The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-12-04
4 sERioa fo5 sIisbA7'
AN ELOQUENT oIscqpRS. 1NIlLlSo
DAVID AS < sulsR."
The Rev. pr. Edward y. rhurber. Pastor
of the American Church in. .Paris.
france, Dee, ribes the Life ofth~ fsAiin-
a let Prom sheepcote TO Throne.

chureh here WhlCh hAs AttIScteu NNhsiatf'
able attention. His subject was DAVID as
q Ruler; or From sheepcote 10 Throne.
The text was taken from | CHRONICLES
xvli:7. Thus salth,ihe Lord~el Hosts, 4
took thee from the sheePccse stven from
following the sheep. tha; thou shouidst es
ruler over My people Israel. " Dr.. Thur
ber said.
What a great distance from the pastures
in Be th,ehem 10 the throne IN Jerusalem.
The contrast between the shepherd boy
and the Ming Of Israel Is one OF the mar.
yeis which human history presents us, IL
IL certain that no one rs able 10 bridge
such distances without the intervention Of
assisting conditions aud forces. There
must be acting factors IN the life II the
great results are secured A man becomes
a debtor 10 so much, 10 has environment,
TO favorIng conditions, 10 friendly agencies,
and sometimes 10 seemingly adverse clr-
cumstanecs. His own powers are sunu-
lated. directed and assisted toward the
good that is 20 be reached.
The American Revolution had some
thing 10 do IN advancing Washington 10
hs position IN history, ms early educa-
tlon, his ancestry, his religious feeling, the
people among whom his LOT was cast, were
all factors IN ms career. The French Rev
oution was the great opportunity which
the genius of Napoleon could seize and utll-
ize. Many man fails TO come eonsplcu'
ously 10 the front because The times are
not ripe Tor a dramatic career.
The wise man studies and understands
how varying factors may be made 10 con-
tnbute TO has progress and welfare. lie
comes 70 know how much depends upon
the interest and services of one whom he
may seek and serve, and who may seek
and serve him
Dayld's open soul called multitude OF
agencies into service, Tor has career and
their employment made his history posi-.
BILE and gave To It that peculiar color and
variety which charm Us.
The stars spoke 10 him. and through
HIM they speak 10 US. as his thought and
feelings are reported IN the music of the
salms, which have been such a so,ace and
inspiration TO multitudes since his time.
The felds. flowers and forests, the streams
and scenes OF nature, bird and beast, had
their part IN the poetry he felt and ex-
pressed IN a literature that VIII last as
long as language endures. His friendships,
that ideal one with Jonathan, his associa.
tions with all classes and conditions Of
men. give US n unique and interesting per
sonahty.
Yon cannot understand David until you
take into consideration the nature of the
tendencies within him, and measure the
degree OF the influences which entered
INTO the formation OF his character and
career. There is a large miXturc Of con.
trastlng and contradictlng tendencies m
hlm. These are manifested through the
years of hls eventful history He wac like
city that il being builded. The original
low, marshy places must be drained and
filled up, rough paths must give pace 10
well paved streets. rude huts will be su-
perseded by well constructed houses, pa
aces and public buildings the crude and
inartistc will be replaced by the work Of
architects and artists before the city can
become beautiful and healthful
IhrOuub all The TGrlpd Of construct ION
there will be present the contrasts and
contradictions that mar and qualify the
glory of the city. There are two things
that would be apparent TO candid critic:
that progress is being made. and that the
issue Of endoavor viii be sure and salts
factory.
This contrast is presented through the
course Of David life II We look at some
features which come before ~ ConspIcu.
ously we viii Judge him severely; If We
!. ok at others we wall say now admirable
and at the same time we VIII perceive that
his way is onward from the shcepcote 20
the throne At times David Is as humble
as a child that feels his weakness and
need, and yet stands before his father, that
he may be taught and led, and again he IS
as naughty az man who counts no one
his superior He upholds truth and Iight.
sousness az essential 60 manhood. and then
under the Influence OF fear hc deCeives
shows wonderful spirit OF forbcarance
and forgiveness toward his enemy, Saul,
and then he puts ms friend Uriah 10 the
peril Of certain death. His love for iona
than is wonderful aud ideal, and then he
yields himself TO degrading loves. He
needed to be taken out OF these conditions
Of fc'ishness, sensuality, pride and the
evil OF a wrong life, If he was 20 become
"a man after Gods own heart"
We would miss all, however, unless we
knew about the sovereign influence which
Jervaded, arranged employed and directed
all factors and conditions which entered
into and contributed toward David's ca
Tcer. without this dominating influence
Jerusalem would never have been related
with Bethlehem. We must also remember
tnat the iruItIon OF a great character would
have been impossible without the presence
oi God While all this is true VIC must
bear in mind even the divine power did
not contradict the choice OF David or force
his voluntary action. God dealt with him
az free and intelligent soul lie was
called 20 enter into partnership with God,
and he IN turn prayed that God would he
with him He cred out for the living God
a. the thirsty land cries out for the life.
giving water, that D. may blossom as the
rose and rejoice IN the beauty and bounty
OF futiulness
II "a with such an Interpretation and
qualification that we listened TO. and un-
derstand. what - intended when God ls
represented as saying. II took thee from
the shceUcote. even from following the
sheer, that thol shouldst be ruler over Nv
people Israel God entered into and in
terested Himself in DavId's life. even as
Ie would IN cur lives. God directed and
utilized circumstances, made use OF cnvl.
TOnment, employed the stars that spoke 20
Dayid's s0u, was IN The blue sky of Pal
es;iue, and amid the clouds hat az times
Garkcned the heavens and pervadcd with
His purpose and power AL the foTrs Of
nature IN Bethlehem that spoke go inspir.
Ingly % the sor! Of the young man. God
utilized the strength OF body and soul. cn
p.oyirz all tie powers and faculties and
opportunities in the interests OF his pro-
RTesg. He made use Oi dlscIDline dIsap-
pontments and apparent failures. Of MS
suns and errors, N no way condonIng
them, out with q purpose 20 make them
serve HIM and work for Dayid's promo
ton
Life takes on larger meaning and that
meaning ls better understood when God
j. in our life
The little fountain up the slope of some
Alpine peak has it, significance but when
We connect its cesseless flow and contribu-
tio1 with the Rhine. which gives Sater.
way 90 large country, u seems more i'm
UOrtaut 90 W..
when the Rhine fows onward. hearing
tho contribution OF a multitude of riyulets
and rvers through a wide domain. and
g.ycs Its varied service 0 the wealth and
welfare of an emuire. we give the noble
river larger consideration. II means much
more 10 us. The coming Of the King OF
italy 10 France and PARIS is something
more than a personal visit The King
brings the good vii oi a kingdom He
represents the de- re Of rsupro,ament of
t.O nations into reconciliation and friend