The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-10
SAMUeL'S FAREWELL.
International Sunday School Lesson 70
August IL, 1850.

Especially arranged from s. 8. Quarterly.l
LESSON TExT-I Sam. 12:l.l5.
GOLDEN TExr-Only fear the Lord, and
serve Him In truth with all your heart:
for consider how great things He hath done
for you.-ISam. 1874.
CENTRAL TRurH-Obedienc to God the
way to success.
TIME-B. c. Q075 or 1885, May or Juno
(ch. 12:1O. Soon after the first lesson.
Place-Gilgal (the rolling) Josh. SOY, be-
tween Jericho and the Jordan, the first camp
Of the Israelites in Palestine
SAuL-About forty years old, lately elect
ed King OF Israel. His home was at Gibeah,
four miles north Of Jerusalem.
SAMUEL-About seventy years old, at the
end OF his twenty years. service as judge.
He lived several years after this, and was
the leading religious spirit Of his age.
INTRODUCTION - Saul had been chosen
king, but not few of the people refused
to own his authority. But Sauls great
victory over the Ammonites under King
Nahash Ql:I-ID established his position. On
their return from the pursuit of the Am
monites down the Jordan, the army crossed
the fords Of the Jordan where their fathers
had first crossed into Canaan, and came to
Gilgal Here was held q great assembly,
and Saul was owned by all to be their
king. The era Of Judges, nearly 400
years long, was now ended. The kingdom
had begun.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-1. And Samuel
said: he here publicly laid down his author
ity, just rs Washington, in farewell ad-
dress to his army, gave back his authority
as commander-in-chef. g. My sons: see
6:1-3. 3. Any bride TO blind mine eyes: gift
for the sake Of buying the favor Of judge,
to persuade him not to see crime in the
giver. 6. II is the Lord: connect with v. 5,
"He is witness, even the Lord, etc. Z. Stand
stll: listen. 9. Siserd: the general Of the
Canaanites under King Jabin, at Hazor,
near Lake Merom Judges :l-3). Philistines:
these oppressed Israel many times Judges
1881; 1877; 1871; Sam. 13:19-22). Moab:
under Eglon Judges 3:1230). 10. Baaltm:
see Lesson iii. IL Ferubbddl: Gideon
Judges vi.-viii.). Beddn: not named in the
history, but probably Barak Judges 40,
etc.. Jephthdh: Judges II. Samuel: Sam.
7:12-l5. 12. Nahdsh: See Sam. II: ILL. IA.
Then: read it end. The conclusion is not
stated, but was very clear.
LESSON FAcTs.-Our last lesson told about
the choice Of Saul for king. Owing, how
ever to the exceedingly unsettled state OF
society in those early days, Saul was neither
universally acknowledged by the people as
king, nor did he for some time attempt to
exercise any authority. The condition OF
affairs seem to have been very anomalous.
1t seemed as though, having seen him
anointed as king, the people now waited for
Saul to show himself worthy Of the position
by some deed Of valor or some exploit Of ma
tional Importance. This Saul soon did, and
the account of his first victory must be read
by every teacher. 1t is found in chapter II.
AS result, Samuel calls the people to-
gether again, to "renew the kingdom"
These are the circum stances under which
the farewell address Of the aged prophet
and Judge was delivered, and this the time
when he passed over the reins OF govern
ment into Saul's hands.
CoMMENTs-We have many times learned
that God is God Of justice. But He has
also another side to His character, and that
Is forbearance or mercy. He is Of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity, and yet He is
revealed to us as pardoning iniquity and
transgression and sin. Our lesson to-day is
an accurate instance Of this abstract truth.
In spite of the waywardness Of the people
in forsaking God as their ruler mark, they
had not forsaken Him as their Cody He
graciously bears with them, while Speak
ing by the mouth Of SamueD He plainly tells
them of their sin. "Yet He says: "Fear
not. for the Lord will not forsake His
people, for His great names sake, be-
cause it hath pleased the Lord to make
you His people" Here we have the
fact of his forbearance stated, and
the GROUND of his forbearance given.
The fact of God s forbearance IS attested by
all history This day bears further witness
to His long suffering How many men TO-
day are disappearing His name, profaning
His day, hooking at His word, rejecting His
offers of mercy, breaking all His ten COM
mandments, and yet they live on in peace.
God makes the same blessed sun to shine
upon the vile man that shines on the saint,
and causes the rain to fall upon the field of
the ungodly, as well as upon the field Of the
godly. The ground Of Gods forbearance.
OF course it could not lie in the excellence
of IsraePs character, for then it would no
longer be forbearance. Forbearance i'm
plies ill-desert on the part of the one
towards whom we exercise 1t. Verse 20
gives US the ground of Gods forbearaAce.
1t lay in His own character. Here, too, lies
the ground of Gods forbearance and mercy
towards all His sinful creatures. What is
there good IN me that l can take and urge
before Him who knows all my thoughts, as
ground for His forbearancel Old Tesla
ment and New Testament and Christian
testimony all point in the same direction.
1t does not read, "For God so realized the
merit of man, that He gave His only be-
gotten Son, etc, but it reads, For God so
loved the world" ETC. The fact that where
sin did abound, grace did much more
abound, does not change the sin into merit.
Rev. A. +. Schauffier.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
|. Lessons from the life Of Samuel %
patriotism; (2) unselfshness; (3) noble
character and useful life makes success;
a. the best life is one wholly given to God
from childhood.
Q. Teachers should practice what they
teach.
8. The past is the teacher Of the present.
4. Gods Book OF Providence illustrates
His written Word.
6. Obedience TO God is the only way 10
success.
6. The hope of a nation is in righteousness
and religion.
THERE is q sense in which we are nothing,
but another in which we are of immense
Importance, and both these conditions are
recognized in the Scriptures. AS compared