The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-10-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION on
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.

found In z Sam. 81: 1.12.
INTRODUCTORY.
We have seen David as the shepherd bard
and the favored youth Of Saul's royalcourt.
more troublous years as the exile prince.
Now we behold him III the reigning king.
There were three things which the .peorls
1.ged as David's kingly credentials. ~
exploits had been for so long a time ON for
e!ign soil aud for an alien power. knowing
the doughty David. already renowned
among nations: to be y vertlable Jew. they
deserving among them. as king. ~ lie
was in saul's early day the kings own
general-in-chief. and the disposition to
make the military chieftain the peoples king
thus early found voice. @ Above all. tho
the days when Saul's anger burned against
him. but Samuel. the prophet. stood and
spoke. we know not how often. In his tie.
hull; Az last David is king. and ~Israei's
golden days are begun. May these be also
golden days for us.
-. WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Then. Alter the death OF I~shbosheth.
the pretender to the throne.-All tine
tribes; The tribe of Judah had already ac-
fHs sSeon' OIL w vasla n as Eng ing. Sa:i2; a. Unit
quarters after the death OF saul C2:l3).-
Sspake. saying. Literally. Said. Saving. a.
formal coMmunication.-We are thy bone
;.nd thy flesh: Accent OF tho We. Thy
the men OF Hebron.
Also. Emphatic form. Equivalent to
moreover. or yea-In time past. L.iter-
ally. Yesterday and the day before Nlli,d
dsy2; Hebrew 1diom for a long time.-
MIS- ieaiership.-Feed. or be y shepherd
to Nccl. 12:1l).-Captain. to have chief
tainship or rulership.
Elders. h old men. as to Samuel. when
"a II No uyno fft.nk avrn N 0.-r a. ~
League. Literally. cut u covenant. referring
TO the sacrifice that usually accompanied
the solemn act.-They anointed Dayi /.
God had already anointed him. u Sam.
also with Saul. Compare i Sam. 10: i and
II: Is.
Thirty years old: Hebrew idiom: Son
OF thirty ears.-Began to reign. He had.
been seven or moro years waiting for hls
throne. before Judah came to him.
waiting here.-And in Jerusalem. An an
tictpa,ion In the narrative.
Jerusalem: Melchizedek dwelt here OF
on. Gen; II: u; Heb.7: l)-The JeLu-
sites. Joshua had some contention with
their king whom he slew (Josn. IL: 5.( But
tue city itself was not taken. and till
Davld's day was u heather stronghold.
Josh. 25: G3)-.saying. A construction
similar to that in the first verse and. rs
Except thou take is u confessedly dit.
iicuit passagc. Its closest translation into
english seems to be. see whether he can
thrust aside he blind and the lame. as
much Us to say. C-thinking"J David cannot
that ut Ps. IS: II. literally. II they enter
into my rest. Taken there as a strong
NEGATIVE assertion: ..Ihey should. not en-
tor into my rest" More accurately still.
see whether they will enter into my fqPt.
THE LESSON TEAcHEs
Then came NIL thQ frihao 0f Toroolf o n Mil
Now David is ready for great things. Ho
has u great people with him. All the tribes
OF israel have resorted to him. When the
superintendent knows that be has all the
school with him how much he feels equal
unto! When the teacher feels that the class
nav as one man given him their confidence
ana esteem. IN what lordly fashion he can
iead them! When the pastor is assured that
u loyal people. not one halting or hindering,
are within. U. what conquests in Jehovat's
nam. he sees before him! When young
Charles Hadden %Spurgeon went to Newing-
Ton some one suggested to one Of the war;
lens Or the church. What II he should fall. i"
Well not let him fall" was the prompt and
earnest response. The campaign of the fall
and winter is before US. Do the churches
and schools realize how much the success
o. tnelr leaders depends upon q strong and
hearty following2 Only as the pastor feels
his people to DO his very zone and flesh.
has he tho power God intended him to az.
perience.
King David made a league with them.
r ina was the right sort Of y ~confederacy.
pie by q pledge. There was something for
them to agree to. and he would not under-
take to lead them until they had sWess,
iealty to him and to theeause. That is
is the meaning Of the reiterated covenant.
Loyalty to God and his appointed leader Of
the hosts. Here do we find the secret OF
that success which has attended the
n LmL,stIan Endeayor. movement. 1t is a
leu. ue for the truths UNFOLDING. Alas.
how little OF tho real covenant spirit in our
churcles! Show us a successful church.
we VIII point you out q pastor and PEG, l..
who have given each other their hand i'm
reverent service of the Master. Are we not
right 1t?
Thou shalt iced my people and thou shalt
be g captain; He who would Iced must first
is ise The a ~ Is GODS s plan. The ~ shepherd spirit
people best arc his truest princes-for such
rs the word-andt to them he gives laurel of
victory and the throne OF rulership. Look
pack IN history. The great leaders have
John Knox. what q dispenser of the Word
was he!
John Calvin. o mighty in his expose
tions-we sometimes doubt whether we
have ever found his equal Martin Luther.
Us, wrote the Table Talk" US well us the
4hO "NC - III NO WAk
a. warrior. All these from finding the poo
pie aad through finding the people, came to
their c%aptaincy. And have we found any
better plan to-day?
David cannot come in hither. 1t was. ma
1T were. u challenge; and q contemptuous
one. This is probably the meuning Of t6at
somewhat dark message. except thou take
away the blind and the lame.- That is TO
say. our crippies and invalids are u match
Tor you; Come up and take them. II you
I'M them all blind and lame," which.
indeed. they prove to be before his prov.
ess. There is much of this bold banter to-
day. The world has grown arrogant, con.
eei!ed IN It's ~strongholds OF sin and unbe-
spiritual weapons. For women and chill
dren! they. say. right s%cornfully. Very
wen. now. Jet US go against them. and. In
the name OF David's God. let US prove them
gil to be women and children. blind and
lame and weak in the face of the omnipO-
tence OF God. Rememier that .neyerthe.
less" of Holy Writ. Nevertheless david
took tho stronghold" -rhe heather rage,
me people imagine Q vain thing'-never.
So David dwelt in the fort, and called n
the city of David. Fort" was whit tho
Jebusites esteemed It to be, a stronghold
saie and sure. hut soc. David takes Il and
tlves IN 1t. What an answer to the cen.
When Saul fell. the Ph,listines ceisIratei
their victory by coming and occupying
n Esdraelem. "The Phillstines cnme
dwelt in them.- Here David in turn
triumphs. and celebrates his victo ' by
changing the hostile fortress into u pl,cs
9! Righteousness and truth. to be hence.
forth called by his W name. as the Lords
anointed. They bore n man to his Chris
tian burtnl In Chicago the other dag whose
name itself suggested his old lifo OF woriliv
levity. but his later career was ono OF 0ood