lifted his face towards heaven:
and the eager muItitudes leaned for
ward 10 hear what was said. while the
| crowds in the rear, realizing that
something unusual was transpiring.
pressed toward the front.
% Lord Cod rang out the words.
clear and loud, remember ne. I pray
thee. and strengthen me. pray thee.
only this once. o God. that may be
at once avenged Of the Philistines for
my two eyes.
\ shout OF derisive laughter rang
out from the people as they cried
He prayeth to his Cod" But the
sound thereof was quickly drowned in
the noise of crashing timbers as Sam.
son bent himself between the pillars.
and they went down like bits of straw.
And the house fell upon the lords, and
upon all the people that were therein:
50 that the dead which Samson slew
at his death were more than they
. which he slew in his life.
There. there" soothingiy replied