The National tribune., 1889-06-27
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study OF the Inter.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
Lnl1 z. 4 Gnm.. q 2.1-i&.

Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures al
indicated aboye.l
SUBJECT: THE CHILD SAMUEL.
1. Preliminary.
We now return to our study of the Old Tes-
lament. The Bible is q unit That Is an un-
wise prejudice which leads person to dislike
lessons selected in the earlier books of the Holy
Scriptures. The Old Testament was Christs
Bible. 1t is full of Evangelic instruction. 1t
points to Christ in prophecy az truly as the
New Testament points to Jesus in history.
Both were written by inspiration from God,
and are entitled to our respect and binding on
our consciences. One may claim he prefers to
read the Now Testament, but instruction is not
q matter of mere preference. 1t is for educa-
tion. for mental and spiritual profit. These
notes cover only verses lilo.
2. Samuel
We think 1t we'll to state some facts in regard
to the child Samuel, since as he grew up he
became one of the prime movers of his day,
and we shall have much yet to learn from and
Of him in our lessons. He was born in the year
1884 A. NJ, or ITO b. c., at Ramathaim-z -zophim,
u:I,) which was the same as Ramah. Il: 49,
The name of his father was Ekanah of his
mother, Hannah. 1:1, 81 He was OF the He
brew nation, of the tribe of Levi. Il Ch., 9:
10, 27,) His birth was, like that of st. John
Baptist in strong sense miraculous and in
direct reply to earnest prayer for maternity.
He was of the Jewish religion and ultimately
q Nazareue, a Jew under special vows as TO
strctness of methods of living.
At the date Of our lesson we may suppose
with Josephus (Ant., s, 10, 14) Samuel was IL
years old. Students are not quite settled in
opinion as to his age What Josephus says was
probably tradition. One fact we notice, IL
the correct age were 12 years, there was a cor
respondence in the ages of Samuel and Christ
when taken up to the center of Jewish wor
ship. Granting the age was 12 years our les
son bears date 1l59 b. G. At his birth Han
nah dedicated the child to the service of God,
and as soon as he could be of assistance at the
tabernacle, say, when he was 12 years old, she
resigned him to the care of the priests. He
ministered 1" (Y. u In whatever offices he
could for the aged priest Es
3. Shiloh.
Shiloh was q town about % miles north Of
Jerusalem, in the tribe of Ephraim. The homo
of Eikanah, to wit, Ramah Il: /, 19), was about
26 miles northwest of Jerusalem. 1t is thought
Ramla and Ramah are the same Though geo.
graphic points are not definitely fixed, IL is
quite clear Ramah and Shiloh were not at great
distance from each other. The temple was not
yet built. The tabernacle was pitched at that
time in Shiloh. Temple" ". 81 means taber-
nacle.
L. Tabernacle
The place Of worship on Mount Sinai till
the temple was built was the movable tab
ernacle. As the children OF Israel wandered
they carried the tabernacle, taking it down
when they removed and erecting it again
when they halted for time. It consisted Of
an outer court 100 cubts long by 80 cubits wide
The next court was 20 cubits long by 10 cubits
wide. and was known as tho Holy Place. IL
contained the shew- bread table, candelabra and
altar OF incense. In the rear of this latter
structure. and divided from 10 by suspended
vail was the Holy Of HOLES, 10 cubits square.
Just outside the Holy Place were apartments
for those in attendance at the tabernacle
Thus we find Eli and Samuel sleeping near the
Holy Place. Ia verse there Is reference TO
tho lamp. II was a shaft with three branches
extending on opposite Sides furnishing
seven lights. This was the only way Of
Illuminating the Holy Place, there being
no windows. The lamp was kept burning
night and day. tEx., 81: 20. 81 Lev, "a: Ia |;
2 Ch., Is H. Some think six Of tho flames
| of the cnndelabra were extinguished during
| the day, the central one being always ignited.
Josephus says: In the morning four Of the
lamps lor jets of the caudelabral were extin-
| guished. and three burned all day" At an
| early hour each morning o Lovite put out u
| light or lights Uetsl. The hour was . fixed
| one. and SO became a measure Of time. Before
| that hour arrived ". 81, and hence during the
/ ulRutt or betOfo HehIu the
! voice. Probably Eli slept between the entry
TO the Holy Place and Samuel, The voice
/ doubtless proceeded from the Holy of HOLES.
| Honce when IL was uttered, being in the same
| direction from Samuel that Eli was the boy
! imagined Eli spoke.
5. The Voice.
God most likely spoke at first out from the
| Holy OF HOLES. Eli was so aged that probably
not only his eyes had waxed dim (V. q, but
| his auditory organs were impaired, disabling
| him from hearing words plainly understood by
| Samuel who was further of from the speaker.
| Then of two persons asleep one called by name
| Is most apt TO hear. Further, the voice was in
| tended for only Samuel. and God could so direct
| il as not to disturb Eli Then, it often hap
| pens the aged fall into more sound sleep than
| do tho young.
| On hearing voice calling his name the boy
/ Samuel answered " Here am l." (Gen., %
| /, Z, IL; 27:l, Is; BILL; 46:2; Ex., BAD
| Receiving no reply, he ran to Ellis couch and
| wanted to know why he was called II one
wish the presence in special of another, he is
silent after calling on purpose TO lead the per-
| son TO come TO him. SO Eli not answering.
| Samuel went direct to him to find the occasion
| Of the call. We admire the alacrity with
| which he responded TO the supposed call of Eli.
| IL would seem he was accustomed thus to DO
! ushered TO the couch of Eli. Finding he was
! ing told to return to his cot, he laid down
| again.
| After time he heard the same voice again
| calling him by name. He thought Eli spoke,
| and went as before TO Ellis couch. Being told
! he was In error aud being again directed TO
| retire, he laid down n second time. Probably
before the repetition of the voice he had fallen
| asleep. A reason why he did not understand
the voice more intelligently is stated 10 be that
| he had never yet had any formal communica-
tons from God, and hence did not understand
the nature of vision accompanied by voice.
| He had prayed to God, loved and worshiped
him. but God had never before appeared to him
for personal. audible and possibly visible
communication. Going te Eli he was hidden
to return and try 10 sleep.
Samuel heard the voice a third time, calling
out his name. He arose and again went TO Eli,
assuring him that he (Eli) certainly had called
| him. But Eli rs positively told Samuel that
| lie (Eli) had not called him. Then Eli told
the boy to go back and lie down. But before
| he let Samuel 90 he told him how TO secure a
reply to his answer, " Here am l." We can
SEQ how concerned God was to convince Eli
| that Samuel had been truly called to the
prophetic Office. 1t was well Eli knew what a
| special favoritsm God was showing to the boy,
| thus easily leading TO the recognition at length
| Of Samuel as an authoritative prophet
Tho voice was repeated the fourth time. In
some form or other God appeared by the couch
| of young Samuel. The interview was personal
1t is not likely Eli heard the message delivered
| nv tho wonderfnl Visitor We infer this mueh