The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-07-18
SAMUEL THE REFoRmeR.
International sunday -schoel Lesson Sbs
July ~, 1859.


International Sunday -sehosa r.ssson sSr
July ~, 1850.
Especially arranged from 8. q ouartsriy.1
LESSON THxT-l Sam. lila
GOLDEN Tsxr-C Cease to do evil; learn to
do well.--Isa 1:16-17.
CENrRAL TRurH--The way Of salvation II
through repentance Of sin and turning to
the Lord. N
TIxs-B. Q. 1904. Verse three begins
twenty years after the last lesson. (Others
make the date B. 9. 1114.)
PLACE-Mizpeh (the ''watch-tower'),
about three miles and q half northwest Of
Jerusalem, on high hill. (N Ebeneser, not
very far from Mizpeh, toward the south
west. SAMUEL was now about Afty years
cepted Judge. o. Israel, making circuits
through several towns. SAMSON is sup
posed TO have been Judge further 70 the
southwest, dying two years before this
lesson opens. The Aax, after seven months
among the Philistines, was restored, and
remained for fifty years at Kirjath-j jearim,
till David took It TO Mount Zion.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcss--1. K1ejdth.
jedrtsM about nine miles west Of Jerusalem.
Sancttfed: consecrated, mot - priest, but
TO have care Of the Ark 8. Ashsdrofk plural
Of Ashtoreth, meaning the many images Of
the female deity Of the Ph@niclAns. Pre-
pare your hearts: nx your hearts on God. 1.
Bddltm: plural Of Baal, the male deity Of
the Phoenicians; the sun. 9. P0ursd u out:
~ showing that, like this water, their
promises could never be returned to them.
Hence II was an act of confirmation Of their
words. (2) A confession Of weakness. (9
A complete renunciation Of their idolatry;
none was left. Samuel Judged Isroel: be-
came the recognized judge, civil, re-
ligious and military leader. Q. A sucking
lamb: new and innocent, as symbol Of the
new life to be begun. II. Bethcor: near
Ebenezer. See Place. aEE
PREPARATIONS FOR REvIvAL-1. A long
discipline Of trouble because Of their sins,
leading the people to sec how evil . thing
sin was. 2. A longing for better things
". 2). 8. Samuers lsbors and teaching.
4. A call to better life ". 81.
EBENEzER-The people not only had one
victory, but they were delivered for long
ere long followed the most prosperous
times the nation ever knew. The revival
Of religion was the beginning Of o new era
Of prosperity, growth and power.
LESSON FAcTs-In the last lesson we saw
the Ark Of the Covenant captured by the
Philistines and carried away. They kept
the Ark for seven months. For the story
Of how they came to send 1t back, read
chapters 5 and 6. At last It came back.
But Israel was not yet ready for any great
revival, and twenty years passed away.
Then Israel began to ''lament after the
Lord" The time was ripe for true re-
vival, and Samuel, who, no doubt, had
watched for the right opportunity, came to
the people and urged them to put away the
strange gods whom they had wickedly been
serving, and return to the Lord their
God. This the people did, and confessed
their sins TO God. Samuel made interces-
sion for them, and things seemed to 20 bet
ter for awhile. But when the Philistines
heard that the Israelites were gathered TO.
gether, they conspired to fight against
them. The memory Of their past defeats
Allied the Israelites with fear, and they be.
sought Samuel to pray for them In re-
sponse, the prophet offered q sacrifice to
God, and God miraculously thundered DO
against the enemy that they were discom-
ated and fed before the Israelites, who that
day smote them with great slaughter.
ColullNTs-When Israel sinned, might
God Justly have cast them Of foreveri
Most certainly. Did He cast them of for.
everl No; for His mercies never fail. He
waited patiently with them for twenty
years, and then a. soon a. they began to
cry to Him, He heard the voice Of their sup
plication, and psrdoned their sin, and re-
stored TO them the light Of His coun. &
tenanca This showed what kind Of God
He was. ''Forgiving transgression and In.
EQUITY and SIM" such He had said Hc was
to Moses. And so He proved Himself to be
to the followers Of Moses. What was nee.
esssry on the part Of Israel to receive par
don't Only that they should repent of their
sin, and return to the God Of their fathers.
Only this, and nothing more. And as often
a. they returned, they found that He was
gracious and willing to blot out their trans.
gressions.
SO still ID. When we dnd that tempta-
ton hes swept us away from that which we
know - our duty, we need not give up hope
and feel - though on that account the Lord
was about to cast W Of forever. The better
way 10 70 follow the example Of Israel and
return TO Him from whom we have wan.
dered. See how God himself encourages u
70 do this. He says: "Rsturn unto me, 70
backsliding children, and viii heal your
backsNdings." The way to undo our sins 10
not BY SHINING more, butby confessing them
=, God and asking Him for renewed pardon.
w. ~ NV "a tnAD Wy tubt OSvIu SuO 1oV0x
came backl And was II not because he
would not thus come TO the Master that
Judas perishedi Tho teacher must impress
this upon the mind Of his class, and try to
mako them understand that In staying away
from the Master after they have sinued |
they ere only making matters worse, not
better.-Rev. A. r. 6chaufder
If PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
I. Long years Of preparation arc needed |
for great work.
.. God will revive US again, when we
turn from sin and serve Him with all our
hearts.
8. Leaving all sin, casting out "the idols
Of our hearts" 10 tho proof Of true repent
ance.
4. We should pray one for another.
8. Public religious services have great |
value.
9. Renewed interest in religion awakens
new opposition.
nNd vx,fn orixy tntz A.