Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-07-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR JULY FOURTEENTH.
THE HESORROwFUL DEATH OF ELL. SAMUEL
iV. LIS.

II VT E-lzA.-k oAMl I'll
N, lis.
NOTEs.-And the tcord of Samuel
came to all IsTael-This is about twen-
ty years after our last lesson. Samuel
is now recognized power among the
people. He is doubtless Judge, and per
haps hOnOred as a prophet by Israel.
This verse belongs at the end of the
chapter.-TheP PhiliStineS.- Xviii,
4, describes them as "the remnant of the
maritime district of Caphtor" 1t is
generally accepted that Caphtor is the
island of Crete. Very little compara-
lively is known about them. 1t is sup
posed that they were of Semitic origin;
that they emigrdted, as their name i'm
plies, from Crete to Palestine about the
time of the expulsion of the shepherd
kings from Egypt before the time of
Abraham. They were an exceedingly
powerful people at this time.-E Ebe1i-
ezer.-This name was given to the place
twenty years later, Stone Of help. 1t was
situated west of Jerusalem .-Aphek
comes from root meaning firmness.
There were several Apheks in Palestine.
This Aphek has the article in Hebrew
before it, and is stronghold near Eben-
ezer, Northwest, not far from Jerusalem.
Let as fetch the ark Of the eocendnt
Of the Lord ont Of Shiloh. Shiloh means
''rest." 1t was at present the most sa-
cred city of the Jews. 1t was situated
north of Jerusalem, and is identified un-
der the name Seilun, the Arabic for Shi-
loh. Here Eli judged Israel, and here
the ark had been kept since it was re-
moved from Gilgal -Hophm and
Phinehas.-Hophni, the fighter. Phin-
ehas, the bFdzen mOuthed. These names
were probably given when their traits
began to show themselves.-A man
Of BeIjamin.-A regular military run
ner, or courier, attached to the army.
INsTRUCTIoN.-It is not an uncom-
mon occurrence in these hostile times for
the party, which the Philistines repre-
sent, to win the first and even the sec
ond battle against the hosts of the Lord.
The cause of this defeat or that is read
lily found in the quality of the leaders.
The cOmmander-in-c chief must be mag
nificently represented by colOnels and
captains before the army will do its ef-
fective work. Eli lacked courage; his
sons lacked the first rudiments of NOR
ality. Samuel was not spiritually of
age for nearly twenty years to come.
How could the Jews thus led expect to
conquer? 1t has been said that if man
would lead the way into sulphur vat
he would get a few mad souls to follow
him. What will not men do with the
right leader?
These Jews fighting without the ark
are typical of those who go to battle
without knowing the reason why. A
man should always have creed or prin-
ciple and take it with him. Every ac-
tion to be done intelligently should be
weighed in the balance of the creed one
has formulated after much study and
thought and for which one dare fight
until he die.
Nor is it an uncommon thing for the
prof1igate and covetous to be the near
guardians of the ark. HOphni and Phin-
ehas are painted by the historian in the
darkest cOlOrs. Our sense of justice re-
ioices that they met a just reward
There is no doubt that among prOfeSSed
Christians there are thousands who are
not by ninety per cent. up to their Spi-
ritual pretense, and who will never be
discovered while alive. That fortunate
ly casts no oblOquy upon the cause they
desecrate. Does not rain fall upon the
just and unjust alike?
1t is Just as well to greet the ark with
silent resolve, as with premature shout
of victory.
The PhilistineS were afraid when God
came into the camp. That is an old
and well tried story. There is no lack
of evidence in favor of fighting on the
Lords side. The morale of that position
is an impetus in itself.
1t was not unnatural that the tidings
of the death of his two beloved sons and
of the seizure of the most sacred symbol
the Jews possessed, should have caused
this old mans sudden faintness and
death. God works out his problems of
rewards and punishments by legal
means His laws are the laws of Ma
ture which govern men to-day as they
did three thousand years ago. Our days
are as wonderful as the days of Samuel.
They are as prophetic. They are as
real. They are far more blessed. God
is with us in a thousand ways to-day
where he was with Samuel in one. The
symbols of his presence are many. They
have ceased to be one. They appeal to
us from every school house, from every
telegraph wire, from every church. 1t
is better to be the humble Sunday
school scholar that knows Christ than
to have been the most eminent of his
prophets.