Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-10-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER THIRD.
DAvID's REBELLIoUs soN.-n. SAM. XIV, liz

DAVID's REBELLIOUS SON.-II. SAM. XIV, LIZ
NoTEs.-Aftert this.-After David's eld-
est son, ,Amnon, ,seduced his half-sister, Ia
mar. After Absalom, the brother of Ia
mar, avenged his sister by killing Am
non. After AbsalOm had fled to the
court of his grandfather, Talmai, King
of Geshur, to escape the wrath of David,
and, finally, after the return of Absalom
to Jerusalem and his final reconciliation
to his father-The a0ay Of the gate
Not IN the gate, or on the seat of govern
ment. He intercepted litigants ON their
way to the King.-Forty yeGrs.-Read
four years. = In Hebron. = Absal)m's
birthplace. According to the custom of
the times, it was fitting to worship at
some particular shrine, just as Roman
Catholics, in case of some deliverance,
VOW certain amount of candles to burn
before certain image of Mary in some
particular city.-AS soon as ye hear the
sound Of the trltmpet.-Just as lights are
flashed over great distances, SO trumpet
sound repeated from valley to hilltop
could give the signal over the whole
length of the Went in their
sinpljcity.-Absalom hoped to comprom
Use these leading cOunselOrs and win
them over when they found themselves
in the midst of conspiracy of
such magnitude.-Ahit hithOpheL.-David's
grand vizier, the chief counselor of the
realm. To get him over was to guaran-
tee the success of this political coup.
INsTRUCTION.-The first lesson to-day
comes to fathers. David sOwed the seed
of discomfort by life of moral loOSeness.
In the vigOr of his manhood he snapped
the cord that bound the respect of his
sons to himself If the father swears,
where is the reason in whipping the son
for doing the same thing? If the father
defaults, can he blame his offspring for
petty stealing? And if, forgetting his
purity, he either secretly or openly defiles
himself, shall he curse his children for
reaping the whirlwind of passiOn?. The
parents responsibility is nothing less
than awful Wo unto that father who
bows his head in shame before his child'S
questioning glancel If you hope to con-
troll your children, see that you are not
balky, skittiSh or hard-bitted in the har-
ness you expect them to meekly wear.
But because one crank jumps over Nj
agara Falls, that is no reason why anoth-
er should follow the mad plunge. Because
papa did sO-and-So that is no argument
for doing it ones self The tendency to
initiate evil is appalling, but it is none
the less wrong to do it. If boy is un-
fortunate enough to have a parent whose
habits are shady he should lead high
life himself; not only to bring the stand
ard of his family up, but because it is the
stern right. Nothing is easier than to
fall into careless habits. The father
smokes, and the fiye-year-old urchin puffs
an abandoned cigarette. The employer
adulterates his flour, his clerk withholds
fifty cents day, and he who takes the
flour home refuses to pay his bill. Now
is the time for young men to practice
Christian virtues, all of them, in all their
puritanical sternness. The country and
the future American character need the
new leaven which the rising generation
is in honor bound to give.
Absalom conducted his political cam
paign on true American principles. He
villified his parent and slung all the mud
he was able He lied Systematically and
generously. He bribed some and cajOled
others. Two hundred were completely
taken in by this leader of a new, and for
a time, popular party. Corruption in
politics is a vice hOary as the Bible.
1t is a sin against God and Christian
manhood. Honest politics means an up
right and unimpeachable Government
An honest vote indicates the sturdy
character
Absalom was fair to look at and many
were captivated 1t has been well said
that the American public is the most
gullible in the world. Let US not be
duped into mistaking wrong for right;
dishonor for honor; the black flag of pi
racy for the stars and stripes of freedom;
the archangel of Hell for the archangel
of Heaven.
1t is not an uncommon thing to feign
religious enthusiasm in order to acquire
a desired end One goes to faShicna-
bic church, not to travel toward Heaven
but to get on in the world. About this
time the Sunday-schooli is filling up. Boys
and girls enlist, not to learn of true life
but to get Christmas presents. Absalom
still goes on his spurious errand to He
bron. Self-intereSt and wOrldineSS often
board the "Gospel train" to steal ride.
Generally these tramps are recognized,
and only courtesy and Christian tolerance
prevent their prompt ejectment. 1t is
not wrong to wish to be Governor of the
State. 1t is wicked to cheat either per
sonally or vicariously to get it. 1t is not
despicable to wish to be senior deacon or
pastor of the city church. 1t is wrong
to null ecclesiastical wires to such an eX
tent that the primary object of the Church
is forgotten, namely, to proclaim Christ,
not self, to famished, truth-hungering
men