Connecticut western news., 1890-10-08
the bosom of a forgiving God.
 SCENES OF BIBLE HISTORY.

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 SCENES OF BIBLE HISTORY.
 Now we come to the brook Elah, from which little David took the smooth stones with which he pros trated Goliath. There is a bridge spanning the ravine, but at the season we crossed there is not drop of water in the brook. We went down into the ravine and walked amid the pebbles that had been washed smooth, very smooth, by the rush of the waters through all the ages. There is where David armed himself. He walked around and picked up five of these polished pebbles. He got them of just the right size. He prepared himself for five volleys, so that if the giant escapes the first he will not escape the whole five. The topography of the place so corresponds with the Bible story that could see the memorable fight go on It is the only fight ever did watch.
 Pugilism abhor, but here were two champions-the one God appointed, the other Satan appointed, and decid- ing the destiny of nation, the destiny of a world. It was a Marathon, an Arbela, a Waterloo, a Blenheim, a Sedan, concentered into two right arms Here are two ridges of mountains five hundred feet high, the PhiIstines on one ridge, the Israelites on the other ridge. The fight is in the valley be- tween, at that season shaded, and sweet with terebinth and acacia. David the champion for the Israelites; Go- Hath the champion for the Philistines David, undersized and almost effem- mate, only mouthful for Goliath, who was nearly ten feet high. <.
 They advance to meet each other, but the Bible says that David made the first step forward. Nearer and nearer they come, but I do not think David will wait until he comes within reach of Goliath's sword, for that would be fatal, and David has weapon with which he can fight at long range. Closer and closer they come, but David advances the more rapidly. ''Come to me-" said the giant, land I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field" You see Goliath going to give David for ban quet to the vulture and jackal. He, the mountain of flesh, will fall over on that little hillock. hear him laugh through the mouthpiece of his helmet He will toast the little whiffet on the top of his long sword. He will call all the crows for breakfast. "Come to me, you conte1nptible little fellow, and I will make quick work with you. The idea that f1ve-footer should come out against ten-footer! Let the two ar mics looking down from the ridges watch mel" David responded, 'Icome to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts" Aha, that is the right kind of battle shout. ''In the name of the Lord of Hosts!"
 How that cry rings through the Wady-es-Sumpt! He who fights in that spirit wins the day. The almost Israel itish dwarf enlarges into omnipotent proportions The moment to strike has come. David takes his sling with a stone in it and whirls it round and round his head until he has put the weapon into sufficient momentum, and then taking sure aim hurls it. The giant throws up his hands and reels back and falls. The stone sank into his forehead. That was the only avail able point of attack. But how about the helmet on his head9 Did the stone that David flung crush through the helmet9 No. An old rabbi says he thinks that when Goliath scoffed at David the giant so suddenly and con- temptuously jerked up his head that the helmet fell off. That is like enough David saw the bare forehead, a foot high, and aimed at the center of it, and the skull cracked and broke in like an eggshen, and the ground shook as this great oak of a military chieftain struck 1t. Huzza for Davidl
 FIRST SIGHT OF JERUSALEM.
 But we must hasten on, for the dan- ger now is that night will be upon us before we yeach Jerusalem. Ohl we must see it before sundown. We are climbing the hills which are terraced with olive gyoves, uplands rising above uplands, until we come to an i1nmensity of barrenness, gray rocks above gray rocks where neither tree nor leaf nor bush nor grass blade can grow. The horses stumble and slip and pull till 1t seems the harness must break. So- lemnity and awe take possession of us. Though vivacious party, and during part of the day jocularity had reigned, now no one spoke word, except to say to the dragoman, '"Ten us when you get the first glimpse of the city, I never had such high expectation of sec ing any place as of seeing Jerusalem. think my feelings may have been slightly akin to those of the Christian just about to enter the heavenly Jeru- salem. My ideas of the earthly Jerusa- lem were bewildering. Had l not seen pictures of it? Oh, yes; but they only increased the bewilderment. They were taken from a variety of standpoints. If twenty artists attempt to sketch Brook lyn or New York or London or Jerusalem they will plant their cameras at different places, and take as many different pict- ures, but in few minutes l shall see the sacred city with my own eyes.
 Over another shoulder of the hill we go, and nothing in sight but rocks and mountains and awful gulches between them, which make the head swim if you look down. On and up, on and up, until the lathered and smoking horses are refined in, and the dragoman rises in front and points eastward, cry ing "Jerusalem It was mightier than an electric shock. We all rose. There it lay, the prize of nations, the ter1ni- nus of famous pilgrimages, the object of Roman and crusading wars, and for