Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-08-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONSIDERED.

tures-Timc Well spent
The lesson for Sunday, Aug. 4, may be
found in l Sam. o; 1927.
INTRODUCTORY.
And the asses of Kish, Saul's father
were lost" A trihing circumstance, we
say, but full of deep proyidential signifi-
canoe, leading on to great historic issues.
Dean Afford says, There are moments
which are worth more than years. We
cannot help it. A stray, unthought-of
five minutes may contain the event OF
life. And this all-important moment
who can tell when it will be upon US"
Saul went to Ramah mere herdsman,
he came away an anointed king. So sud-
denly came Lord Mansfield TO his high
estate that he knew no interval between
no business and three thousand pounds
q year. The lesson is, to prepare for
usefulness, walk dutifully prayerfully,
and God will bring his child into 1t.
"'Tis fortunes trick to mufie up her gifts III
dusky hulls,
That when they throw their mantles OF,
Surprise may richness over double.
Or say it as Jacob said it at Bethel,
"Surely the Lord is in this place, and !
knew it not"
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Captain oUer my people Israel. Saul
was man of large stature and of great
natural gifts, but lowly in his circum-
stances and here ON humble errand.
1t was a man "out of the land of Ben
jamin" whom God sent. How often God
calls such to his highest stations! From
the tow-path came Carried; from the
cobbler's bench, Carey. John Wana-
maker started out with a store-broom In
his hand, and was not ashamed to be
seen on the streets with wheelbarrow
| hafO inn Tn ha nf mi "a
his fellow-townsman, George w. Childs,
who, in his recent "Recollections," says:
l was self supporting at very early age.
In my twelfth year. when school was DIS
missed for the summer. took the place of
errand- boy in a bookstore in Baltimore,
at a salary OF two dollars week. and spent
the vacation in hard work. And enjoyed
1t. 1 have never been out Of employment;
always found something to do and was al
ways eager to do It, and l think l earned
every cent OF my first money. When htst
at work in Philadelphia would get up very
early in the morning, go down to tho store.
and wash the pavement and put things In
order before breakfast. and in the winter
time would make the fire and sweep out the
store. In tho same spirit. when books were
bought at night at auction, would carly
next morning go for them with wheel bar
row. And l have never outgrown this
wholesome habit of doing things directly
and in order. would to-day as lief carry a
bundle up Chestnut street from tho Ledger
Office as would them AS Il matter OF fact.
carry bundles very often. But / under
stand that certain young men oil tho period
would scorn to do as mucn.
The worse for them. The best gifts lie
right along the paths of the humblest
ministries. Saul, the son of Kish, went
out as it were with bride in his hand
and came back with scepter. He went
to seek a beast of burden and found a
throne.
| Then Saul drew near. How gentle the
divine constraintl Saul, drawing nelr TO
| Samuel in the gate, was not conscious of
a hand leading him; but. it was there,
nevertheless, and God was bringing him
straight TO his kingdom. God opened the
little wicket gate of opportunity and Saul
entered in. Be ready TO enter when the
door swings open. A sculptor exhibited
a carved god of strange aspect. It's face
was concealed by being covered with hair,
and each foot had wings Why is its
face hidden2" asked q spectator. Because
men seldom know him when he comes to
| them" "Why has he wings on his feet?'
Because he is soon gone, and once gone,
cannot be overtaken." What is his
name?" Opportunity" William James
| Tilley in his Masters of the Situation,
| prints this sad but exquisite bit OF verse:
thousand years poor man watched
Before the gates of Paradise,
But while one little nap he snatched
1t oped and shut. All was he wise?
Watch for the divine leadings. Get
thy spindle and distaff ready, and God
| will send thee flax" But have one hand
free to take the fax.
Set not thy mind on th6m. What were
pair of'straying asses as compared with
the royal purple? Saul, set not thy mind
| on thy lost property. For whom is all
| that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for
| thee and for thy fathers house?" (Revis-
| ion.) Brother, set not your mind on
trihes wished for or sought, There is o
kingdom waiting for you il you will re-
ceive it, kingdom to which men are
| ofttimes conducted by paths of discom-
fiture and loss. Somehow we are remind
ed of that voice in the Jail at Philippi:
| "Do thyself no harml Why slay your
self because Of the supposed escape OF
two prisoners, for whom, in themselves,
you care nothing2 And as for that, we
| are all here" Then that second voice,
opening the door unexpectedly on king
dom of light: Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and
thy house" 1t is a word for US as well.
Seek We first the Kingdom of God, and
his righteousness, and all those things
shall be added unto you"
Stand thOu Stttt uUntte. Ou 10 Dfluy
the world to pausel Just to stop long
enough to be crowned in joint heirship
with Christ, to receive the amounting for
the kingdom prepared But recklessly,
witlessly, men rush on after their WORTH
less estrays of earth, and ignore the
Kings messengers. Was ever such mad
ness seen elsewhere2 If only, friend,
You would rest long enough in your steps
to really hear the message we have, it
would mean for you, believe it, eternal
life. All we wish is TO shor yoi. the lCord
of God-that is all. But what is that?
"And this is life eternal that they might
know thee the only true God; and Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent" There in
japan Secretary Wishard was confronted
by two native youths who said they we're
ready to believe, but failed to grasp the
fact that the possession was theirs. Sup
pose you saw the legal document, the
record?" "Oh, yes, that would settle the
| question" Then they read together
John 3: IL, And this is the record that
God hath given TO us, eternal life, aud
this life is in his Son." 1T is settled, =
they said, and five Japanese young mon
were rejoicing rs joint heirs with Christ.
Next lesson--"Samuel'1 Farewell Adj
| dross." | Sam. IL: 1-l5.
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