Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-06-28
Case of the People VS.. Saul.
BY REV. GEORGE B. cHEEvER.


One of the most instructive instances of cisobe-
dience to inhuman and unrgheous law is to be found
in the case of the People SAUL in behalf OF JON
athan. The popular adjudication of this case, sim
ply by united moral power, and the peaceful victory
ofequlty over unrghteous law, are recorded IN the
l4th chapter of the Ist book of Samuel Tie mon
arch had commanded that, throughout the day OF
BATTLE no food should be eaten till the evening Jon-
athan heard not when his father charged the people
with this oath; and when they encountered quanti-
ty ofhoney in their march, he put forth his hand and
eat Of it; and when the people informed him of the
curse, then said Jonathan My father hath troubled
the land. Nevertheless, thus far, though the
ton severe and injurious, the people obeyed, each
one patiently enduring for himself the personal incon-
| venlence.
But when it came to an immortality required of
them, or to their consent demanded TO act Of in
justice and cruelty against innocent person, they
unitedly and resolutely refused obedience When
inquest was held as to the proceedings of the day.
the king swore great oath, that in whatsoever the
sin had been found that day. though were in Jona-
than his son, he should surely die. But there was
not man among all the people, who answered him.
They only said, in calm determination, SEQ on with
my trial as seemeth good unto thee" So when the
truth was known, Saul answered, GoD do so, and
more also, for thou shalt surely die, jonathan.
But now was the peoples turn; and with as united
and resolute personal disobedience when this in
humanity was required of them, as the patient ODE
dence which they had exercised when the thing re-
quired of them was simply their ownabstnence from
food, they declared one and all that this should not
be. As they had absained from food in obeying the
kings commandment, so now as they would abstain
from sin against God, and disobey it. 1t was plain
case of law against morality and morality against
law 'And the people said unto Saul Shall iona
than die, who hath wrought this great salvation in
Israel! God forbid As the Lord lveth, there shall
not hair Of his head fall to the ground; for he
hath wrought with God this day. SO the people res
cued Jonathan, that he died not
| Now this was not mere common case of disobe-
dience to civil statute, but it was fiat, downright
peaceabe mutiny. 1t was martial law as well as
civil, under which they were held at SauIs supreme
command, both as King and General; but, if in any
particular, Saul commanded what was unjust before
God, their duty TO disobey it. Every them
without exception, proving faithful to God Saul could
do nothing at all with them He could not find a
single individual to.execute his unjust command and
this being the case, seeing SO calm, universal, and
resolue disobedience, he dared attempt to exc
cute it himself The people needed nothing in such
case, for victory of the right, but simple disobe-
dience to the wrong No violence wasrequsite, MOI
any appeal to it Their united will was enough tc
make the execution of the mandate of the tyrant i'm
possible. 1t was peaceful, triumphant victory o.
equity over unrlghteous law, by simple disobedience
by simply refusing to obey man when he required
that which was contrary to God
Now ifthis spirit everywhere prevailed if it were
well known that men would not obey unjust law and
that mems consciences could mol be bong hit or corrupt
ed, to be instruments in executing it, such thing
unjust law would soon outofits existence The
most tyrannical government would be shorn of It's
power; for even Nero could not have imprisoned or
beheaded the whole people of Rome, supposing they
all, to man, disobeyed an unrighteous edic. Sim
pie disobedience, for conscience sake, when it be-
comes general, palsies the of unrghteous power
1t is the most perfect security of liberty 1t is better
than millions Of soldiers stronger than ten thousand
navies.