, 1876-03-25

mothers. Before loavtng David, NO ought to
say Tint le lcaply rcncnted Of alt his sths and
was at last received on deep Ponitsncc BY his
haker.
Davlas conduct shows how worry bad a mar
may ho and still te forgiven by Him Who not
only forgtyos our hina but ctcaneos us from all
uurighteousnose, and TINT 1t ts never too laso to
repent and lead better lifo, for whilst tho light
Life Ia the ti,uo to serve the Lord. Dcatil.bod
repentance docs not amount 10 much. What
AIsnIom thought about tho future liEo wo do
not know. HUT hc mint have rcalixea what q
miserable creature he was when mon forsook
hm, and oven 1,iH tnulo waa ashamed OF his
company. Wo do mol wish to lint that we may
sin aud then chnrgo tho sin to our ancestors.
Wo hnvc no right to chargo oven tho Devil with
ot,r own faults and eirB. lilo has enough q his
own. Wo must At tass assume tl'e responsibility
Was Joab right in diaregardtng the Expressed
dcsre OF tho KING "Treat tendar!y tho young
man, Absalom. for my sakc'2 Dnsid not say
for l,un,anity's sake. or for Eghtoousnoas' snkc,
prefer bis own peraonai happinoaa to that Of
million Of people. Shall tho lifo Of cons',n,-
u1ato raecal DO All equivalent for tho sudsr1nGH
Of thousands Shall fo who stolo tho hca.ta
OF a lnreo people a,d caiolod tito young mon be
uron tho battle-f}old2 ? Joab WAS right. lilo llal
A proper regard to tho peace aud welfare nf
Davlds Kingdom.
David. Ind tho yonng man returned would
t'n,o given him not .aI wlIs. his crimes dansued
not hayn eont AbHatons 10 the Ponitantlary Of
1sraol-a place 60 admirably fitted to hs reckless
character. lio richly nortte1 death. {Dout.,
XXI, l8.) Ho. was an nTowod enemy to the
doubtodly worsen worry rapidly. Tho gorms Of
sin had developed during his childhood, whilst
with his nlothor nnd his grandfather, 70 thnt
they could bo checked in 10 bcstcf way than BY
oralllcat!ng thom, For this businoss no better
.mc could occur than In battio-no bcttor op-
postun,ty than whilst the scamp was tus-
ponded from tho brauchea of 4 tree.
II might prevent another rebellion, nloro HuccoaH-
fnl than tho first and last, Johb was right. lilo
llad clear ldea Of L!s Official duties. ne was
qhost Of tho King, and 10 dispose Of tho rebet
son III SUMMARY way, otherwise tho Hing would
fiavo no safety. md tho poopIe no security from
constant civil turn,oiiB. 1loy could expect no
rsacc, 10 domestic Joys, no long 40 tho willy sou
Of q foreign woman was ltytug.
AMI! then Joab, who had corvod DAVID with
undertaking fidelity for many years. not on1y In
military enterprises. but In the entangled rela-
uons Of the Nug's domestic ltfe felt that his
mind wna In morbid state and uaeded aome
relief from the responsibilities Of his station. So
this military chieftaan assumed the responsibility
OF sauding tho SouDg maa to tito SHADES Of tho
future. Ae could SEQ 20 roason Why Absalom
should be deprived Of the pleasure Of accom-
penJluR ul6 tnaAy IFlahu6t VINO nQu ialien IN
battle. to that land from whose bourne not evon
saints return: Joab may hive thonght very
naturally and logically, that David had soften-
ing Of tho brain"-hs long had had softoning
OF tho lleart-aud that relIof from exhaust,ne
tolls and weighty responsibilities only could
saya tho llfe Of his royal friend. snd tilat even
this relief might not do It, unless the Ktng'a
future life was better ehnn tho past 30 Jpah
followed the conviction of Ills own ntud.
David neror could forgot nor forgive 40 high mn
offense.-and yet AL mon may hAye said then
az no#, "AH ii vel"