Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-11

Last evening the Rev. C. NJ. Oliphant
the pastor of the First Christian
church, preached the second of his ser
les of sermons on the Young Men OF
the Bible. David was the subject
of the last evenings address and next
Sunday he will talk upon Absolom and
his Maynard life.
In the opening of his discourse the
Rev. Oliphant called attention to the
fact that David is one of the most con-
spicuous characters in the old tesla
ment.
Simpsons physical strength was
necessary in his age, the people need
ed a prophet where Samuel lived, Saul
was needed when the government of
the people was in its transition period,
and so David was needed to subdue
the enemies of the Lord and unite the
people under one kingdom"
David as a Shepherd.
''David's shepherd life on the plains
of Bethlehem gave him physical hard
ihood and an inspiration for his poet
zeal illusions that are found in the
Psalms. This was David's preparatory
period for his large usefulness.
The anointment of David by the
prophet Samuel was the turning point
in his life.
His signal victory over the giant
Goliath showed that he was used by
God for a great purpose. And thus
we see in his early life remarkable
/ traits that had to do with his after
career.
David and Saul.
Saul had been told that because of
his usefulness his kingdom would be
| taken from him and out of his family
The prominence of young David seems
to have made him malignant. David's
| victories excited in him jealousy and
envy. He at different times tried to
take David's life.
He promised David his daughter in
marriage and then gave her to anoth-
| er man, hoping that David would seek
revenge and thereby enable him to
| take his life, but Saul failed in this.
Another of King Saurs daughters
loved David and he offered her to
! David ON condition that he would kill
one hundred Philistines. Saurs envy
was hidden under a superficial kind
! ness.
Notwithstanding all of this David
| was magnanimous toward King Saul
| Twice he saved him from death and
Saul had to admit that David was a
| better man than he.
| when King Saul died David did not
rejoice at his death but mourned and
called upon the people to mourn. He
/ did not nurse hate to keep it warm
In all this we find nobility of charac-
| ter
David and Jonathan.
'It is a blessing to turn away from
! the envy and selishness of Saul to the
generosity and friendship of the king S
son, Jonathan Davids early victor
| les begat in Jonathan an admiration
! for him and he loved him as his own
| soul. Jonathan was presumably heir
| to the throne, and yet he never enyied
| David who was soon to be king. Sew
! eral times he was instrumental in saw
J ing David from the wrath of King
Saul His friendship was shown to-
ward David in adversely.
| David reigned in Hebron seven and
one-half years and Jerusalem thirty
/ three years. His power was shown in
the fact that within the first seven
years of his reign, he was enabled tC
repel foreign invasion and to win the
hearts OF the people of all the tribes
/ so as to unite them under one king
| dom.
After this he selected Jerusalem as
the capitol. The selection of a loca-
ton that would prove a self defense
to the Israelites and the center of po-
| litical power. was a masterful stroke
! of policy His bringing the ark of the
| Lord to Jerusalem and thereby max
ing che city the center Il religious
power was another masterful stroke
| of wisdom. His victories were great.
I'm all this he cultivated a devotion
| al spirit God was his strong tower
| There were several blots upon his
! character, but considering the age in
which he lived, his was most noble
| character He found the kingdom
divided and left it united in authority
and power His nobleness of life is
worthy OF imitation. H