The Washington herald., 1922-06-26
PREACHER LAUDS
ACHIEVEMENTS OF
HEROES OF FAITH
asis of David's Conf
dence in Victory
Pointed Out.
AN OF ARC CITED
aid of Orleans Won Because
She Believed, Preacher
Asserts.
AN OF ARC CITED
y DR.. JAMES ID. BUHRER,

astor First Reformed Church.
When the giant Goliath challenged
'el to select a man who would
with him. as a substitute for the
ending war between he.Philistines
Israel. there was no soldier found
the camp to volunteer. Just then
yid. the youth, arrived to visit his
Ither in the camp When he heard
the challenge he pleaded with his
ars to let him fight the giant. Re-
,antly they yielded. after they had
med him from head to foot with
avy armor and put a sword in his
nd
David started. then stopping. said,
am not used to these weapons,
MT fight handicapped. These are
4 my weapons" So he threw of
e armor and went forth with his
ing and a few pebbles from the
'ook.
When the giant, armored from head
foot, preceded by his shield bearer.
aw David. he felt insulted and said.
If you come thus to fight me, I'll
} i've your flesh to the fowls of the air.
nd the beasts Of the field"
David Had Faith.
David replied. Thou comest to me
with sword and spear and shield; but
I come in the name of the Lord God
lof Israel whom thou hast defied. This
fday will He deliver thee into my
|hands''
Note the confidence each had in VIC
tory. The difference. however. is that
one depended on self. the other on the
sure foundations of the Almighty. No
faith, no achievements.
AL great achievers were men and
women of faith. Faith is the miracle
of the years. It is the connecting
Ilink between God and man. Belief
lcomes from the same old Saxon root
word as leave" When you hear a
Statement and believe II you admit
Yit, you leave 1t as stated. But faith
comes from the Latin 'fides." 1 trust
A man on a sinking ship may believe
that a life preserver is a good thing
and not realize that he needs 1t un-
til he has faith enough to put it on,
leap into the water and strike for the
shore.
People that don't do what they can,
lack faith. They don't realize that it
Is within themselves alone that they
can maze connection with the powers
that made US for victory and happi-
ness.
Centurion Believed.
Faith in the trolley-pole that
touches the wire that carries ON
impotence and thrills US with di-
vine life. Said the noble. even
cheerful mother of eight children.
whether 1 have a great faith i
know not: but this l know, / have
a great Savior" The centurion said
to Jesus. You speak the word and
my servant shall be healed" And
il was so. Your achievements will
never rise above your faith. not
your mothers or your wife's or
your child's. but your faith. Again
and again we hear Christ say to
those restored in this Gospel. My
faith has made thee whole"
Healthy. strong muscles receive
most Of their POWER from the mind
of the athlete. The same muscles.
if separated from that mind which
controls them. If taken from the
body after death. would not sup
port one-tenth Of the weight with
out breaking. The size of our faith
indicates the size Of our connection
with our Savior The connection
is the same as that between the
vine and the branches unsevered
and unbru'sed by neglect or inf
dplity. We are n projection of HIS
mind. my living interest" a def
mite part Of HIS plan. with His am
bitions and longing for the King
dom on Earth
Joan of Arc Cited.
This would always make way fo-
tire man who knows he was born
FOR a grand purpose. Joan Of Arc
never attended any West Point nor
drilled at anv soldier camp. but ''e
believed she could save France
What good did IT do her father to
threaten that he would drown her
IL she tired to carry out her dream"
She ignored ridicule. jealousy and
contempt; she asked for the COM
mand Of the army and got IL. She
gave the commands with consum-
mate coura ge. and the soldiers fol-
lowed her to the victory that
seemed absolutely hopeless TO the
generals BY faith alone this maid
rerfoFmed one NJ the greatest deeds
IN history. without any military
training.
1t was by faith that Columbus
conquered the ignorance. rtdicule.
and contempt of his time.
No scale can measure. no mind
can estimate the possibilities OF
faith nor the loss we have sustained
for the want OF faith. Faith opens
the door to the soul where princi-
pies dwell. where the power of per-
sonality is generated. 1t is not
what people think or say of you
that gives you perseverance. trt-
umph over hindranCes in body or
mind. but II is what you see when
you are nearest the greatest Opti-
mist this world may know-Jesus
Christ-who said: According to thy
faith II shall be unto YOU"