The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-08-30
DAVID AND GOLIATH.
gnssrnntIonu1 Sunday school Lesson
September. q, 1850.

NnlntS TEXT u TOD 30 Tor Us VINO c1h
be against us Rom. :3i.
CENTRAL TRuru -- Victory over evil
through faith ~ God By the wise use Of
means.
TlMx-About nc. 1908 Two or three
years after tho last lesson.
Place Near Shochoh, IN the valley OF
Elah. fourteen miles southwest Of .Jer,i-
salem. The valley OF Elah runs northwest
toward GAIA. Tho lsraelltcs were en-
campcd on tho northeastern slopc, and the
Philippines on the southwestern, with
level place between them, through which
ran rayine separating the two armies.
GOLIATH "A giant Of the Anak,m race.
about nine and one half feet high. Hc was
defended by brazen coat OF mail weighing
1000 shekcls, or l57 pounds avordupois
His spear. head weighed about nineteen
pounds. He was accompanied by u shield
bearer TO defend him whlo his own hands
were free
DAVID The son OF Jesse, skilled in
music, and especially in the use Of the
sang, whicn he used as a defence against
bcasts and robbers, the enemies Of his
Mock. de had been called TO the court two
or three years previous 10 this 70 charm
away the evil spirit from Saul. In she
meantime he had developed in every dircc-
ton, and probably had changed much In
appearance by the growth OF his beard, %
that saul did not recognize him.
Heirs OVER HARD PLACES -. And Darid
said; led on by the Spirit OF God, and hy tho
spirit Of devotion to Gods cause. He WAS
Of course aware Of his skill with the sling.
"a. And Msfc came lion: lions and bears
were not uncommon in Palestine. 81. Tho
Lord that dcl'rercd me; the help God had
given him in the first was the proof that he
would help in the present emergency. 50.
lie had not proifd n. he was unaccnst omed
TO such armor Had he kept on Sauls
armor lie would certainly have been slain.
40. Ascrip: q small lcatLsr bag. His sing:
with this David was very skillful, and could
attack the giant from a distance. Inc Ben
j.mites could sling stone q. a hair breadth
and not miss Judges 20 ~. a Am a dog.
the giant did not seem to see the sling,
but thought David was gong to Try and kill
him with his stick, as he would dog. a.
And he Thi isf.nes sad. they could be heard
across the raviuc between then,- but had to
60 a distance on opposite sides before they
could meet ~. Ths stone sitvk into his FORE
head; this stunned the giant, bus David
took Gollaths own sword aud bfheaded
him.
LESSON FAcrs-Thc Philisfines, though
previously defeated by Saul, seem TO Fave
gathered courage from the fact that they
had with them an invincIblc champion.
named Goliath, q warrior not far from ten
feet in height. In those days Of single COM
bat this was no mean advantage. For full
forty days after the hostile armies had ar.
rayel themselves against each other, this
Goliath paraacd himself before the trembling
Israelitcs, challenging someone TO come out
and meet him IN single combat. But no one
took up the challenge, al. seemed paralyzed
by fear. This was the state OF affairs when
Day "a came from his fathers house TO see
now his brothers were prospering. Here
he feared for the first time how things
stood. and heard OF Sau.'s offer 70 tho man
who would vanquish tho dreaded champion.
Full Of faith and zeal and full OF Indignation
1T the insult thus offered 10 the God o.
Israel. David volunteered his services
COMMENTS Granting the great skill Of
David ia tho use Of his sling tapparently
the only weapon against when Goliath was
powcrlcss), we still must seek for tho Sc.
ere. Of ms success In another direction.
This we may easily find ia the spirit (which
evidently animated him. In his dialogue
with Saal with regard TO his ability 10 meet
this foe, while he modcstly speasS Of his ex'
pcrienccs with the bear and the lion. no even
then ascrbcs the glory 10 God, saying:
1.-The Lord that delivered ne out ofthe paw
81 the hon and out OF the paw Of the bear,
be will deliver me out Of the hand Of this
Palestine" In David's mind the conflict
was not one between himself and the Phiiis-
tine champion. but between God aud His I'D.
vcrsaries~ The spiritual side OF the matter
was to David the real side. And here his
faith canc bravey to his aid The apostle
n speaking OF the heroes OF faith in He
brcws III, fails not to mention David among
shcrn, and he doubtless had this baltic in
mind whcn he made mention Of him. The
Hidden spring Of David's courage and sue
Gss lay not in his sling and stones. but in
his prevailing faith In God. How often We
have seen this In the history Of God : poo
NE from the days OF Abel down even TO our
ZINES. III many senses IL remains true taat
''thls > tho victory that oyercomcth tho
world even our faith"
How did David overcome GOLIATH Sure.
" nos Dy parleymg with with him. and de
ftrring the day OF combat. No sooner did he
hear the challenge. tnan he accepted X. lie
ilAstsd. he ran TO the conflict, feeling that
thesocner he joined issue with the Phliistinn,
he sooner would he gain the victory. "he
'rlzo fights and runs away, may live to h1hs
another day" may be good advice in Garth
ia battle. but Is the worst possible advice %
Kill fcc from you" is the only buc.c,Ai
sc~ tho Christian soldier. Half OF The al
rrsar,cs OF our souls would flee 40 onrl
were we 70 take q bold stand. trusting 10
so~i Since we are HIS as much as David
was HIS. lie will help US as well as nc
hclpcd David. May not the Christian who
Who givcsup sinful pleasures feel that 6od
will give him tho courage 10 do 80, and will,
besides, give him ample reward in spiritual
jysl May not the prodIgal believe that
when he gives up his Life Of sin andreturns.
20 his fathers houss he will there b
sbundantiy provided fery Are notaji ihosa
humorous trcmblings Ind hesita'lons 10 take
astAud, tho result of.rurc unbcl'cidp Gcdf
II God gave His Son for our salvation, will
lie withhold His S,drit for our sanct,iicar
toni The great asson from oar storysf
to-day is simple ut very eecious ono;
namely, "Belicve IN God, and goAsraighs
ahead along the fne Of dut r, though you
meet \ Goliath u every step along your
pathway"-Rcv. A Il. Schagfiicr,
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
I. BY doing cur daily cutes well 20 49,
Dcing prepared for greater deeds.
. We are la1 by Gods providence in m
M, hnu f.,rp = N