Bisbee daily review., 1918-02-17
Sunday Morning Sermon

And the Lord said unto Gideon. Py the three
 hundred that lapPed will you and de
 liver the Mdianites into thine hand; and let all
 the other people go every man to his place. Judges 7I2
 Every one has heard of Gideons Band These heroes have been praised by poet and auded by song eraded story all through ages and they will held the of the brave until time shall end The Midianites had overrun Israel and their numbers and their successes had ccwed the Hebrews until it impossible to get army to forth against them Then it Was that God spoke Gideon told him to go and fear not.
 Gideon led forth army towards the camp of the Midanites And God spoke to him again and told him go forward with only those that fear. Gideon lost twentyseven thousand here when he made this call He with thousand. Again God called him to test his Only those who. after the long march lapped water from their were to go Nine thousand seven hundred bowed down to drink Gideon went on with the three hundred who were tireless and indomitable
 These the who composed Gideon's Band These were the selected by God and Gideon to go down to the Midianite camp of thousands and smite hem and drive them before the gale and gain everlasting glory.
 Do you belong to Gideon's Band? Are you among the first twentyseven thousand who back because fear? Because the path beset by dangers? Be cause the odds against you heavy? Because the hill steep? Because the spray of the tempest was white in the air? If you were you ought plain because you have buried in the sands lvcn; because you lost among and iostled by the commonplace. You where you elected to be
 Are you among the nine thousand. hundred who swallowed their fears and pressed only to fail under the of the drinking of the water from the stream? If you you done we'll and will be named wtL those who dared But you failed the final fest With the three hundred that lapped will I you." said the Lord Gideon You bowed down to drink You sought the easiest way You turned to the point of least resistance You tried, but you did your level best
 But those three hundred men who came down to the and spite of their fatigue the toll night march, proudly lifted the water their hands and lapped it. these chosen go forward to paths glory that only the great and the true sha tread Iron men. Dauntless men Men wnose spirit high that it triumphed their weak and fraiI bodies and bade them stand and not bow down.
 The men of Gideon's Band did win that death less fame because of their good looks their high les fame because of their good looks or their high connections or their luck or their desires They won because they exceled all the host of other men who started with them upon the glory road,
 The story of Gideon's as simple as it is old. One must not only be brave enough press the brink of the stream that separates him from the Of but he have that last of force; that final effort; that spirit will fail body that will bend where there life left He must do all he do and then do yet
 It is easy bow down and drink from the cup of and it is hard tc hold the head high under the strain of weariness and depression We give up so often when in sight of the goal We stop short of the laurel crown.
 things desired of earth there is always that last stream to to to them. Only the dauntless few of Gdeons Band crossed to gain them Do net envy these They earned their reward.