The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-13
1 Samuel iii, 6-14-December II, 1902
The BOY Samuel.

Samuel was "a lily on a dunghill" The child,
clad in his white tunic. his face turned UP in in
nocence toward God. stood in the midst of moral
rottenness unparalleled in Israels history. He
reverently opened and closed the doors of
desecrated sanctuary and ministered unto the
Lord whom a degraded priesthood had forgotten.
He the white flower of a dark epoch.
Whence came he? His father was devout
man, punctilious in his attendance upon the APP
pointed services of religion and in the offering
of sacrifices. He and his house worshped God
His mother, secretly lamenting the foul apos-
tasy of Israel. coveted son, who If he should
prove the very Shiloh himself, would at
least become the moral renovator of the nation
A self-forgetful in prayer as TO ex-
cite the suspicion OF ntoxlcation; possessing the
poetic genius to compose a sacred and praiseful
hymn. surpassed. IL at all, only by the hymn
of the Virgin Mary; consecrated
enough TO give her frst-born son unreservedly
to God-from such a parentage came Samuel
last in the line of judges, first in order Of
prophets.
The boys memory went not back of the time
when his mother. in fulfllment Of her word.
left him within the curtain walls OF the taoer-
nacle. He the companion and solace of the
high priest so feeble and disgrsced His child
sh hands began discharge such services as
they were capable of, and his pure heart was
filled with reverent emotions Here was de-
veloped that moral power which was destined
TO eclipse the physical energy of Samson.
That youth soul of innocence and devotion
was no anachronism as he lay there his little
mat. nesting within the sacred precincts of the
tabernacle, and under the soft and hallowed
light of the golden lampstand. That unsuliied
heart was more precious furnishing than ma
teriaI altar censor. though all were of beaten
gold.
Then, as ever. the prepared heart received the
prepared message. From between the cherubim
above the ark and through the mystic veil came
the inefable voice of the God of Sabaoth- He
called the child by name: Samuel! Samuel!
The excessive wickedness OF the people had
led to a prolonged silence on the part of God
that the historian says the word Of the Lord
was rare those days. No had any vision
from God to publish abroad. The piety of
child led God to break his silence OF Samuers
pure heart he could make a sounding board TO
send his voice to the outermost boundaries of
Israel
There could have been nothing terrible or un-
natural in the accents of Gods voice as he called
the child. 1t was the voice of a father and
friend. Three times he mistook it for the call
of the aged high priest. sleeping in his Official
lodge near by, and within the tabernacle.
That night Samuel knew the Lord. and for
three-quarters of century His word
vealed to him. and His voice as often heard
that of familiar friend.
A new trait is revealed in this fascinating
character. The child was not smart and pert.
His head not turned by his great and sud-
den preferment He not anxious TO pose at
prophet. He showed refined and
sensitive spirit in the reluctance with which he
revealed the evil tidngs Of which he was the
bearer. Eli had fairly extort the sad intelli-
gence from him.
which placed Samuel among the immortal
worthless whose names are engraven upon that
tall obesk. the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.
He the instaurator of prophetism. His
hand effected that bloodless revolution which
changed the theocracy of Israel into kingdom.
THE TEACHER'S LANTERN.
No page OF the Bible presents the subject Of
parental responsibility in a more startling
impressive manner. Eli is example of in
fidelity in parental duty He was lenient and
disposed to condone. His rebukes were mild and
tame as compared with the enormity of his sons
offenses. The catacysm of woe in which the
course ended is warning TO be needed.
In sharp contrast to this is the character and
course Of Elkanah and Hannah. Their
devoted TO God before his birth and trained
a total abstaining Nazarite. He placed in
the tabernacle to dwell there forever. But
there he was followed by parental influence.
He was visited at regular intervals and not
merely clothed in the tunc that loving
hands had made, but advised. counseed and
prayed with. doubt. The outcome of this
course was the formation Of one of the peerless
characters of Hebrew history. From such a
training came a second Israel. prevailing with
God at Mizpeh. a nations emancipation and re-
former.
The aptitude of the childs heart for religion
has here a remarkable illustration. A beloved
pastor told recently that. after relating the
story of Samuel to his little son, he said TO