Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-08-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONSIDERED.

and ProhtabIy.
The lesson for Sunday. August IL, may be
found In Samuel IL: 1-15..
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS
And Samuel said. The people are as
semblediat Gilgal where the formal corona
tion OF Saul has just taken place. A better
paragraphing. accordingly. would make this
chapter and lesson begin with the four
teenth or fifteenth verso OF the preceding
chapter.-AU Israel. IL was public
proclamation. aword intended for ali the
peo ple and doub. loss conveyed to them all
In some way.--Hdrkened unto your uOtce
The seli-abegnation Of these words is ap-
parent. While crowning Saul be was. In a
sense. deposing himself from official lead
ership.--Mdde King. Saul stands before
them at last the stalwart embodiment oil
their kingly conceptions.
WalkeM before you. In the sight OF all.
There Is an implication here OF the whole
some public scrutiny to which all delegatet
authority should be subject.-Old and
gray headed. Samuel was about seventy
years old, and probably the troublous years
of his leadership had told upon him. Mp
sons are seith you. Among you, they hay
ing laid aside. along with him. their official
dignity and come down among the people.
- hare Uatked before gou. The same
test spoken of above. Could Saul have said
tho same at the end of his career?-
Childhood. He was brought to the temple
when but babe. q: 24)
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES,
king oUer you. Saul is king. But he
has not leaped at once to his throne. There
were In fact, five calls to tho kingship be-
fore at last Its responsibilities and honors
were his /. There was Samuers quiet
work at the gate OF Ramah %: 20); the call
OF Providence. 2. There was Samuel's
amounting oil 90: ~; that was the call of
Gods messenger. 8. There was the spirit
OF prophecy which suddenly came upon
Saul as he journeyed fomeward no: O.:
that was the call OF an inward monitor and
a personal gift, as our fathers wore wont to
call IL. A. There was the public presenta-
tion at Mizpah 10: 24 that was the formal
summons OF the church, But Saul was not
yet king in the acceptance OF the people till.
at Jabeash Gilead. he proved his prowess in
5as!Is; And SO S5l there came finally the en-
which was the efrectual and irresistible call
OF power. God grant all his servants such
ordination.
behold here am. Prophet and people
looking into each others eyes. Samuel
loved Israel; there is no doubt of that. 1t
Is proven alike in his remonstrances and in
his concessions. 1t speaks all the way
through his remarkable farewell address to
the people. How wildly Israel, in the trou-
blous days that came after, would recall
that pious countenance. fearful it may be.
full OF affectionate solicitudo for the people
of Godl Could they ever meet in public
assembly without thinking OF it? Yes, they
might say, we understand now his grief
he loved us. The Emperor William l. of
Germany always had placed at The sido Of
his plate little bunch OF violets. They
asked him once why he cared so for the little
Hover. and he told how, when but u lad
fleeing with his mother in the perilous days
Of 1906 from Berlin, they paused little
while in a wood. where. with the other chill
dren, he gathered some lovely blue vioets
and laid them In his dear mothers lap.
Sadly smiling. the good Queen Louise knit
the flowers into chaplet, and. as sle
shaped the dainty crown her feelings over
came her and she wepf. Taking the violet
crown sho laid it on her sons head. saying
10 him tenderly and Gravely, that one day
soon. God would make him king of rrus 'ia.
and "lor his sake and for hor sake" she inn
pored him TO be great and good aud wise.
Tuc emperor's own words are too touching
to omit: When she turned away and our
coach was announced as really for us. l
stole littl aside and took off the crown Of
flowers. i looked at it revcrontly. l could
sec shrined in the heart OF some OF tho vi :
let's sparkling drop. l kne,o IL ,oas my
mothers tear. Oh! gentlemen. was only !.
little lad OF ten. and eighty lon years have
rolled by since then, with events in them
many and great enough to crowd childish
memories out OF my heart. but fresh as yes-
terday is the memory OF that day, and /
II 3ver see a violet, the Kaiser blume' as you
call them. but see shrined in its heart my
mothers tear. And that is why l love
them"
" OU MefeJOfe Stdhu SttU. Inero is
tone of authority in the worJ. Saul is
king by full and formal ordination. but
Samuel standing there. in his conscious
integrity and in his God-given power, is a
greater man than the stalwart : aul. And
for what he Is, truly and inherently. the
people hear him. Real worth needs no
insignia OF office. General Grant came to
Washington fresh from his great victories
in tho West From some cause or other,
they tell us. his baggage was delayed. and
so he chance to enter the city in the
tiavel-worn. powder marked garments of
the battle field. But no one looked at them.
few, perhaps. thought OF them, Chief Ma
istratc and LEGISLATORS hastened to do him
honor. Why? Because Of that record OF
victories tehind him, because OF what he
was in himself. Samuel speaks and tho
people attend. He Is most kingly who has
wrought in kingly fashion.
And ye dTeH safe. And yet he has just
been speaking OF wars AMI expressions.
That was because Israel turned aside into
ways o. temptation aud hazard. His only
safety was in abiding close to the Lord.
"Ho that dwelleth in the secret place Of the
most high shall able 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 steallastness OF Co1's judgments.
When his laws We obeyed, slfety; If dis
oil eyed, danger, perhaps obstruction. He
was n God OF truth a God to be heard and
calamity. Would you" says Rev. Warren
III .thaway. In his recent volume on Lining
Questions, suspend the law OF gravitation,
that secures the beauty and stability OF the
universe. because II you blunder and STUN
bls you are liable to be thrown down?
% II the bridge is washed away and the
limited express attempts TO Cross. it will
plunge into the swollen liver.
IT. Mark that little word OF condition.
Gods promises arc yea and amen. but weak.
vacillating humanity introduces tho ele-
mont OF uncei tainty into life and it records
itself in life's vocabulary. IF ye will fear"
-"icei." III ye will not obey"-ill. We know
the reason why. God can only bless those
who will receive his blessing. Ours Is the
fearful prorogatlve OF accepting or rejecting
the divine mercy There is no doubt of
Gods willingne IS to help. There is no doubt
of Gods readiness to help. There Is no doubt
OF Gods ability to help There IS doubt OF
mans willingness and readiness TO be help
cd. Yes. and just on that account there is
doubt of his potcer. But put two passages
together, two from Johns profound and
precious gospel: AS many as receiUed him
to them gave he polCer to become the sons
OF God, even to them that believed on his
name.- That and this: IF man love me
he will keep my words; and my Father will
love him. and we will come unto him and
make our abode with him."
Next Lesson - saul Rejected by the
Lord" / Samuel 15 1923.