Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-09-28

Dayid,s Amounting,


Bethlehem was already in Saul's day
spot Of sacred associations. There lay
the bones of the beloved Rachel. Thence,
when in Gideon's time the Midiantes in
valcd the land, Naomi went into exile to
return with gentle Ruth. There gener-
ous Boax redeemed the fair foreigner and
her inheritance; and there Ruth's grand
son was now living, Jesse. aged sire of
eight sons. Through all idolatrous times
this appears to have been "that happy
family whose God is the Lord and their
ncighborhood to have escaped barbarian
oppression.
Upon these hills of Bethlehem Judah,
where shepherds had for ages fed their
tlocks, grew up the beautiful boy, in whose
soul lay slumbering the celestial fire of
song. Here he developed those physical
qualities of agility: strength, and dexterlty
in the chase. which avertcd the danger of
precocious mental development, with its
exhaustion and its corrupting vanity.
Those slumbering instincts Of poetic en-
thusiasm had time to move themselves
gradually, and awaken by degrees upon a
sufficient foundation of robust physical
life.
Yet even in earliest life the musical
instinct seems to have developed itself-a
trait ever apt, where possessed in high
perfection, TO show itself before other in
tellectual powers. That divine and rap
turous instinct is the last to relinquish its
immortal birthright and reconcile itself to
the thraldom of clay; and the first to
wake strange complaining symphonies by
the rivers of life's Babylon.
How different in this from his brethren :!
They were never drawn, as by spell, to
the harp. Or. they touched its singular
mechanism their rude hands but Jared
its delicate wires with notes of discord.
They wondered how little Dapid should
take to it so kindly. They said, perhaps,
with tone of contempt, he never would
be fitted for any thing else. And being
younger son, it is quite possible that his
sensitive spirit suffered from their harsh
ness, and thai he was treated by them as
household drudge.
Thus, when the great Seer was to come
to bethlehem tn a festival, and Jesse and
his sons were invited poor David was
sent out into the fields to take care of the
ilucks; and he went, taking his favorite
harp along with him. Somebody mu,i
do it," they said, land who but David E
lie did not care about festivals.
And as David ascended the mountain
side, while they were all gone to the BAN
quet, and felt sad in the wild solitude,
methinks hear him murmur to some
plantive numbers:
Tho Lord is my Shepherd-I shall not want |
lie maketh nc to lie down in green pastures,
He lcadctl me besides the still waters;
lie resturcth my soul,
lie lenlcrh me tho paths of righteousness for bis
e names sake"
Then musing on the exposures of a
shepherds life, oft called to follow his
sheep in the tremendous chasms by the
Dead Sea, infested with beasts, he adds
"Yca. though wulk through the valley OF the
shadow of death.
I will frar no evil, for Thou art with me;
Thy rod aud Thy staff they comfort me-
"David. David!w exclaimed voice,
aud messenger comes breath!ess with
haste to tell him he was wanted at the
banquet, and that they are all waiting
Astonished, he obeys the summons; and
on entering the hall, in the midst of the
elders, before his brethren and father, the
hoary old Samuel takes him by the hand,
pours the precious oil on his head, and
salutos him rs the Lords anointed.
.,nd before he we'll knows where he is,
or what has happened, he is sitting at the
banquet, the least and youngest, preferred
above all his fathers house.