The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-01-07
David and Goliath.

were perched on your fathers
shoulders, and another little broth
er or sister propped up on yours,
you might perhaps reach as far as
Goliath's head. He was evidently
as strong and broad also as he was
high. Colonel Fred Burnaby, of
whose wonderful ride to Khiva you
may know more some day, was one
of the strongest men in England.
He stood six feet four without his
boots. But if you had set Burnaby
by the side of Goliath he would
have seemed only dwarf compared
with the Philistine soldier. Goliath
was armed from head to foot in
brazen armor. His coat of mail
weighed five thousand shekels of
brass. Fancy any boy or girl try
ing to lift it, 1t was about sixteen
stones in weight. The stoutest farm
er you know is scarcely as heavy as
the coat which the great giant wore.
Above it rose his brazen helmet
below 1t were greaves of brass, which
covered his legs almost like the
pads worn In a cricket-field. Be-
tween his shoulders was a target of
brass. You can see him standing
there, with the summer sun shining
on his polished armor, till he look
ed like a great image of gold in the
valley. The shaft of his spear was
like a weaver's beam; its head alone
weighed no less than forty-seven
pounds. A shield-bearer marched
in front of his master. What
sight the pair must have been to the
soldiers of Israeli
The Philistine tents were spread
on mountain side; Saul and his
army lay on the slopes of the oppo-
site mountain. Between them was
the Vale of Elah But one man
stopped all the fighting. Forty days
the camp of Saul watched the great
figure robed in brass step forth from
the ranks and march in front of
the Philistine army. Then the
giant stood still whilst his voice
burst on the ears of his enemies
like appeal of thunder: "Why are
We come out to set your battle in
array? Am not ] Philistine, and
ye servants to Saul? Choose you a
man for you, and let him come
down to me-" Then another shout:
81 defy the armies of Israel this
day; give me a man that we may
fight together" The king and his
men covered together as they heard
Goliath's challenge. There was no
soldier among them who burst face
the giant. That must have been
pitiful sight. A whole army dis
mayed, and greatly afraid because
of one man. Saul was head and
shoulders higher than all his peo-
pie, but he was as much in terror of
the giant as any man in the ranks
Forty days, and twice day, the
great figure was seen coming nearer,
and the awful voice hurled out its
defiant calls to single combat But
no one would venture out to meet
Goliath. AT last young visitor
came upon the scene. The shepherd
boy from Bethlehem had three
brothers in Saul's army. His father,
therefore, sent him with provisions
and presents to the camp. When
David arrived he found that the
host was under arms. The battle
cry rang out ae though the struggle
was just about to begin. David,
like brave youth, left his provis-
ions with the keeper of the stores
and ran off to watch the fray.
Whilst he was talking with his
brothers, the Philistine giant step
ped forth from the ranks. Saul's
army fed in panic David heard
what great rewards had been prom
ised to the man who could slay this
terrible foe. He should be a rich
man, he should marry the king IS
daughter; his fathers house should
become free in Israel Yet not even
such bats could tempt anyone to
face Goliath. At last David's ques-
tons We're repeated to Saul. Soon
the shepherd-boy stood before the
king. No remonstrance could keep
him back. God seemed to say, eco
fight for me-" The voice within
recalled to his memory that sharr
fight with the lion and the bear il
I. the great plain near Bethlehem
"This uncircumcised Philistine, 3
ne said to Saul, "shall be as one oil
them, seeing he hath defed the
armies of the living God" You
know how he tried ON Saul's armor
but gladly put off the unaccustomeC
load Then with his staff and the
! little shepherds scrip he wore