The Tupelo journal., 1907-05-10

hot iron, was almost enough 10 drive
him mad! Yes, the humiliation and
despair as he heard the clanking
chains and felt the brutal blows which
welded the heavy letters IN hands and
limbs cut to the very depths of his
soul! But all that excruciating ordeal
was as nothing now to the anguish of
soul he endured as the accusing voice
of conscience cried out in his heart
and condemned him. He, the Nazarite
to God; he, the chosen one of God to
deliver and judge Israel; he, the
mighty champion who had never
known defeat during all the 20 years
he had judged Israel, comesat last to
this! Could it be possible?
He shook himself to see if he were
awake, and it was not all a hideous
dream, bat the clank of the chains
came as an answering voice. He lift
ed his trembling hands to the sight
less eyes.
ooh, Cod" he cried, chow could |
have lone this thing?" And in the
agony of his despair he beat upon his
breast until the ring of the rafting
chains echoed and reechoed through
the prison house.
Like a flood 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 m How he had
sought his own ase and pleasure and
had forgotten his high calling and OBJ
legation. And, worse still, how he
had fallen so low as to reveal the
sacred secrets of his God to the heart
of a profane and profigate Philistine
woman.
During these ~meditations, when it
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
humiliation of his position and gloried
in his weakness. At last they tired
of this diversion and turned to go,
saying as they did so:
"We must needs offer a great sacri-
flee to our god, Dagon, 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, it was not the god Dagon, but
my sin that brought me to this place.
Shall Dagon, indeed, receive the
glory?" And he buried his head low
between his knees as he realized how
grievously he had compromised the
cause of 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
his sightless eyes toward heaven, "let
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 like
peace came to Samson, and is 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 consecrated.
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 filled the roof over-
looking the arena. Then came the
cry for Samson that he might make
sport for them, and while they waited
impatiently a messenger was dis
patched to the prison house to fetch
him. What a shout that was as they
saw the form of their old enemy come
cropping into the arena before them.
I1oW Ohi thC nv ooAAoO
who had withstood the armies of the
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 l may feel the pill
lars ~whereupon the house s%tandeth,
that l 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 GREATNESS ex-
pectancy filled the place.
Suddenly upon the stiffness which
had fallen rose the voice of Samson
as he lifted his face towards heaven;
and the g multitudes leaned for