The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-09
SUNDAYSCHOOL LESSON.
INTERESTING DEDUCTIONS BIZ
REV. EDWARD l.. PELL.
How Saul Game to be Chosen King-Ths
People Had Their Way.
Samuel's Warning.


uel T., l-2j.
Samuel was now growing old, and his
bad sons were growing worse: and tho
,eonle who had long desired to see
change in the form OF government. con-
cluded that these two facts Warranted
them in giving emphatic expression 10
their wishes. They wanted kinS-tnae
was the long and short OF IL. III saihue'
had peen young, and his sons had never
boen bad. they would have wanted
king ali tho same. With the exception Oh
their seasons o. spiritual eAat.'ioi''
when they were glad TO achho"ioue'
Jehovah as their absolute sovereign. they
had always wanted king. When their
hearts were warm, they had Sloried III inc
fact that they were unlike other nations.
but now that their hearts were coiu
their greatest ambition was 10 be IKE
other nations. They no longer had the
courage to resist public opinion; they
did not want TO be a peculiar people:
backsliders always have horror OF being
a peculiar people. We know how cold
church ia by the struggle II makes not
to BIZ peculiar The fact Is, the children
OF Israel had accepted role they han
no taste for. theocracy was zoo
goody-goody' for them. Goodness Is al
WAYS 'goody-goody" TO backsliding peo-
pie. Moreover. they were not obeying
God. and they knew H. and their form
OF government made their relations with
God uncomfortably close. They did not
feel at ease with such king as Jehovah.
IL IS the chief aim OF the heart as II
grows cold TO put as many things De-
tween itself and God as possible: II is
when our hearts warm toward God that
We want to brush aside all media Of
human invention and come directly into
his presence.
In their anxiety 10 press matters these
people were not considerate OF the feel
ings OF the old prophet who had devoted
his life to their interests. They had re-
jected him. he complained, when he went
to talk to God about tho matter. But,
like a tender parent, Jehovah took the
insult upon HIMSELF "Iney have not
rejected thee. but they have rejected
me-" he said. and then he told the old
man 10 go back. and let the people have
their way in the matter. IL was the best
thing that could be done under the err
cumstances and God always does the
best thing under the circumstances. how
ever shabbily his people may treat him.
The government which had been set up
for Israel was a religious government cut
TO fit the needs OF a religious people. For
a people who feared God II was the
best government on earth. but for a PEG
ple who did not fear God IL was or no
account, for the simple reason that God
himself was King. and the government
could not 20 on il the will OF the King
was ignored. But what n hard thing II
was that God required Of Samuel. What
self-denial. what courage was In the
old man, who. practically ignored by the
| people yet undertook to form a new
D 70. Ind "a y
| for king they would like better than they
liked himl You and would have suked.
God might have set up the new govern
ment at once without waiting for any
| body to have hand in the matter. but
| IL was not his way 20 deal with men as
| with senseless toys. Re might have over
| ridden every choice every will. every life,
| but he preferred TO work through them.
/ Saul seeks his fathers asses and finds
| a throne That has been the way in all
| ages. God makes men, not machines, and
| puts them here and works through their
| wills, thus carrying out his own Will,
while each man remains responsible for
his own conduct
The day came TO make public the divine
choice. and the people were gathered to-
gether at Mzpeh. In a solemn address
| Samuel showed them how. by demanding
| a king. they had rejected Jehovah, who
! was their King III they had been III 10
| remain In a theocracy. they would have
! repcnted then ana there. and refused %
! have any other king than Jehovah. But
| their silence revealed their stubborn de-
| termination. and the old prophet ordered
| the people TO present themselves before
the Lori by their tribes He would make
| the best OF IT, and try 10 impress upon
| the people the fact that while they had
! rejected the Lord. the Lord had not ceased
! 10 interest himself I'm their affairs and
that the king chosen that day would
be the Lords choice. This is why the
choice was made by lot. And when
| Samuel had caused all the tribes OF
| Israel 10 come near, the tribe OF Benia
! min was taken" IL was best that the
| king should come from o. tribe that wa
| almost extinct that there might be NJ
! grounds for jealousy between the larger
tribes. and Saul, the son Of Kish. wa
taken" Saul already knew that he hae
been chosen, and a natural difiidence, al
ways excusable IN great men, caused hin
10 hide away among the baggage
Inquiry was made OF the Lore
probably through the high pricsD. an,
the hiding-place was revealed, and th'
young man was brought out. "And whei
he stood among the people he was higho
than any OF the people from his should
ers and upward" II was important tina
the new king should be acceptable 10 th'
| nation at once and God knew how siZ'
would impreS the imagination Of An
unsophlstOcafed people And the people
we're impressed God save the king
shouted all-all except a few children o.
Belial. who are to be found I'm ever,
crowd. ana whose opinions are unworthy
OF the notice Of a Saul.
And now al last they have what the,
have long wanted-their own way-ans
God gives them a cloudless day 10 star
in And the end? We shall see what w'
shalt Sec EDWARD l.. PELL.