The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-03
TIE CONNECTING L1NK.--The inter
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twelve centuries ana assigned lesson
which was studied IN the sunday-setl ssn
For the remainder of ths calendar Eeatlk
we shall be engaged with the h Ms sTy,a ii
Gods chosen people. Ic day we sI I,.,s
learn the manner by W,icn n chanse was vas
effected in the civil government, IN TIE
year 1491 B. c., Moses set up a theocraGS
by Divine direction, delivering a eonsu
with ordinances of an edueatio1,al ana ana
spiritual character. Under Josua, ms sue
cessor, that theocracy was mainta1Iie q. ~.
all Its original purity and purpose. -. ,,ns
able to appreciate what had been ne-
queathed TO them, and, through their s:ns'
they came into much trouble. Deliver
from i time 10 time. Thus more hao three
hundred years passed away, in winch
disaster and prosperity came altetnat 81,
to this hayward people. II was an !,,t ne
that determined purpose was was fnr me, 70
THE AGED sAMUEL Verse th,s : l 1-aAs
of Israel man of superior wisdom ana NJ.
goodness, who was greatly beloved ny
all. Sixty years before, when nlers
child he had been consecrated to the Lor ra
called IN a most remarkable way lnlo me
high service of prophet. AT The DEAN ID
of Ell he became successor, and al us
acts thereafter were IN justice to the PEG
pie and in utmost fidelity to the Almighty
Wherever he went reverence was shown,
not only because, of his office, pvt ne
lie service. No man for centuries hai
risen to such prominence or had secIreG
such a warm place in the aifectioas 9.
his countrymen. The name. SAMUEL, was vas
age came, and he was compelled to lay
off many of his official duties. I7ese,
as far as possible, were committed to nus
sons whom he made Judges, t snat Is fs
according to the law Of Moses, practice
followed in the time of Jehoshaphet G.
Chron. Xix:5) as we'll as during the earlier
Tifb wicKbD d SONS (verses 2 and
S)-Even good men have bad children, de-
spite the promise concerning right train
ing; prov; SSii:6l. There are those J., w S,,
ences, even as Adam and Eve feiI IN
Paradise, and as Judas betrayed his Mas.
ter. These exceptions, howaSrr, 40 no, no1
given his sons good instructions, and ex-
amples, they feel into sin when they were
beyond his authority. They were sent
to Beer. ba 1fty miles to the s94 I'm.
tice for a reward Joel and Abiah they
had been named. the first sgnitiylng nat
commands the other tile Lord IS my
had expressed his faith and hope conc M
ing the two whom God gave him. j3ut
alas, he was doomed to disappointment.
The sons We're unworthy OF o., their 'it l:s
creant to their trusts, wicked men IN
whose hands government would be betrly-
ed, the peoples rights ignored and God
blasphemed
THE NATURAL REQUEST. Oversees 4
and 5.)-As they beheld the BILE man
who must layaIown his office and cons!d-
cred his sonsa who must succeed ain II
was not surprising that people We're APP
prehensive at the prospect OF change
The necessity for some new order was
felt by all. Yet no one resortcd to riot
or revolution, a dangerous method ct any
time 1t is to the credit OF Israel that
a peacca Bile and orderly solution was pro
posed. The elders, the heads Of families
and those who by reason OF age and bll,
ity had been chosen as leaders. gathered
in popular assembly unto Samuel at Ra.
nah, then Ills home. They came out of
all the, tribes, probably summoned To-
and confidence thus forming a kind Of
national council. to make a grave and
deliberate request. Make us king,
they said aid, on coming together. an event
fore. (Deut. Nvii:1D. AS Kitto REMARKS:
This was noble testimony TO the integ-
rity and public spirit Of Samuel mani
fest conviction that he would do right
for the public good and to choose the
ruler who should succeed him"
THE DIsPLEASBD PROPHET. CVerse
were many arguments which
request. The nations round about had
kings. and the Israeltes desired to DO
them an appearance Of inferority in the
eyes of ncighbors, who assumed a naughty
bearing toward them Besides. the He
brew commonwealth was falling to pieces,
Tho tribes We're moro or less jealous of
each other. There was need of a strong
central power to weld the parts into one
whole for the good Of all against outside
n "a
condemnation of himself and of his
administration., He had devoted himself
to the good Of his county, q Sam. xiI:3-5)
led them back from idolatry and brought
them into great prosperity. Ingratitude,
dstrust Of their leader. seemed to Turk
DO against the, interests Of the people.
so dear to his heart. 1t disappointed his
hopes. his splendid ideal of a holy people,
self ruled subject only to the king OF
heaven, an example to the world of what
God would do for his own. was not to be
realized.
DIVINE COUNSEL. Oversees and ST.
Samuel was not a man 10 choose his own
way way or or to trust MS own Judgment II
perpleNng subject TO the Lord, just what
every man of faith should do CProv.
lll:t.9-prayer IS the mode of relief for
occasion resolved all doubt concerning
the course to be pursued. God assumed all
responsibility and gave counsel to his
servant embracing two particulars. First.
the request was to be granted, a king was
10 be anointed, and a. monarchy estab-
lished, Some have thought this was in
the Divine plan from the beginning, that
God intended to give Israel a sover reign.
and would have done so at future time
In his wisdom, But this is hardly prob
able, because. second, he assured Samuel
that the people We're rejecting not the
prophet but God that they We're unwilling
to live under a. pure theocracy and that
theid course IN this instance was in har-
mony with all their conduct 0Gx. xvi:9
from the time when they We're brought
out Of Egypt, This statement must have
relieved Samuel's mind.
THE SOLEMN PROTEST-(Ver %
However. the request was not to be grant
ed by Samuel in such way as to leave
upon the minds of the elders the i'm
preston that they were acting wisely
There We're phases of the subject which
probably had not received due considera-
ton. The monarchy would have its dis
advantages and perlls, and these ought
to receive attention In advance. A state
ment of them was due, IN fact, from an
experienced and venerable statesman who
cared for the future of the nation. A
king might be very venerable officer,
concentrating in himself the powers which
had been delegated to many, and using
those powers for the defense and pros