The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-12-15
DEATH OF SAMSON.
International sunday Schoel Lesson for
December 10, lSxS.

! GOLDEN IENT-GrGat mcu are not always
wise.-Job 39:Q.
CENTRAL TRUTu-Lead us not into temp
tatlon, but deliver us from evil.
! TINE Samson was Judge from 3. C.,
lll6'!Ub. His death was about 1896, l2f
years after our last lesson.
/ PLACE-Ga2a, a large Phistino city fifty
miles southwest of Jerusalem, ana three
miles from the sea-coast.
! INTERVENING EvENTs-Rcst under Gid
con, 10 years; b. C.. l292 llS3. Rule of
Ablmelech, 3 years; b, &. llS9-lli9 EAST
ISRAEL. - Oppression Of Ammonites, Il
years b {. ll3i, Jophtha, q years; lbzan
years; Elon lin partl, Q yCars--40 years
b {. llAl09i. Rule of Tolah, judge, ~
! years, Il. &. lli9-llJ6. Rule of Jair, Judge,
% years; b. c. lljOllA. WEST lsRAEL.-
Oppression of Phistincs; during this
time Eli was judge. 1t includes twenty
years of Samuel and the twenty years Of
Samson, forty years; s. L. ll4l0p.
SAMsoN-Born at Zorah; of the tribe OF
Dan; his father was Mauoah. He was a
Nazarlte, Lc one ronsecrated TO God, and
forbidden TO drink VINE or shave his hair
He was raised up to defend his people from
the Phllistlnes, whose country was on the
border of Dan.
INTRoDUCTION-After many adventures
for almost twenty years, III various contests
with the Phlllstlncs, Samson fell before the
temptations Of Delilah, a Philistine woman.
He revealed the secret of his strength, his
hair was cut of by her, and the Philistnes
took HIM captive. See Judges, chs l4-l6
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs-2l Phlistines:
a warllke nation southwest of Palestine,
and from whom Palestine receives its name.
Grind. Turn huge milestone placed upon
another for grinding & an. 1t was re-
garded as a dsgraceful wo X, the work Of
slaves or of beasts. - HdT bryan 10 GrolO
again: implying that tis strength also in
creased. In ms trouble he renewed his
Nazarlte vow. %. Gathered together: at GAIA
". 2D where was one of the chief temples
of Dagon. Dtgom an idol with the body of
u fish, but head and arms of man. 70.
Feel The pillars; the two central pillars upon
which one side of the rot rested. IS Re
member me: 1t was 10 aycnge Samson. 1t
was also to deliver tie lsraclites, and to
honor Jehovah; for the Phlistines at
triouted other god what was due TO Gods
punishment of Samsou's sin.
COMMENSURATE u e events of the last
lesson one hundred an tWcntysX years
passed away; years Of ternate prosperity
and obedience, and of us obedience and OPP
preston. 1t seemed as lhough Israel could
never long remain stea fast to her cove
nant with God. She sinned and fell; cried
to God and was delivered; walked well for
awhile; then forgot and sinned and fell
again. Among those raised up from time
to time as delvcrers was Samson. BY his
mighty physical strength he became the
champion fighter of those days. The stories
OF Richard the LiOn-hearted, in his contest
with the Saracens, are the marvel or
medieval history, and so the stories of sam
sons sngle-handcd victories over the Phil
lstines are the marvel of ancient Jewish
history. Such victories are to-day impossl-
BILE, because by reason OF the invention OF
gunpoWder, pistol IN child's hand Is as
powerful as IN mans grasp. But IN times
when personal pluck and MUSCLE were the
prime factors III contest, single men some
times accomplished the deeds of regiments.
The personal might of Samson was an es
pecial gift for especial service When, how
ever, the giant mlsused his powers, he lost
them, just as Israel always lost her pre-
emlnenCc when she nlsuscd her privileges.
This is told IN the story OF Delilah and her
mtrlgucS. Samson was shorn Of his
strength, for the spirit of God had departed
from him. Our lesson finds HIM "A wrctched,
blind prisoner.
LESSON FACTS A grand assembly OF
Phillstlnes has been called for ldolatrous
purposes. They were filled with JOY, be-
cause man whom they feared more than
an army was in their power They want 10
sec the chained giant, and make fun of him
now in his weakness Thousands are
gathered on the roof of the spacious house
or temple. Poor Samson - led before them
and leased and tortured, so as 10 AFFORD
amusement to the cruel thrOng They clap
their hands and shout with mcrrlmcnt AS
they see their former antagonist as power
less as child. BY and by they have had
enough, and turn to other pursuits Sam
son is led away by the lad who has him in
charge, He then asks the boy TO let him
lean on the main pillars that support the
roof Of the house. lnnoccntly, permission
Is gwen Samson prasps the main sup
ports, cries with his whole soul to God for
power, bows himself nightly, aud down
come the two pillars, overthrowmg roof,
walls and all, and burylng Samson and the
three thousand Phllstiucs under the ruins.
-RcO. 4. +. Scbdu0'cr.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
l. ''h lN'o 'Ntl imperfect instruments
for accomplishing His ends.
9. Christians. like Samson, are scparat-
ed from the world conscCratcd to God, to
overcome sin, the great enemy Of God and
man.
3 When he broke his Nazaritc VOW he
lost his strength and was taken captive,
This was 10 teach the lsraolncs that all
their strength lay in conservation to Jcho
yah, and that they had lost 1t by departing
from their vows Of allegiance. It teaches
us the same t sDn
T. We learn the pcrils Of bad company
Whosoevor goes willingly into bad company
is already more than half fallen.
s. Sin ads sooner or later 10 rum.
6 The sin, f Christians bring dishonor
upon Cod
No ONE who has carefully studied the life
of Christ can fail TO be impressed with the
prumptitude and appropriateness with
which ne answered all the cavluug questions
that were put to him. The answers came to
his lips instantly, without any apparent eff
fort, showing that IN him dwclt "all the
treasures Of wisdom and Knowledge He
tai xpd Ia mon IS If he typrp more than Inn :