upon Gideon to lead a movement
against the Midianites and their allies and he wanted every man to come
and help. The messengers went swiftly through the whole territory of these
neighboring tribes, arousing the men to action and calling for volunteers.

A good many did not respond to the summons. Some were simply indifferent.
They could not help hearing the call, but there was no response without or
within. No change of expression in the eye or face. They went right on in
their heavy, dull way as though they hadn't heard. They were utterly
indifferent to the call. Some were reluctant. They stopped and listened,
but with a heavy slant backwards to their bodies. Their heels bore most of
their weight. It was a good idea to get up such a movement, the enemy
ought to be driven back and out, but--but--and their eyes are half shut
already.

Some criticised. Who was Gideon? A young upstart! trying to push himself
forward as a leader. He had no skill or experience. And the people had no
weapons. The enemy had stolen everything of the sort away. And they were
clear outnumbered. There wasn't a ghost of a show. It would only make bad
matters worse. This young upstart Gideon would soon be sorry enough when
he butted his head against the experienced Midianite leaders.
And--and--and--there they are talking, criticising, but not responding to
the call. Such critics seldom respond, and helpers criticise in a very
different way. It takes less brain to criticise unwisely, captiously, far
less than to help. Almost any hare-brain can tear a thing to pieces. And
nothing is commoner than just such criticism.

Some ridiculed. "Ha! ha! ha! Gideon going to be national leader; ha! ha!
ha! And whip the enemy. Ridiculous! Absurd!" And some were outrightly
opposed. They objected. The people would be aroused, their hopes awakened
only to be dashed. The whole thing was wrong, for it was impossible. And
these men tried to keep others from going.

A Willing People.

But many came. A crowd of volunteers came hurrying from farms and caves,
bringing such weapons probably as they had been able to keep in hiding.
They were willing to respond. It was a motley crowd, no doubt. There were
thirty-two thousand of them. These four tribes had once numbered as many
as one hundred and eighty-four thousand five hundred fighting men. And at
another, later, enumeration they had two hundred and twelve thousand men
of war age. Their numbers may be smaller now,