Connecticut western news., 1876-03-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS.
By the Pastor of n Sunday School.
FOR MARCH 1QTH, 1876,

FON MAHCH NTH, 1oIo.
 ABSOLOM'S DEATH-II SAM. IS: 24-Ss.
 GOLDEN TEXT.-He that pursueth evil pursueth 1t to his own hurt. Prov. xii, 19.
 DATE-102S B. c.
 CoNNECTIoN.-David fled from Absolom Mahanalm, beyond Jordan. accompanied by many Of hls friends. but not by all. He left some who wished to 20 with hlni be- hind chief among them Zadek and Abia- thar. the priests, and Hoshal, one of his chief counsellors. To Hushai was com mltted the delicate task of making friends with Absaiom, opposing the counsel of Ahlthophel, and letting David know, through the priests, the plans of the reb- els. Un0pposed. Absolom entered Jerusa- lem and was accepted as king. Following things that made 1t impossible that he could ever be reconclled to his father. Then Ahithophel advised that they should immedlately pursue David, and overtake and fight those with him while they were weary. Hushai advised delay. giving good reasons xvii, TIA. HushaIs advice was followed, winch gave Ahithophel such cha. grin that he went and hung himself. h. formation as to the plans adopted was sent to David, through the priests.
 AbsalOm made Amasa, Joab's cousin, the general of hls arWy. and crossed the Jor dan in pursuit of David. The two armles met in the land of Gllead, not very far, but out of sight of Mahanalm, David, about whom many friends had gathered. wished 70 lead hls army into the battle, but his friends would not permit is, saying that hls life was too precious to he wicked. The armles met. AOsalom's army was defeated. Twenty thousand men were slain. And Absalom met the servants of David. And AbsalOm rode upon mule, and the mule went under the thick bouRhs of a great oak. and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away Absalom had most beautiful hair. that grew very rapidly, and that he wore long. Many seem to think that hls halr was the cause of bis death, but the Bible does not say so. Joab, David's gem eral, was told where Absalom was, and he and the soldiers with him slew Absaiom as JOab, with the sound of the trumpet, re- called his army, for the battle was over. The body of Absalom was cast into 8 pit in the wood and the soldiers raised a great pile of stoLss over It. And see verse IS. The kings dale vas near Jerusalem.
 LEssoN.-T19l Ahlmaaz, the young priest wno had brought David word from Zadek his father, of the plans of Absalom, had stayed With David, was present at the bat tie, and now begs of Joab permission to carry the good news to the king.
 [2Ol Joab. doubtless remembering the fate of those who carried David news of Saai's death and MephI hIbosheth's death, refuses, [21l but sends Cusni, a common s0ldler.
 [22-2Sl Ah,maaz. seeing Cushi start by the nearer but rougher road, begs again for permlsslon to go; and obtaining 1t. and ta- king another way, outran Cushi.
 l24l David was waiting auXiously ct the gate of Mahanaim. Above the gate was a watchman saw maa running toward the
 I25-27l The watchman tells the king. David knows If his army had been defeat cd many men would have been seen ln flight. If one IS coming alone. he muet be a messenger with good tIdIngs. Then tue watchman sees another, and then he recog n:zes the first to De AhImaaz. When Qa vId hears hIs name, he knows that this young man loves him so we'll that he would not be hastening toward him thus unless he brought good news. It is bles- sed thing to carry good tidings to those we love If you can, do 1t, If you know the love of God, tell it.
 ]2Sl AhimaaZ is so full of his goodness that he shouts it out before he reaches the king, and then falls on hIs face as be praises God for what He had done.
 l@-3Ol But the kings first question is of his son. He forgot the klng ln the father. No other good tidinRs are like the tldlngs with evil that we cannot be sure they are good. We are not to take 1t for granted that Ahimaaz lied. He might not hay been sure as to Absalom's fate.
 l31 -82l And now Cushi comes. The first question to him IS like that to Ahlmaaz Notice how clear the answer. and yet 1t IS so ex pressed that no fault can be fouud with the messenger. When we have evil tldlngs to carry, It is we'll to be careful how we tell them.
 1881 David, hearing the fate of the prince, goes up to tue room over the gate to weep and mourn for hls shining and dead son.
 Notice in Absalom the reward of an evil life. The name of tho handsome and gal lant young man has always been hated. For ages every Jew who passed by where he lay, cast stone upon the pile above hIs outcas1 body, with a curse upon his memo- ry, And he has not escaped the due reward of his sIn by death. Do you remember what the prophet Daniel says of those who out of death awake to shame and eyer lasting coutempt.'
 Notice of David, how we are more dis posed to mourn over the evil mixed win our blessings than to praise God for the blessings.
 4 circular saw-a proyerb that Qoos tn