The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-01-28
In the Religious World

a member. Swiftly he slipped down
and down. until death ended the tale
or what might have been. II was the
Samson story over again.
Samson's strength was not only
physical. He had qualities of leader
ship-enterprise, daring, resourceful
ness and self-reliance. His pranks
reveal this. But these gifts were not
used In sober, mature and reasonable
fashion for the benefit OF his people
Samson preferred mad personal ex
plot to substantial achievement OF
citizenship. He had not that sense
OF responsibility which marks the real
leader.
Samson and Richard the Llon-Hsartsd
Later history developed q brilliant
figure singularly akin to Samson.
This was King Richard, the Lion,
Hearted, Of England. Both gloried
In deeds Of danger and derring do
Neither seemed ever entirely to grow
up. A whimsical humor fmpelled
them to wild escapades OF adventure
when they should instead have been
soberly serving the welfare OF their
people. Neither was bad, and there
were noble traits In both: but they
failed to use their gifts Alright. No
substantial achievement remained az
. memorial to either. Picturesque and
heroic figures they were, but no his.
torian can. write them down as sue
cesgful.
The presence OF enemies never az
frighted blithesome Samson. He
,dwelt amid the Philistines, the pow
ierful invaders from the west who SO
long oppressed Israel. In his day the
yoke was heavy on the peo-
pies neck. II was an hour for a
hero. q deliverer; and Samson was
sent to be the man. He, however,
used for his own sport gifts that were
meant for service. Instead Of organ
izing and leading the Jews against
the tyrants. he provoked the latter by
his Wild FRANKS. Not until his clos
Ing hour did Samson soberly serve
his nation.
That is the condemnation that must
be written over against his name as
against the name OF every other gift
ed man who lives for himself alone
In time when his country needs him
-he failed to give hts best to his
time. Probably II Samson were I'm
England today he would be either a
professional football player or an avi-
ator; no place I'm the trenches for
him. 49,
The Bibles PractIcaI Joker.
Samson Is best known for his prac-
ucal jokes. He Is the buffoon OF the
Bible. On his way to court a Phil
istine wife he slew lion with his
bare hands. Later, as he passed b.,
he saw the carcass filed with honey.
At the wedding feast he wagered 30
garments with the guests that they
could not guess his riddle:
Out OF the eater came forth food.
And out OF the strong came forth
sweetness"
His bride leased Samson into tell
Ing him the answer, which she told
her countrymen. that they might not
have to pay the wager. Samson there
by lost the wager and the wife, but
he went out and slew 30 Philistines,
and paid the bet with their raiment.
Later, Samson sought q reconcilia-
ton with his heather wife, only to
haN that Ills iathCf-in-inW Hnu klfen
her TO another Our immature hero
could be stirred to action only by In
dividual wrongs: he had not the inn
agination TO visualize a whole peo-
pies suffering. An affront to himself
put him into action. He was like the
rich woman who thought OF the
poor's need of coal only when her
own fire went out SO this affront
led Samson to gather doubtless with
the help OF companions) three hun
dred jackals. which he tied tail to
tail. A firebrand was attached to
each pair OF conjoined tails, and the
animals were set loose amid the ripe
grain fields OF the Philistines-an en-
plot which led the latter 10 burn the
faithless wife and father-in-law.
Whimsichlly. this weather-vane fell
low thereupon undertook vengeance
for the murder of his wife and her
father, and slew host OF Philistines.
The latter harried Judah In force. and
Samson. In their midst by a ruse,
slew a thousand Of them with the
jawbone OF an ass. In personal Prov
ess the strong man was not lacking.
Later, besieged at GAIA (the city that
Is figuring in tba days war dis