The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-18
INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON
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Save for my daily range
 Among the pleasant fields of Holy Writ. I might despair. -Tennyson. Third Quarter. Lesson III. l Sam
 uel xii, 1925, July 1o, 1908.
 Samuel's Farewell Address.
 The Greek nation, five hundred years later. presents some points of analogy to the Hebrew at this period. Tn both in- stances, there was a somewhat looses federation of independent tribes, who found community in the identity of their religious Ideas and customs. as we'll as their perils from mutual enemies. Sam uel, was the Hebrew Aristides. He breathed the spirit of loftiest patriotism. He prepared the way in the most disin- terested manner, for the centralixation of power in one chief ruler. The, need of this was imperative. for the federation of the twelve tribal Hebrew republics was on the point of dissolution. The book of Judges, closes with the very significant saying, Every man did what was right in his own eyes" Social disunicn could not be better described. And the cause of it is affirmed in the same connection, There was no king in Israel"
 Those were pitiful days in Hebrew his. tory. The curtain palace of God, the tab ernacle, was removed. His golden throne the ark, was sequestered. These visible conditions were symbolical of the inward state of the nations heart God was. de- throned. his worship suspended. Israel was not only captive to Philistia, but worse; and. incredible as it may seem Israel was captive to the lords many and gods many of Philistia. It was a crude and cruel age. Modes of warfare was most barbaric. Morality was relaxed, and social corruption complete.
 Hope centered around one person. He was known to all Israel, because of his continuous residence in the tabernacle at Shiloh. Worshipers from every quarter had seen him there on their repeated wis its to the sanctuary. The very continuity of his service. gave him prestige. Hav- ing never wavered himself, he was qual- flied to call others to steadfastness Since Joshua's day there had been no such lofty personality among the Hebrews Yet he was no man for military exploits The weapons of his warfare were not car nal. He awakened t..e dormant religious sentiment of his people, not in an instant but by a continuous and faithful ministry of twenty years. The saline quality oi his own character, the light of his exam. pie went forth to change the corrupt and dark conditions of society. His own char. acter made his ministry a transcendent success. No word he spoke failed. It it very significantly said, All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet"
 Samuel was an innovator. He did what seemed to be required without reference to precedent. For example. when the priesthood was eclipsed and practically disbanded, he performed the function oi priest though not belonging to the tribe or order. He offered sacrifice and medi- ated for peninent people. He was the founder of an entirely new order, that of prophet He organized colleges where those new servants of the State might be trained in the lyric and musical arts, in the use of which the religious and patri- otic emotions of the people might be stimulated. John Stuart Mill affirms the prophetic order to have been an tnestima- bly, precious institution. It was coun- terpoise to despotism and Journalism.
 But Samuers most distinguished service to the State was his peaceful tnaugura- ton of a monarchy around which the chaotic fragments of the nation might find some cohesion. He did for Israel what Bismarck did for Germany in our day. Both made the throne what the Iron Chancellor called it. not the orna- mental cupola, but the central pillar.