The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-09
East side Baptist Church.

The Rev. T. j. Collins addressed
very attentive audience at the morn
ing service. The scripture lesson was,
Sam IT,; text, part of 41th verse-belng
the Golden Text of the international
S. S. lesson, 1.-THE Battle is the Lords"
He delivered an admirable sermon
clear. forcible, scriptural, logical and
very practical To do more than TO
give a few points and applications of
his address were impossible in SO linn
tied a space The Phiiistines invaded
the province of Judah, and the men of
Israel went out to meet them, with
King Saul at their head. The two
armies faced each other on the oppos-
ing slopes of the, hills Of the valley of
Elah, at a point about twenty miles
southwest of the city of Jerusalem.
Goliath was a. giant, a leader of the
Philistines, who dared the army of
the living God.
1t is generally conceded that these
Phiustines were originally from Egypt
and of Egyptian extraction. They very
well represent the world in its en-
deavor to compass the kingdom of
God by deeds of the law-sometimes by
legislation, sometimes by carnal war
fare more demorstrative. The world
don't know and so3many worldly-mind-
ed people-many Of them in the
Church of Christ-don't appear to
know that they have "a form of god
illness but deny the power thereof"
King Saul and his army were in this
deplorable condition; therefore, they
were weak and cowardly. They had
fallen into this condition by disobedi-
ence of Gods commands. Instead Of
saying '"The battle is the Lords" and
going forth fully trusting him, they
looked at the giant clad in his great
armor and coat of mail. They looked
alone at external forces and forgot
that God said, Not by might nor by
power physically, but by my spirit,
saith the Lord
So many Christians, like these Israel
ties, forget that their strength is in
the holy ghost. who will direct their
efforts in Christian work, STAY giants
and rout armies if they will only trust
the Lord, obey his commands and be
used as humble instruments in his
hands to fight his battles against the
devil and his armies.
In those days were Goliaths, go
betweens to settle disputes, fight bat
ties. determine great results. No less
so today Those were, chiefly, physi-
cal. Before Goliath, Saul was weak.
The spirit of God had left him because
. .
David, the young shepherd, had been
anointed to take the kingdom, though
small in stature and young in years.
Armed with the simple equipment of
staff, sling and a few stones, and
possessed with the spirit of God, in
humble obedience, he astonishes King
Seul, the armies and the world in his
bold venture and in it's valorous re-
suits. He went forth to defend Israel
and to take away the reproach
brought by a cowardly king and a
weak army. "Who is this uncircu1n-
cised Plhilistine, that he should defy
the armies of the living God?" David
was filled with the spirit of God
Goliath, though a giant, a warrior
from youth up, shielded from crown
of head to sole of foot was nothing
before Gods anointed youth with only
a sling and stone.
He wanted none of Saups armors.
He would be himself and use weapons
that he had proved. Oh! how much
Christians right here in Salt Lake
City need to use the word Of Cod sim
pie and plain ''The gospel of Christ
is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth, be they
Jews, Gentiles, Mormons or infideIs.
God is not limited in his power to
save the world by force, if he would /;
but that is not his plan. He gave his
only son to die that we might have
eternal life.
Christ says, IF We love me, keep my
commandments and I will pray the
Father and he shall give you another
comforter that he may abide with you
forever" Even the spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, be-
cause it seeth him not neither knoweth
him; but We know him, for he dwelletll