The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-05
A HERO OF FAT H
THE EXAMPLE or SAINTS AND
MARTYRS SHOULD INSPIRE
SPIRITUAL CONFIDENCE.

In these days of world depression
when the great war accentuates every
species of pessimism we need to read
more and more deeply the lives OF
heroes of faith. We need to have our
confidence in God and in our fellow
man re-vitalized by the examples of
saint and prophet and martyr who
looked through the door Of trial and
darkness and death upon a heaven-lit
horizon--Gods glory shifting them
like Stephen upon the effects.
In the second book of Samuel we
find a long list Of the strong men who
fought with King David: Adino and
Eleazar and Joab and Uriah and many
more renowned for their warfare
against the PhiIistines and for their
absolute confidence in God. But
among them was a certain Shammah
who deserves in a special manner the
title of Hero of Faith. We read
the story as follows:
"Shammah the son OF Agee stood
firm in the midst of his patch of len
ills. When all his companions fed
at the approach of the enemy, he
faced alone whole troop of the Phil
istines; believing that God would
grant him victory And in return for
his faith, God did grant him a remark
able triumph, for single handed and
alone he put to fight small detach.
ment of the enemy; his confidence
and faith in God won the day"
How dark indeed were those days
of Israel when Shammah, a strong man
of David stood in the midst of his
garden and brandished the sword OF
the Lord. The enemy had triun1phed
everywhere, and despair had settled
like night upon the land of Israel
Conquered, down-trodden and broken
spirited, the chosen people had moth
ing but blows and butchery from the
hands of an isolent foe who prowled
in every nook and corner of the Prom.
Used Land, burning and looting like
droves of Mexican bandits. The lit.
tie garden which Shammah had
planted and titled came into view,
and a prowling band decided to pill
lage it along with the rest of the
country. Mere human prudence might
have suggested that Shammah flee
with his neighbors, for he was left
alone.
Sometime ago an English Journal
offered large prize for the best sym
Dol or a definition Of courage. The
prize was awarded to the person who
sent in the following. significant pic
ture: A man stood on the fringe OF
a wood, engaged in a duel, the sword
blade on which he had relied lies
shivered in a dozen fragments at his
feet; but in his uplifted hand, he still
holds shattered piece Of the scab
bard and with grim determination
continues to drive at his foe"
fancy that il Shammah, the son oil
Agee, as he stands there alone in the
garden while his cowardly compan
ions take flight, were in need of q
painter, the artist would picture him
with broken scabbard in his hand
still fighting on.
The lesson to be derived from the
story of Shammah seems to need EN-
phasis in our age which is not lacking
so much in moral courage as in spir
itual confidence The heroes of faith
ought to be marshaled from the dusty
catacombs of the past, so that theil
combined spiritual influence might re
new once more supreme trust If
Heaven-such a trust as Shammaf
possessed when he stood alone in the
garden. / fancy the most optimistic
student of our times would be willing
to alter Tenneyson's line More life
and fuller that I wan" $50 as tx
make it read-"more faith and fullel
/ that I want" Not that faith in Goo
is so very seriously impaired amons
living Christians, but it is aenemic
bloodless, a pale lifeless thing, where
as it should be like that of st. Paul
la consuming fire. Then any person
i living today like Shammah of oil
could remove mountains With faith
lsays st. Paul, Il can do everything
without faith, can do nothing" Th'
companions Of Shammah demon
| strated the latter alternative, Will,
| he, himself, became shining example
Of the truth uttered by the Apostle 3
| the Gentiles.