The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-08-02
SAUL CHOSEN.


Especially arranged from s. 4. Quarteriy.1
LEssoS 1xxr-I sam. 9:l5ss.
GolpES TExT-By tho Kings reign. and
princes decree justice. PROV. s:1a
CENTRAL TmTu-God guides u to The
kingdom 10 which He calls US.
TIME-B. G. los5, shortly after the last
lesson. (According 70 Others, y. c. i095)
PLAcE-Ramah, Samuers home. four
miles northwest Of Jerusalem. Samuel,
about seventy year old. Judge and prophet
in Israel. Saul asked forl-Son Of Kish, Of
the tribe Of Benjamin. lie probably BE-
longed to Gibeah. He was q giant in stat
ure, probably seven feet high 1T least. and
Of noble appearance. His mental powers
were sluggish. He was dinldent affection
ate and brave, but impulsiyc, a good war
rior, attractive and popular. At this time
k.e was probably about forty years old. asin
chapter - we lind he had a son old enough
10 distinguish himself as a warrior.
HEiPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-ws find q
double leading by God. In the verses pre-
vious 10 the lesson, Saul is sent out TO seek
some strayed asses, and is unconsciously
led 10 Ramah and TO Samuel. Is Now he
Lord. etc here Samuel Is guided to saul,
and the choiccof him as king. H. Sar> my
people. etc this shows that the Philistines
Were gathering for al attack upon Israel,
and this was probably one reason why the
people Were so anxious fora king. -. The
scer. one who sees; aprophet. H. The high
llacc: a hill where sacrifices Were offered,
there being no central place Of worship.
20. On srhom 4 all the desire III israel. not
that all Israel desires him, but TO him would
come all that WAS most desirable in israel
the kingly power OF wealth. ~. BsnJumrs,
of nc smallest Of ne tribes: at the number
ing, in Moses time, il was next to the
smallest mum. ] $50, and II had lately been
almost ~cxtinguished tJudg. 20:i6). %. The
pdrior: the priests chambcr About thirty
per.ors: in the chamber. The leaders; tho
rest OF the people worshipcd outside.
% Samuel siid. etc: this was 10 show Saul
that his coming had been forcsecn and pre-
pared for. Is. CommuHc nth Saul; on the
state OF the country and the duties Of q
king. tpon the f3p " the house: the most
comfortable place in summer was the Hat
roofs OF the houses.
LESSON FAcrS-In our last lesson we saw
that the people were bound 10 have . King.
40 as 10 be like tho nations that Were
around them. In the tribe Of Benjamin
there was q man who had u fine young boy
FOR his son. There was not goodlirr per-
son than he among the children OF Israel.
Kish was the name OF the father, and saul
was that Of the son. One day the asses OF
the father strayed away and the son was
sent after them. Not succeeding In finding
the beasts they were about 10 return 70
! their homes. when IL occurred 70 him that II
would be q good thing to ask the advice OF
the prophet Samuel. Saul sad his serv.
ant started for The prophet.
God had forcwarned Samuel that the next
day He would point ont to him the man
whom he was 10 appoint a. King over
Israel When. therefore, Saul appeared,
God told Samuel that this vas the man Of
whom He had spoken 10 him. On Saurs
asking for the prophet, Samuel told him
that he was the prophet himself. and at the
same time com forted him by assuring him
that the asses were found already. He
then indicated to him that he was 70 be the
chosen king OF his nation. To this Saul
made a very modest reply, showing that be
was by no means proud Of the distinction
Samuel then honored him in tho assembly
that was gathered. giving him q place Of
prominence, and keeping him for his guest
that night. The next day Samuel accom-
panied him q part OF the way home, and told
him what the word or God hail been in the
matter OF his being appointed IS king over
Israel.
CoNxrxrs-Thcr j. a provcrb that says
.All's well tina ends well" This is moi
strictly true. but il is more nearly true
than IL It read: s'All-s well that begins
we'll There arc q great many things that
have begun well that have q very badly
Adam and Eve began Well In the garden Of
Eden. II only they had continued As wei
rs they began. II would have been q grea
advantage for US all. But heir good be
ginning had a bad ending, and they los
that advantage that God gave 10 them il
their first estate. Solomon began well II
his reign over the people, but he had . sac
ending. Judas began well as an apostle
and for awhile he gave as good promise o
continuing well as any OF the apostles. Blu
he turned aside from the right way, ans
ended most fcarfully. Paul speaks Of man,
who did once run well. but who were hin
dercd py some temptation, and who turnes
aside from the ways Of truth. Amonl
those who thus began well is Saul. We re
mark that he seems to have been really
modest young man. and TO have though
that he was not worthy OF the honor thu
put upon him. This was q good sign, 70
humility was a good virtue, and one mott
often found among the Young. Doubles
every one who knew Saul said about hta
that he was a young man Of goo
promise"
There arc tnOu>AuIs OF lOuuE HIT
and young women .'of promise" Bu
by and by the world will begin I
look for q fuidImcnt Of that promise
In many cases the world will be entirel
and bitterly disappointed. whys Becaus
these samc young people will rely on ID
start that they have made. and will nc
realize that it was only . start, and that
good start is onlya part, and avery sma
part OF the battle Of life. 30 II was wit
Saul.-Rev. A. y. Schauflcr.
/ PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. Gods guiding providence Is over all
.. The smallest things rightly used ma
lead to the largest issues. Saul sought 70
stray asses and found q kingdom
=. There Is scarcely o limit 70 the pcss
} bilIties OF our lives. =.
, 4 III Col has . work for u 70 90, ~
, spirit will prepare Us for Il. w.
4 s. The proof Of our election 70 positi0
Is our capacity 70 MI It.
q. God has called US all to be kings
z. ~ become kings By accepting 0od
!. the King Of kings.
You NAV assuredly find perfect peace
/, Won resolve to do that which your Lord b
I mainly reouircd. and content that He shou