The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-10-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.


Tho Child samusl-1 sam. Ss1-1S.
Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes
GOLDEN TExT.-spesk. Lord; for Thy ssrv-
ant heareth.-l sam. S:o.
THE SECTION includes the frst six chapters
Of I Samuel
TiMH-ssmuel was born about il4o q O.,
and the date Of this lesson II therefore twelve
years later. 1854 B. O. (The exact dates OF this
period are oil Of them somewhat unoertain).
PLACE-Shiloh, the religious capital Of
Israel, seventeen miles north Of Jerusalem,
and half way between Bethel and Shechem,
nine or ten miles from esch.-Geikie.
EXPLANATORY.
Eli had many good qualities. At the
same time, he had one grievous weak.
ness which led him into great wrong to
the nation and to his family. "When
he got to be an old man, when his bod
lily strength was going, when his men,
tai vigor and the energy of his will were
sapped, then, under the terrible pressure
of adverse circumstances" he failed in
government. He allowed his sons, the
prospective high priests, to continue In
their willful and public transgressions.
They were ''sons of Belial;" !. e., men
of profigate disposition and conduct;
men who had no regard for their own
character, or for the honor of God,
whose commissioned servants they
were. 1t was plainly their fathers
duty to turn them out of office at any
and every cost. 1t was a terribly hard
duty, and Eli failed in it. And bitter
was his punishment.
l. "And the child Samuel:" Josephus
(Antiq. $40, A. says that Samuel was
f1ra1vo n1l ssM;-,;c<oro1 ,,n<<> ~, n,
Lord:" (Jehovah): in such services as a
child could perform. such as lighting
the lamps ". 81 and opening the doors
of the tabernacle ". 15).-Johnson. He
was also the personal attendant and
aid to the aged and dim-sighted Eli, as
is implied in his sleeping near him and
his readiness to respond to his call.
"And the word of the Lord was pre-
cious:" because it was rare. Not the
written Word, but messages and COM
munications. "There was no open
vision:" Rather, 'there was no vision
published abroad" There was no pub
licly acknowledged prophet, whose
''word came to all Israel.
Bible.
2. SAT that time" when God was
about to reveal himself to Samuel.
ELI was laid down to sleep. 1t was in
the night. His eyes began to wax
dim" from inirnity and age. Hence,
when Samuel heard voice calling him
he naturally thought his aged friend
needed assistance.
3. Ere the lamp went out"
The golden candlestick, with its seven
In 70 ha xrf,
every evening LEV. "a: 2-4), and it con-
tinued to burn through the night
Prof. w. II. Green. Hence, the time
was toward morning. "In the temple:"
the sacred tabernacle of Moses, with
the buildings around the court. "And
Samuel was laid down to Sleep" in one
OF the rooms around the court, not in
the tabernacle proper.
4. THAT the Lord called Samuel"
BY an audible voice, pronouncing his
name. In the Septuagint version, the
name is repeated twice; He called
Samuel, Samuel" "And he answered.:
Here am l." The regular answer to
one calling; literally: Behold me-
Cook.
s. "And he ran unto Eli:" Unac-
quainted with the visions of the
Almighty, he took that to be only Ellis
call which was really the call of God.
"He went and lay down. Thinking,
probably, that he had been dreaming.
Z. "Now Samuel did not yet know
the Lord" He did not recognize His
call. He did not know how God COM
municated His will to His prophets.
This was his first experience, as is
stated in the last part of the verse.
8. "The third time" God kept re-
peating His call. For He knew it was
not from unwillingness to hear and
obey that Samuel did not answer Him,
but from inexperience. Indeed, Sam
uel's prompt obedience to Ellis supposed
call was the assurance that he would
answer Gods call whenever he recog-
nized it. "And Eli perceived that the
Lord had called the child" Because
there was no other explanation of the
repeated calls.
10. "And the Lord came and stood"
The Hebrews emphatic; presented him
self.
II. ''And the Lord said to Samuel:"
Through Samuel, whom Eli loved, God
sent terrible message, similar to one
which he had previously sent by holy
man Il Sam. 2: 1856, but which did not
have sufficient effect to enable Eli to
compel his sons either to live differ
ent life, or to leave the pure service of
God. SAT which both the ears f.
shall tingle." With horror and alarm.
12. 'All things which have spoken:"
By the mouth of the man of God, as re-
corded in chapter 2:27-S6. when be-
gin, will also make an end:" l will
perform thoroughly, will go through
with the performance from first to
last. 1t was twenty years before God
fulfilled His warming Thus giving
abundant time in which both Eli and
his sons might change their course and