The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-30
DAVID AMOUNTED KING.
INTERNATfONaL SUS Daf-SCho0h
LESSON FOR T0-MORfOw
A. Explained by Rev. Edward L. Psii-xhs
striking Lesson Drawn From
the Rise of David.

Samuel xvi. i-i3.
When Samuel turned away from, Saul
at Gllgal. the official ties which bound
him to the disobedient king snapped;
"and Samuel came no more to see Saul
until the day 81 his death" But while
he could have nothing more TO do with
the man whom God had rejected from
being king. he could not help mourning
for him. and for a long time the oio
prophet was bowed to the earth by the
great calamity which had overtakeE his
king and nation. There is time TO weep
but there are tasks waiting 10 De u"ne
while we weep. and the man whose pusi-
ness IL is To lead Is allowed less unie
than others to pour out his grief. III mat
ters were 10 be mended, IL was time Tor
Samuel 10 be up and doing and so when
the time for mourning was past. ana
the old prophet still sat with covered
head, God called him. How long VIII
thou mourn for Saul. seeing | have re-
jected him from reigning over Israel!
There was no harshness in the divine
voice: least OF all was there any hint
that heu had done wrong to weep. God
nowhere tells US that II is wrong TO
open the pent-up heart. and let out us
grief He only insists that We should
not weep as those who have no hope.
Let the tears come IL they will. but let
the Divine Comforter lift the head and
part the fingers pressed so tightly against
the wet face, and let In the light upon
the tears.
Doubtless it seemd hard to the old
i64n to be thus aroused and compelled
TO put away his grief and go OF on
m NJ Wa the hest fntpX
for him, as ii was for the cause which
he loved so we'll Working for God, go
ing on an errand for him, even II our
tears fall as we go, is sure 20 bring
relief, because In going we drop the
black pail which covers us when We
sit at home, and the sunbeams have a
chance TO reach our hearts.
God had provided God is always pro-
vldingD another king in the place OF
Saul, and Samuel was TO go to Bethle-
hem and anoint him. II was danger
Gus thing 10 do-nothlng less than high
treason IN the eyes OF Saul-and the old
prophet naturally wanted to know how
he must 20 about il. "Nnd the Lord
said. Take a heller with thee, and say,
/ am come TO sacrifice TO the Lord.
Pious folk OF a casuistical turn OF mind
will stop here TO split hairs on CAM
brio needle point of conscience, and see
II by any means they can justify this
seeming deception which Jehovah advises
Samuel to practice. But the sacrifice was
"A part OF Samuel's mission. not mere
feint, and there was no more reason why
samuel should tell the rest Of his mission
than there was that he should inform
the Rethlehemites that he expected 10
wash his face and hands while visiting
them. In fact. he was under no obliga-
ton TO say anything about any part OF
his mission only IL was more becoming
i'm a prophet. and better for the peace
OF the community, TO say that he had
come 10 sacrifice than to-tell them that II
was none OF their business Hair-split-
ters who stumble at this point would
probably contend that a preacher has
no right 10 announce n service without
also announcing every thing he expects
TO do at that service. especially II a col
lection Is TO be taken Even II Samuel
had felt under obligation 10 tell every
body all about his mission. he could
not have done II. lnasmuch as he did
not know all about Il himself call
Jesse 10 the sacrifice. and | will show
thee what thou shalt do said Jeho-
yah. That has been Gods way i'm all
ages. He sends his men with sealed
orders He leads them a step at time
Even Samuel, prophet that he was. IA
mliar as he was with many of God
pans concerning others. was not told
more than he needed to know about his
own work In advance. Surely you and
I should be content II God tells us 10
go. and promises TO show US what 10
DO when we get there III he told us In
advance, IT would probably not suit ouI
ideas, and we would not go at all.
At the old prophets coming the Beth,
lehemites trembled. What a tribute 10
the character of Samuel lie had 50
walked that men knew him as the repre-
sentative Of God; he was so serious, SO
purposeful that when he went anywhere
every body felt that his movements meant
something He was no gad-aboUt, No
globe trotter; he was never of duty; ht
was a man with a mission; 1t was known
that he attended 10 the Kings busi-
ness. Such a preacher coming into the
homes OF the careless would make every
body under the roof tremble
But "a great as he was, he was mar
still with mans weak way OF think
ing. And 1t came to pass when they
were come. that he looked on Eliab. ano
said. Surely the Lords anointed Is be
fore HIM" Jesse had thought that u
God had a mission for one OF his sons
that son must be Eliab, who looked
every inch a king. And when the young
impressed, that he thought so. too. proba'
bly, remembering at the time that tho
man God had chosen before was a mar
OF great stature but the Lord said
unto Samuel. Look not on his connte
nance" Here Is a great text for a grea
sermon which any child can preach.
When God wants a man, he does not 70
after him with yard-stick- III tai
man or a wise man or rich man Il
4. srn ~
wise or rich. on the other hand, God
does not choose n man because he hap
pens to be insignificant in size. in mind
or In purse There is also hint in this
text that our way OF sizing mp men IS
not the right way, and that we are al
WAYS liable TO mistakes: also that God s
way IL the right way: and though all
men misunderstood us, God knoweth our
hearts.
Seven sons passed before Samuel. and
the sign from the Lord was still wanting.
There was one more, mere youth-the
youngest-whose presence II had not been
thought worth while 70 require, and who
was off In the field watching the sheep
and practicng on his harp. The youth
was sent fer. As IL turned out-as II so
often has turned out--the one earth had
overlooked was the one heaven had
chosen Men knew not what was In the
boy who spent so much OF his time in the
fields. but Gods eye was on him. Let
every youth impatient for recognition
take courage. If there is David hidden
away in a shepherd boy. and that shep-
herd boy is hidden away in a desert.
God knows all about H. And after all,
when we look at this youth. It comes TO
us that he Is Just the sort OF youth
we would expect God 10 choose II he
IL II Go