The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-07-30
SAMUEL ANoINTs DAVID.


That obscure Judean village is in a
tumult. The even tenor of its semi
rural life is broken up. An unlocked
for guest has arrived in the person of
a man who outranks the king himself
in the popular esteem and confidence.
Samuel, the judge, has made detour
from his ordinary circuit, and has
come to Bethlehem, least of the cities
of Judah. What does his coming por-
tend? The dull town is aroused, while
the elders hasten to the gate to fore
stall, if possible, any impending judg-
ment.
A moment later the most prosper
Gus Judean sheik, Jesse, is astir in
preparation for a guest who is the
most revered man of the nation. The
sacrificial banquet is ready. The
goodly SAVIOR of the roasted heifer fills
the place; the guests are coming; the
servants run hither and thither.
Samuel, at once guest, host and sym
posiarch, is about to take his place.
A shepherd lad, on the rough Ju-
dean steppes near by, tends his faith
er's sheep. He may have seen the
prophet pass, or noted the tumult in
the town; but he is fidelity's self.
Curiosity nor self-interest lure him
from his duty. Shepherding sheep
has been his unconscious preparation
to shepherd men. His task has de-
veloped the traits of courage, patience
and sympathy. Solitude has been
favorable to devotion. As a devOut
improYisatOre he has often broken
the silence under the stars with the
noble strains of his psalmody, accom-
panying the same with his harp, max
ing yonder cliff come in with the re-
frain.
The last is first. He who was not
hidden even to the lowest seat at the
feast is called to the head of the table
A servant relieves David in the care
of the sheep and he hurries, without
opportunity to make a toilet, into
the august presence of the prophet
The candidate to the throne is in tt
bloom of youth. His healthful occu
patton has given him a ruddy cheek
while auburn locks upon a marble
brow are suggestive of the colder
crown he shall so soon wear.
But these adolescent charms of per
son are not to be compared with tn,
graces of the heart for which the Lore
first makes his quest. David bre8the
deeply the theocratic spirit He loYe
God supremacy. His foremost pur
pose is to be loyal and dutiful t.
Jehovah and loving and helpful t.
his fellows. In this he is a man afte
| Gods heart. This constitutes hi
singular adaptation to the theocrati
kingship, position sui generiS il
history.
AS DAVID entered the banquet -roon
Samuel's holy mentor says in til
prophets heart, up! Anointr' Il
a moment the beaten and fragran
oil of the tabernacle is glittering up
on those golden locks. Possibly n
one in the company, save the prophet
understands the significance of tn
scene. A royal destiny for a sheI
herd boy-who could divine it? Sc
after this episode, the feast goes Oh
and perhaps the lad, not having bee
'sanctified'' for the feast, goes bac
to the sheep.
But David must know the meanin
of the prophets enigmatical act.
slowly dawns upon his illuminate
consciousness. Preparations for h
high calling keeps pace with his eve
increasing knowledge of the claim
and duties of that calling. There is
progressive occupation and enligh
eminent of his inner life by the Spiri
1t matters little whether this divir
culture of the young king was med
ate or immediate. Samuel may hay
been his mentor as he was Saul
The Bethlehemite lad may have fr
quent pilgrimages to Ramah; or, lii
Saul, he may have taken course
one of the divinity schools. The
mediate methods, however, are in /
h way inimical to the immediate inf
ence of the Spirit OF the Lord viii,
A came upon David at the time of
4 amounting, from that day forward.
However that may be, when t
z hour of coronation came the king
Office was matched by kingly cha
acter. The manifold and imperati
4 exactions of a position, which has
precise parallel in history, were IL
" nv q Versatile character develon