The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-08-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONsIDERED.
Reflections OF an Eievating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought = Study
ing tho scripturai Lessons Inteiligentiy
and Practically.
The lesson for Sunday. August IL, may be
found in l Samuel ~: LIS.

found in Samuel ~: LIS.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
And Samuel said. The people are as
sembled ut Gilgal whore the formal corona
ton of Saul has Just taken place. A better
paragraphing. accordingly. would make this
chapter and lesson begin with the four
teenth or fifteenth verse OF the preceding
chapter.-AH Israel 1t was public
proclamation. aword intended for all the
people. and doubtless conveyed TO them all
in some way.-Hdrkened unto your UOtce.
The SELF abegnation OF these words Is APP
parent. While browning Saul he was. In
sense. deposing himself from official lead
ership.-Mdde a king. Saul stands before
them at last the stalwart embodiment OF
their klngly conceptions.
WdlkeM before yOu. In the sight Of all.
There Is an implication here OF the whole.
some public scrutiny To which all delegated
authority should be subject.-Oid and
gray headed. Samuel was about seventy
years old. and probably the troublous years
OF his leadership had told upon him. Ny
sons are ciM you. Among you. they hav-
ing laid aside. along with him. their official
dignity and come down among the people.
- hare tcdtked before UOu. The same
test spoken of above. Could Saul have said
the same at the end of his career?-
childhood. He was brought 10 the temple
when but a babe. q: "a
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES,
A King Orer gou. Saul is king. But he
has not leaped at once 10 his throne Tn ere
We're. in fact. five calls to the kingshlp be-
fore at last its responsibilities and honors
were his. l. There was Samuels quiet
work at the gate of Ramah O.: 20) the call
OF Providence. ?. There was Samuels
amounting oil 90: ~; that was the call Of
Gods messenger. g. There was the spirit
of prophecy which suddenly came upon
Saul as he Journeyed homeward 90: o.
that was the call OF an inward monitor and
"A personal gift as our fathers were wont TO
call II. 4. There was the public presenta-
! ton at MiZpah 40: "a that was the formal
summons OF the church. But Saul was not
yet king in the acceptance of the people Till.
] at Jabeash Giead, he proved his prowess in
| battle. And so (5) there came finally the en-
| thusiastic coronation at Gilgal III: 49,.
which was the efTectual and irresistible call
OF power. God grant all his servants such
| ordination.
Behotd here I am. Prophet and people
/ looking into each others eyes. samuel
/ loved Israel; there is no doubt OF that. IL
I Is proven alike in his remonstrances and in
! his concessions. 1t speaks Ill the way
/ rough his remarkable farewell address to
| the people. How vivdly Israel. in the trou-
| blous days that came alter. would recall
| that pious countenance. fearful II may be.
J lul OF affectOnate solicitude for the people
| OF God! Could tn Y ever meet in public
assembly without thinking Of it? Yes. they
| might say, we understand now his grief
! he loved Us. The Emperor William |. Of
! Germany always had placed at the side OF
| a
asked him once why he ca ed SO for the little
| flower. and he told how. when but lad
\ hceing with his mother in the perilous DAYS
| OF lSO6 from Berlin. they paused little
while in u wood. where. with the other chill
| dren, he gathered some lovely blue violets
! and laid them In his dear mothers lap.
Sadly smiling. the good Queen Louise knit
! the flowers into n chaplet, and. as she
| shaped the dainty crown. her feelings over
| came her and she Wept Taking the violet
shn laid II her sons npnI saving
| 10 him tendrrly and grayely. that. one day
/ soon, God would make him king OF PTus ala.
and Tor his sake and for her sake she inn
! p,Ored him 20 be great and good and wise. "
! Tnc emperor's own words are too touching
20 omit When she turned away and our
coach was announced as ready for us. |
stole a littl aside and took eff the crown Of
flowers. / looked at IL reYCrently. | could
see shrined in the heart OF some OF the VIC
| lets. "A sparkling drop. kneT 20 1rGS mB
mothers tear. Oh! gentlemen, was only a
/ little lad OF ten. and eighty Ion years have
rolled by since then. with events in them
any and great enough 10 crowd childish
! memories out OF my heart. but fresh as yes
terday is the memory of that day. and |
II .ver see violet. the Kaiser blume as you
call them. but l see shrined IN its heart my
mothers tear and that is why ! love
! them.
Notc therefore stand stu. There is a
! tone OF authority in the worl. Saul is
king by full and formal o. dination. but
/ Samuel standing there, In his conscious
| integrity aud in his God-given power. is a
! greater man than the stalwa't aul And
! for what he is truly and inherently the
| people near him. Real wo tn needs no
| insignia OF Office. General Grant came 20
Washington resi- from his great victories
in the West. From some cause or other.
they tell us. his baggage was delaye !. and
so he chance TO enter the city in the
tiavel-worn, powder marked garments OF
tie battle field. But no one looked at them.
few. perhaps thought OF them. Chief Ma =
| istrate and legislators hasteued 20 do him
honor Why? Because OF that record OF
victories ehind him, because OF what he
was in h IN self Samuel speaks aud the
people at end. He is most kingly who has
wrought in ngly fashion.
And ye d,reH safe. A. yet he has just
been speaking o. was an expressions.
! That was bee use Israel turned aside into
ways temptation and na2a d. His on Y
safety WAS in abidin close 20 the Lord.
HE hat dwelleth in the secret place OF the
most high shall ali ie under the shadow OF
the Almighty" only thus can he cover
them with his feathers" And after all.
was there not a sense OF security in the
very stea liastness Of Go Is judGm nts.
When his laws We Obeyed, fetv: III dis
oil eyed. danger, perhaps estructiOn. He
was God OF truth. Il God 20 be heard and
trusted. Il ere is a lesson Tor us in lys
calamity. Would YOU" says Rev War en-
II thaway, In his recent voium" on Lining
Questions, Su y 'nu the law grHNItatlOn.
that secures the beauty and stability OF the
uniyers because II you blunder nj STUN
bl YOU are liable to b. throwd down
III the bri1ge ~ va I'll away and the
limited express atlen p To oss, II viii
plunge into the swollen livsr.
n. Mark that little word OF condition.
Gods promises are yea and amen. but weak.
vac lating humanity introduces the ele-
mcnt o uncertainty into lit AMI il records
Itself in Ii - V cabulary. If We viii ear
--UeN.- Il We will not obey--ili. We know
the reas, nv God can only bless those
who will receive his blessing. Ours is the
Tea iul prerogat'Ys OF accepting or re Jecting
the d vine mercy. The is no doubt OF
Gods willingn IS to he'll There is no doubt
Of God read ness 20 help. There Is no doubt
II Gods ab lily TO hrlp. The IS doubt OF
mans willingness and readiness u tie help
a.. Yes. and just on Tat acc unit thetc Is
loubt III his pOicer. Tut nut two passages
og .ther, two from Johns profound and
precious gosrel As many a ref eiced h I'M
to them gave he pO1cer to become IN sons
Of God, even TO them that believed on his
aame.- That and G is: Il "A man love mo
ne will keep my words; an my Father will
love him. and we will come unto MIN and
make our abode wi h him.
Next Lesson Saul rejected by the
Lord 1 Samuel 10: 1923.
IT is said that the Shah OF Persia has
learned 10 use n ,ifsand fork since his