Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-08-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR AUGUST EIGHTEENTH.
SAUL REJECTED BY THE LoRD.-I SAM.
Nv, 1923.
rom the New York Independent.

From the New York Independent.
NOTEs.-Itrepenteth me-This change
of attitude attributed to God does not
mean that God regretted his previous ac-
tiOn. Gods purposes seem to undergo
change toward man when man is tickle
toward Cod Cdrmel-AbOut ten
miles south of Hebron, little to the east.
II mOnument.-See margin of Rev.
Yer, hand. Perhaps a stone carved to
represent hand pointing to his remark
able victory -AmdIekiteS-A wild,
rowing horde on the southern borders of
Israel These tribes, whose riches con-
sisted largely in cattle and movable prop
erty, were continually harrassing the Is
raelites for the sake of spoil. The drain
upon the nation was tremendous. Saul
struck the decisive blow in his vainglori-
Gus way, not the Lord s.-Agdg-Th
hereditary title of the chief of these no
madic tribes.-HGoe utterly destroyed.
This is an Oriental eXaggeratiOn. 1t is
true that from the time of their disastrous
defeat their power was gone; but it was
deserved for David to utterly destroy
their remnants Il Sam. xvii, S).-IdOl-
atry and teraphjm.-The teraphim were
the craven or carved idols of those people
that surrounded Israel. IdOlatry being
the chiefest sin of which Israel was tam
pered, it, along with its necessary evils,
such as witchcraft and divinatiOn, is the
worst state SauPs sin can be compared to.
INsTRUCTION-All parts of the Bible
are not equally interesting to Sunday
school scholars, nor are all equally useful.
The Bible is meant to accomplish great
ends and for great many people. The
International Sunday-school course is
only one of these ends. Students, ethnol
ogists, theologians study this book for
different reasons. What is dry as hay to
the child is rich food to the historical
scholar. 1t is necessary to read a great
deal that is mere history to reach some OF
the important truths. Probably the COM
mittee who chose this lesson had the 22d
verse in view. The wise teacher acknowl-
edges that there are many dark, Oriental
settings in the Bible to an eternal, many
faced truth.
Samuel, in spite of his age and good
works, was not altogether the best of
models. He was downright angry that
when he had given up his power to Saul
the experiment was not a success. 1t is
not uncommon in fits of temper or disap-
pointment to deliver unto God a long
monologue and call it prayer. Samuel's
night did not seem to soften him, for
next day he cut Agag to pieces with his
own hand; but those were rude days when
they CROPPED after the truth, and Samuel
was as sturdy for the right i'll his way as
Lincoln was in his.
Saul sinned with the people. They
were greedy for wealth. The crime is too
common one to-day. Never was wealth
acquired with such marvellous rapidity as
in our age. Never has it commanded
such alteration. 1t is the most alluring
intoXicant to become rich. When money
is made to give to God for the relief of
suffering, or the instruction of those that
know not Christ, then wealth is bless
ing, and the acquisition of it an honora-
BILE calling.
The day has gone by when the only
treatment for heather was death. 1t
used to be the fashion utterly to destroy
the enemies of God. Christ has taught
us better. They should be reformed
through any practical means; but at the
DdSlS Ol 6StCu CIlStl W save Hulldu DOihSo
there should be one cardinal virtue
brotherly kindness.
But the central thought of the lesson is
obedience to God. Saul found out to his
cost that it did not pay to bring up ex
cuSes in the face of fragrant rebellion
God lays his commands as heavily upon
us as upon Saul. They are different
though in the light of other environment.
We court destruction as surely in the
higher law of life when we disObey God
as the child does who defies the facts that
fire burns and water browns. The COM
mands of God are as scientific and as rea
sonable as the commands of an engineer
to step off the iron track; but it is far
more dangerous to disregard the former.
than the latter. These commands come
to each one in his peculiar way. God
promulgates an eternal decree that yOu
should make the most of yourself in his
way; and his way is, so far as the world
has yet discovered, the best way given to
man.
Every one, like Saul, has his peculiarly
weak spot, and every one knows just
what the trouble is, no matter how ignor-
ant he may profess to be. TO conquer
that one sin that dominates your life may
gain you the inheritance of Christ. No
one knows just when the lack of will to
blot out sin shall project his soul away
from God. As one defective bolt in
complex machine may wreck train, so
one sin that is tolerated may wreck
character for all eternity by its insidiOus
poisoning.