The Tupelo journal., 1903-08-07
III SUNDAY SCHOOL.
for August o, 10O3-David
and Goliath.
THE LESSON TEXT.

VI odHl., oo-1S
81. And Saul armed David with his ar
nour, and he put an helmet of brass upon
his head; also he armed him with a coat
Of mail.
80. And David girded his sword upon his
armour, and he assayed to go; for he had
not proved 1t. And David said unto Saul,
[ cannot go with these; for I have not
proved them. And David put them OF him.
~. And he took his staff in his hand, and
chose him five smooth stones out of the
brook, and put them in a shepherds bag
which he had, ever in a scrip; and his sling
was In his hand; and he drew near to the
Philistine.
Al. And the Philistine came on and drew
near unto David; and the man that bare
the shield went before him.
AZ. And when the Philistine looked about,
and saw David, he disdained him; for he
was but a youth, and rudy, and of a fair
countenance.
43. And the Philistine said unto David,
Am l a dog, that thou contest to me with
slaves? And the Philistine cursed David
by his gods.
A. And the Philistine said to David, Come
to me, and l will give thy flesh unto the
fowls of the air. and to the beasts of the
field.
As. Then said David to the Philistine.
Thou contest to me with a sword, and with
q spear, and with a shield; but / come to
thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the
God of the armies of Israel, whom thou
hast defied.
46. This day will the Lord deliver thee
into mine hand; and l will smite thee, and
take thine head from thee; and I will give
the carcasses of the host OF the Philistines
this day unto the fowls of the air, and to
the wild beasts of the earth; that all the
earth may know that there is a God in
Israel.
Al. And all this assembly shall know that
the Lord saveth not with sword and spear:
for the battle is the Lords and He will
give you into our hands.
IS. And it came to pass. when the Phil
istine arose, and came and drew nigh to
meet David. that David hasted. and ran
toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49. And David put his hand in his bag.
and took thence a stone. and slang 1t, and
smote the Philistine in his forehead, that
the stone stuck into his forehead; and he
fell upon his face to the earth.
GOLDEN TENTH God be for rs,
who can be against ux.-Rom. S:3I.
| OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
The Philistines' Champion Sam, Hill.
David's sight of Goliath Sam, I7:12-SO.
David. champion of Israel Sam. II 81 81.
David's weapons.............l Sam. 1850.
Davids triumph..............l Sam, 17:41-49.
The Philistines routed .......1 Sam II :50-54.
TIME.-Probably about 1868 b. C.
PLACE.-The frontier between Philistia
and Israel became known as Ephes-dam-
min. the boundary of blood" so constant
was the border warfare. Here in the Vale
of Elah, at a place called Socoh, the events
of this lesson occurred. 1t was ten miles
from Bethlehem, the home of David. and
eight miles from the Philistine city Gath.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Battles among the ancients often be-
gan with a single combat between
selected champions, the agreement
sometimes being made that this en-
counter should settle the issue at
stake. The Philistines proposed this
plan to King Saul, for they had with
them Goliath of Gath, a giant nearly
ten feet tall, heavily armed and al
most invulnerable. Twice a day for
40 days this son of 1.-The Anakim"
strutted forth and shouted his boast
full defiance to the ~1sraelites, challeng-
ing them to single combat-to the
great dismay of Saul and his followers.
This was the state of things when
David reached the battlefield. He saw
the boastful giant come forth for his
daily challenge. He saw the cringing
dismay of his c~ountrymen. His blood
boiled as he listened to the unavenged
insults to his country and his God.
That such a heather should success
fully defy "the armies of the living
God" seemed to the young patriot a
great calamity.
Though his earnestness was ridi-
culed and rebuked by his older broth
ers, it was soon reported to King Saul,
who promptly summoned David before
him.
The distracted king eagerly accepts
David's offer, neither r~idiculing his
youthful appearance nor noticing the
incongruity of the shepherd boy
wearing his own massive suit of ar
NOR! with his apparel" The cloth
ing specially fitted to be worn I'M
der tarmor. The fact that David could
wear Saul's clothing at all suggests
that he was full-grown-perhaps 20
years old. "Assayed:" Tried. Doubt
less David had never before worn ar
NOR and did not know what an en-
cumbrance it would be to him, espe-
cially in such a combat when his hope
must be in his OWE agility as we'll as
in his trust in God. His staff . e.
and his sling" The only weapons he
knew he could use. The staffwas more
properly a club. These, with bows and
arrows, were doubtless the weapons
Of most of Saul's army. SINGERS have
always been famous in Syria, and espe-
cially in the tribe of Benjamin Judges
20:16).) Past experience is present
power. David's sling had not been
idle during the long days with the
sheep. He became expert with it
then.
Thus meagerly but appropriately
equipped, David clambered down the
ravine between the hostile camps:
then crossing the rushing brook. that
still winds along the Vale of Elah to-
day, he began to climb the steep ascent
on the other side. The Disguised giant
curses the STRIPPING antagonist he sees
approaching him, and boastfully defes
him.
The faith of the invaders was solely
in their-doughty giant. When he fell,
thew fled without further parley, and
as usual the rout was accompanied by
pursuit and slaughter.
Spear Points.
Leniency is the law of love.
The truly humble hide their hu-
mility.
Weeds always grow faster than
fruits.
God can use a dull tool; but a keen
n would do better work.
When tempted TO despair of mon II