The Washington times., 1903-09-26
Che international Sunday School Lesson
FOR SEPTEMBER o.


and lent him his advice and and faith
full friendship. He mourned for him
when he had fallen and been rejected of
God. and still prayed for him
The Character of Saul.
Saul was typical man of mixed
strong and weak qualities. in which the
weak qualities finally got the mastery
over the strong He began his career
as king with the fairest of prospects,.
both as TO the propriety of his own con-
duct. and as to the favor of God and
man. Fewer careers have begun with
brighter hopes. more splendid promises.
more brilliant possibilities. than Saul's.
Fewer careers have closed with darker
foreboding or sadder ending.
The people OF Israel prayed for a
king. and God gave them just such a
king as they delighted in. But his reign
ended in terrible disaster.
Outwardly and physically Saul was
royal in appearance. but spiritually he
was destitute and dwarish. Some one
has called him "the little big king" The
king given was the sort OF king desired.
/
are his stature and sinews. a frst-rate
| fighting man. that was what the people
wanted. They got him, and were left to
find out how much good he would do
them. And the Sauls we choose are
chosen for external appearances solely.
There are any number OF philosophical
and ethical schemes that, to our vain
eyes, look more imposing and promising
than the simple stern faith OF our
fathers. The appeal Of almost every new
ism is. Here is something so much
broader and freer and more rational than
the old-time religion. At last we have
found the doctrine that is bound to con-
quer the world" Large of stature-yes
Broad acknowledgements. Yet there was
much lack IN Saul. The vital thing was
lacking"
I'm the earlier part Of his reign Sau
was subjected to two great tests. anc
failed in both cases. Saul had long an'
fair and repeated trials. and rejected
God in each of them. He was led severa
times to the verge OF repentance, bu
the change was OF the feelings only
not OF the heart. He was warne'
, again and again, but with no perman
ent results. When Saul forsook God
then necessarily there was separation
: between him and God; and an evil spiri
took the place In his heart Of the Spiri
of God: as when one goes out of sun
. shine into the dense shade, the warmt
y and cheer depart and the cold take
their place. We see no signs of God
doing anything directly to hasten Saul
doom. He was left 70 work out the ma
+, tural results of an evil heart. and
life guided by passion and selishnes
! without the help and direction Of God.
: The Character of David.
n In contrast with the great man {
4 flesh, Saul stands out in fair colOrs III
|. man Of the Spirit. David-the IMAM afte
) Gods own heart 'the most kIngly {
e kings and the most lovely OF men" tn
o choice of David emphasizes the principl
that with God the first is last. and tn
. last first. II teaches, too. what are III
3. true qualifications for authority. Mori
= and religious exceliencies are the quail
: fications for Gods king. and thong
II mingled with many faults in David. ar
10 no doubt needing sorrow 10 develop z
= well as to prune them. they were Their
y We see Saul's gradual sinking. ar
lie David's steady rising. We may endless
!" ly be going upward; IL not. we are ent
" lessly going downward. What a soldi'
OF God David was; what a winsou
% friend; what forgiving man he was I,
n ward his enemy; what humility b,
4
e, sense OF dependence on God also,