Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-07-16

"Oh that one would give me to drink of
the water of the well that is in Bethlehem,
by the gate !" sighed David, as he lay in a
hold,' with something like bandit troop
around him, while the Philstines occupied
and spoiled his home. A foolish longing,
some may think, which went near to costing
the lives of some very brave and loyal men.
In one sense, no doubt it was foolish, by the
safe measures of prudence but the men
whose prudence is their conspicuous endow-
ment, who are always found in the safe
paths, and who never aim at objects which
are not very visibly within their reach, write
no psalms for us, and leave but light foot
prints on the sands of time. David was
man of longing, of passionate desires and
aspirations, and what stirred strongly in
his heart passed readily and vividly from
his lips. In him the widest range of expert
ence was welded to the most vivid faculty
of utterance; and this signing for the water
of the well that was in Bethlehem must be
looked at in the harmony of a nature whose
most constant and pining thirst was for
God, the living God. 1t was a strange, wild
troop which the young David had gathered
around him. Every one that was in debt,
every one that was in distress, every one that
was discontented," focked to him, and made
him their captain. Aud he led them splen.
didly he was the most daring and victorious
soldier in that adventurous band, and they
followed him with a loyal fidelity which It
is given only to such leaders to win. But
many sad, weary hour he passed in that
hold at Adullam, surrounded by men of vio-
ence and blood; and many a tale of rapine
and lust he listened to, till his soul sickened
within him, and the memories of his boy
hoods happy sports and healthy tasks in
Bethlehem rose up before him like some fair
| but far-off dream And who has not felt
the longing, with even passionate earnest
ness, amid the storms, the strifes, and the
wrongs of life Who amid his proud sue
cesses, who, amid his sorrowful failures,
with the crowns or the wrecks of his life.
course around him, has not cried again and
again, with young David in his hold
Would God that might be child again
and drink one deep draught from the old
the well-remembered spring The prizes
let them perish. The losses and the fail
ures let them be forgotten. Let me lie
down once more child in the old home, a
child's pure thoughts in my eye, a child's
pure love in my heart, with the tender care
of one whose tenderness passes all other ten
derness enfolding and cherishing my life
And the Saviour answers, " | am the Resur
recJlOn ana tne Lie lie tnht DelleVeln IL
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live
and he that liveth and belieyeth in me shal
never die" "As the outer man decayeth
the inner man is renewed day by day
"Thou wilt show me the path of life il
thy presence there is fullness Of joy, at THY
right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
This is what the resurrection promises I,
its children-the renewal of the spring, thu
restoration of youth, with all its purity ii
joy, its hope. 1t is from this that Chris
comes to save us. Sad, weary, worn as W,
are he comes TO make us young again glad
strong, pure as the angels who behold hi
glory, as the elders who surround his throne
"Thou anointest my head with OIL" sale
J David, aud oil is the symbol of gladness, o
vigor, of hope. This is the fountain which
One hath opened in Bethlehem-the sprinl
of mercy and grace in Christ, of which, il
, man drink he shall live forever. Drinking
of this everlasting fountain, the renewing
force tingles along every nerve and thrill
through all the blood. The old, worn ant
weary world was new born, was born to new
! vigor and joy, when the angels sang in tn,
height above Bethlehem, "Glory to God il
the highest, aud on earth peace and good
viii among men," And so each worn
strained aud weary heart may become
through that living spring, young, strong