The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-08-15

loving words and gentle, winning ways
led many to praise him; but how differ
ent it would have been could they have
seen through as God does to the sinful,
blackened heart. Teacher might furth-
er illustrate this thought in this way:
Outside Absalom was all that one
could desire, but there was something
wrong with the heart. TT. have
beautiful pear or apple that you know
to have worm at the heart. HE was
like this apple. oh, so nice to look at;
but if you could see what is at the core
you would not care for it. So il Absa-
lom's friends could have known what he
was cherishing in his heart they would
have been afraid of him; they did not
know this. but they found out after a
while. will put this apple here safely
away. and next Sunday l will show it to
you again; then you will see what
mean)"
When Absa.om killed his brother, he
should have been punished the same as
any other murderer; but all that David
did was to refuse to let him come to
Jerusalem for a little time. But at
last he not only let him come back, but
took him to his palace and kissed him.
Now children who are allowed to do
just as they please are very sure to grow
up selfish and deceitful, and so it came
t. be with Absalom. The sin in his
b cart led him to desire his fathers
throne. He wanted to be king in his
fathers place. Was not that very mean
and ungrateful. wien David had always
been 30 kind and good to him? When
Absalom wanted the throne. he began
to plot against his father, the king. He
thought if he could only get the people
to love him better than they did his old
father David, everything else could be
easily arranged. So first he placed him
self where people could see how beauti-
full he was; then he got horses and
chariots, and had fifty men run before
him as he rode. He wanted the people
to see how grandy he lived to think
what splendid prince he was, and that
he was heir (explain) to the throne.
When the people had trouble one with
another Absalom would tell them how
easily he would make it all right if he
was only king, and then when they
bowed low to show their reverence ire
spect) for him as the kings son, he took
hold of them and kissed them as if he
loved them. Now all this made the peo-
pie think he was very kind man, and
that he would make splendid king.
Do you think he did really care for
them? No, indeed; he cared only for
himself. and was deceiving them. He
wanted the throne, and by deceit and
fiattery he stole the hearts of the people
from his father. By and by he thought
he had everything to suit him, 80 he
went to David and tried to deceive him.
He said he wished to go to Hebron to
worship God and offer sacrifice to him.
David believed all that he said, and let
him go. David said, Go in peace"
Absalom's real plan was to raise an
army and proclaim himself king; 80 he
sent spies (explain) all over the land,
and told them that as soon as they
heard the sound of the trumpet they
we're all to shout "Absolom reigneth in
Hebron" That meant "Absalom is
king" Do you suppose there were
many who followed after Absalom? He
took two hundred men with him and
others soon joined. There are always
plenty of people ready for anything new
and exciting,
The next thing we learn of David is
of his fleeing from Jerusalem fearing for
his life. Absalom was fair and beautiful
without, like the cup ILLUSTRATION same
as last wsek, beautiful cup containing
clear water. After children have seen
the water. then drop in the ink But
he allowed sin to get into his heart, and
all was foul and wicked What sin did
get into his heart? Pride, deceit, etc.
What did men see? Absaloms beauti-
full body and pleasant manners. What
did God see? The foul, sin-stained
soul within. Recite Golden Text. II
Absalom had obeyed this command he
would never have done such a great
wrong. Disobedience to parents is gen.
orally the beginning of all wrong doing.
Hence God commands us to honor and