The Washington times., 1903-07-11
Ube International SUNDAY school Lesson


Of the expectations of the people as to
what king should be. God. in choice.
selected man exactly calculated TO
suit the tastes of the people as to thei-
own ideas of a king In David Cod Sc
lected a man that suited his ideas of
what a king should be.
In ancient times physical endowments
were greatly admired. The big maa
who was also athletic ad daring was
the ideal man. $50 the Greeks gloried
in Ajax, and in towering form of Achil-
les. Heroditus writes that the Etheo-
plans chose their king "by finding
the man who is the tallest of all the
citizens. and has strength equal to his
height" Samuel, standing bY Saul in
the presence OF all the people, could but
admire his majestic presence, and hon
estly say that he had not his peer in
Israel. His physical fitness for his
royal position was manifest.
Saul at the beginning of his career
was in a position to make a great man
and king of himself. He had the requi-
site health and strength to do so He
had sufficient mental ability TO do so.
He had the favor of God with him. He
had the good will, the admiration and
confidence of the people. He was in
touch with the general life of the peo-
pie. He had the courage and gift Of
generalship in battle. He had the pru-
dence and caution that belong to great
ness. tie had perseverance Of will. He
had respect for religion in his heart. If
not the spirit of religion. He could even
yield himself to spiritual impulses. es-
pecially when he was with good people,
like the band Of prophets that he once
met.
saul began we'll but his glory soon
became dimmed The bright promise of
his early years was not fulfilled. We
find him anything but hngly man
selfish. ignoble, full of murderous hate.
willful, forsaken of God!' The career
of Saul, King Of Israel, Is one of the
saddest recorded in the Old Testament,
because he did not live up to the calls
of his higher. but his lower. nature. In
our day, we seek for our leaders men
of intellectual and spiritual. rather
than physical stature. Napoleon. the
| Little Caporal' was only five feet seven
inches high Wellington was of middle
height. Grant was five feet eight inches.
and weighed only 1S5 pounds" 1t is
true that The minds the measure of
the man" 1t is a self control, spiritual
| ity and faith, that really make men
great.
When the eyes Of the assembly fell
upon Saul-the shout spontaneously and
enthusiastically went up, God save the
King" Saul was now both elected of
God and accepted by the people.
There are three calls to position and
responsibility in life: l. The call of God.
2. The call Of ones own nature. 8. The
call of needy men.
Gods calls 70 US is often a surprise
to US and comes without our planning
FaIthfulness where we are is the best
preparation for higher service. Other
men often show us and induct us into
our true work and calling as Samuel
did Saul
Samuel safeguarded the rights OF the
people and Of God by writing charter
for the new king TO go by and laid Fl
up before the Lord. The Jewish mon
archy was a constitutional monarchy
responsible both to God and the people
Some Jealous and worthless fellows
'sons or rBelial'-withheld their support
and good will from the new king. but
there followed him a band whose hearts
God had touched. II Is our Cod given
friends who are the best supporters in
any cause. To those that hate US we
| can often turn a deaf ear as Saul did
and let our characters and our work
speak for US.