Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race: a message to the colored people of the United States — John Shaqi
Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race: a message to the colored people of the United StatesGrimké, Francis J. (Francis James)
Religion
Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race: a message to the colored people of the United States
Grimké, Francis J. (Francis James)
African Americans
Gideon’s Band was a body of men gotten together, in view of the
distressing circumstances here set forth for the purpose of fighting
the enemy, of shaking off the yoke of the oppressor. Let us study these
men for a moment. There were three hundred of them in all. So far as
the record goes not one of their names has been preserved to us, save
that of the leader only. The names are all omitted, but the qualities
that characterized them are preserved. We are not told who they were,
but we are told what kind of men they were: and it is to this point
particularly that I desire to direct attention just here. A careful
study of what is written here in regard to these men will reveal the
following facts about them:
(1). They were fully conscious of the evils from which they were
suffering, and earnestly desired to be rid of them. It matters not how
these evils originated, the point to which I am directing attention
here is, that these men recognized them as evil. They were not
satisfied with conditions as they were. They wanted a change. They were
tired of the oppression of the Midianites. They realized that they were
being oppressed, and that it was not good for them to continue in
the condition in which they were. And it is only where such a mental
attitude exists that there can be any successful warfare against
oppressive conditions. Unless the evil to be remedied is felt, and
keenly felt, it is not likely that there will be any effort put forth
to remedy it, or any prospect of securing the cooperation of those who
are suffering in an effort to do so.
(2). They were men of courage, of splendid daring. They came in
response to a call from Gideon. Gideon had thrown down the altar of
Baal which his father had erected; and because his father refused to
turn him over to be put to death by the Midianites, the adherents
of Baal, a large force was collected to enforce the decree of death
against him. It was under such circumstances that Gideon issued his
call. We are told, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he
blew a trumpet; and Abiezar was gathered together after him. And he
sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they were also gathered
together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto
Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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