Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instruot-
i've Lesson, and Where 1t May Be
Found-A Learned and Concise Re-
view of the Same.
Quarterly Review.

Lesson 3. The Ark Brought to Jeru-
salem. Sam. q: 1-12
Lesson 4. Gods Promises to David. 2
Sam. Z: 4-16.
Lesson D. David's Kindness. Sam
D: 1-13.
Lesson 6. Davd's Victories Sam
10: $40.
Lesson T. David's Confession and For
giveness. Ps. 81: Ill.
Lesson s. Absalom's Rebellion. 2 Sam.
10: 1-12-
Lesson 9. Absalom's Defeat and Death.
e Sam. IS: OF, 3D. 33.
Lesson 10. David's Love for Gods
House. l Chron. %: GIG
Lesson IL. David's Gratitude to God.
2 Sam. %: 40-51.
Lesson II. Destructive Vices. Prov.
16: 22-33.
The lesson for September 81 is quarter
ly review. In teaching review lesson
the object should be to unity the impress
sions produced during the quarter. This
can not usually be accomplished by TAX
Ing up each lesson in order. asking for
the title, the golden text. etc. The better
way is to consider the period as a whole,
presenting its general characteristics.
The lessons of the present quarter, ex-
eluding Lesson II, are devoted TO the
life of David. Therefore let the subject
Of the review be THE Life and Character
of David" 1t is of comparatively small
Importance whether the pupils remember
the title or text of particular lesson, IL
they have gained correct impression OF
The larger bearing of the events narrated.
Suggestions for Study.
1. Get the chronological position Of
David's life as clearly in mind as the un-
certain data will permit. Do not, how
ever, attempt to fix upon the exact year
IF his birth or death. The dates which
are printed in the margins of our Bibles
sre almost certainly too early. David's
reign more probably extended from about
1915 to 915 than from 1865 to 1915 as in
he old chronology The year 1000 B. G.
forms a convenient point by which to re-
member the approximate time of David's
reign. The exodus, according to the tes-
timony afforded by recent Egyptian dis
covcries, took place nearer the year 1900
B. G. than the date formerly assigned,
1890 Il. G. OF course this reduces the
period of the Judges to less than two
centuries, instead of four, but ii is thought
by many scholars that the judges named
IN the book of Judges were TO some ex-
tent contemporaneous. AS for dates in the
period preceding the exodus, they not Mt
present to be had. Even the date to be
assigned to Abraham is differently stated
by almost every writer. Further dis
coveries in Babylonia, however, confirm
ing those already made, may enable US
to decide with considerable confidence
upon date for Abraham. But beginning
with the exodus, the dates will run like
this, in round numbers: Exodus, 1900;
Saul, 1850; David, 1000; Solomon, $50;
divisions of the kingdoms. $50; end of the
northern kingdom, 721 fall of Jerusalem
and end of Judah, 5S7. Even these few
dates will aid in getting the historical
perspective before the pupils.
2. David's total reign of forty years
may be divided thus: (a) reign over
Judah in Hebron-seven years; (b) from
the amounting as king over all Israel to
the second Ammonite campaign, during
which occurred David's great sin; (c)
from David's sin TO his death. The sec
ond period was probably short, not more
than ten years; and the third was from
twenty to twenty-five years. In other
words, half or more than half of Davids
reign was q period darkened by the re-
membrance and the consequences of his
sin.
Teaching Hints.
The life of David before he was anoint-
ed king at Hebron is more attractive than
his subsequent history. The youth is more
lovable than the man. 1t is the David
who fought Goliath, who loved Jonathan,
who bore SO patiently the prosecutions Of
Saul, and mourned so deeply for the two
that fell in Mount Gilboa, whom we pic
ture to ourselves as the author of some
of our psalms, whom we call 1.-The sweet
singer of Israel" and delight to honor.
The picture of David's last days, sur
rounded by schcming wives and concu-
bines and by children eager for his de-
cease, is very far from the scene which
we should like to imagine. Compare the
record in Samuel with that in Chronicles;
the latter, which is designed to present
more especially the religious side of the
national history, omits the whole story
of David's great sin.
The end of great life. "One record
says simply that David slept with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of
David another that he died in good
old age, full of days, riches and honor
But perhaps the noblest Is that uttered
by the Holy Spirit through the lips of
Paul: David. after he had served his
own generation according to the will Of
Dou Iell on steep ana saw cOrrupuOn. IL
is beautiful To find that word sleep used
of David's death. His life had been full
of tumult, storm and passion, of war and
blood; many a revolt had cast its foam in
his face; but rest came at last, as it will
come to all. Like Il tired infants, those
aged eyes closed in the last sleep, and the
spirit joined the mighty dead His sepul-
cher remained to the day of Pentecost
for Peter refers to it; but the man whom
God had raised up was drinking of the
river of his pleasures, and was satisfied
ms he awoke in his likeness The fairest
dreams of his Lord that had ever visited
his soul fell short of the reality and upon
his aged face must have rested a look Of
glad surprise, as though the half had not |
been told"
The web of our life Is laid in the loom
of time to a pattern we do not know.
but God knows, and our heart Is the |
shuttle. This being struck alternately |
by Joy or sorrow carries back and forth |
the thread which Is light and dark. as |
the pattern needs, and in the end when |
the garment is held up and all its |
changing hues glance forth il will be |
seen that the deep and dark colors were
necessary to beauty as the bright and |
high ones, and the mystery of life will |
he unraveled.-Rev. ]. X. Montgomery.