Connecticut western news., 1876-02-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS.
By the Pastor of a Sunday School.
FOR FEBRUARY 18TH. 1876,

TUX FEbhUAR1 I0TH. IotOs
 GOLDEN TExT.-,The wicked is driven
 SAUL SLAIN-I SAM. XXI. 1-6.
 DATE-1056 B. c.
 CoNNEcrIoN.-DurlnR the five years that passed between the date of the last lesson and this. many things happened to which we can orly allude.
 Samuel the prophet died-so soon after the promise of safety Saul made to David pie, to Ramah. to be present at the burial ot the last Judge of Israel.
 David knew that he could not trust Saul. and soon went back to the wilder ness of Paran, where his former compan- ions joined him. Here they seem to have acted as sort of guard between Israel and their enemies. Saul, notwithstanding his promise, when the people of Ziph told him where David was (see tltls of Ps. 54), gathered his army and went against him. An incident very like that in the last les son occurred tchapter xxvi1. David, un- wiling to trust Saul, went to Gath again, with his men and the klnQ of Gath, will ling to make friend of 80 powerful an en- the town of Ziklag for his use. Sau1 meantime went on from bad to worse, and God altogether withdrew his protecnon l from him.
 LEssoN.-l1l If you look on the map of Palestine. straight north of Jerusalem Samaria put down, near Mt. Gerizlm and Mt. Ebal. Just about half way between the city of Samaria and the sea of Cali! ee you will find Mt. Gilboa. From the foot or | Gllboa the river Kishon flows northwest, emptying Into the Mediterranean sea north of Mt. Carmel. The region where this r1ver flows is the Plain of Esdraelon or the Plain of Jezreel, beautiful, level re- zion, where perhaps more battles have been fought than on any other spot h the world. It was long distance from the land of the Philistines, but they had made great preparation for this campaign and wanted q good field m which to fight at Aphek. Saul gathered what army he could at Jezreel, inst at the foot of Gilboa I-what be could but David was not there. Saul had made an enemy of his best earth ly friend. He must fight the Philistines ene'uy of the Lord Jesus John Iii, 1s-19), and must go thF0ugh the great battle of 1 life. and meet death. without His aidf And God, who had SO often fought for Israel. He did pray (xxviii. 5.6). but It was because he was frightened. He did not repent of hls sins. or pray in faiGb, and God would not hear. Without God, and without Da- vid, they could not stand before the Phil istines. and they lied, driven up the sides
 G2l The Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons.' Who killed Saulf We will see presently. The Philistines killed Lis sons the brave. good Jonathan and two others. If we could sin and take the consequences ourselves it would not seem SO bad. A bad man often brings bit- ter sorrow and trouble to those he leves. God has bound us together for good. bat | we sometimes mako great evil of it. Scarce any one can suffer for his sin alone.
 t3l Saul dId not escape. The arrows of the PhilIstine bowmen hit him and be was 1 sore wounded!'
 1 TAI Saul, wounded. feared the Philistines would kill him. Lest they should, he called upon his armor bearer to thrust | him through with hls sword. The man feared to doNit. So Saul took his own sword, put the hilt thandlel on the ground. l the point up, and fell upon it. Saul killed himself. It is wrong to murder. It is one self, there can be no repentance. Saul had no trust in the Lord left in his heart. If he had repented:even then, God would have saved his soul, and might have saved his life. It IS never too late for God to save. David could leave even the life of his enemy in the hands of the Lord, but Saul must take care of hImself. and even l of his own death.
 | [5l And when the armor bearer saw what the king bad done. he dId likewise. An evil example is very readily followed, es. peclally when the one who does evil has rank, or influence or riches.
 f6l So Saul died the wicked driven away in hls wlckedness; his three sons involved in the ruin his sin had wrought. The Lord 1 searcheth all hearts, and uEderstandetf all the imagination of the thoughts: Il thou seek him, he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee of forever So Saul lost the kingdom and his life. Is there no kingdom. or life, that you nay lose through sinf