The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-31

i DaVlu s native Sagaclty, and his eXpe | dients. learned in ahe emergencies incl dent to his life as a fugitive. avail hin l now. He provides means of keeping him self informed as to the doings of his son He prays that the counsel of Ahithophe l may be brought to naught, and proceed. to answer his own prayer by means ol ! Hushais duplicity. Finally, he chooses | the best possible position, strategically l mobolizes and officers his troops, and awaits the issue.
 The Teachers Lantern.
 Absalom is the Benedict Arnold of He. | brow history. He is a triple traitor-tc l God. his father, his country. He cleared the way to the throne by fratricide, un. der cover of averaging his sisters honor Patricide itself would not have daunted | him.
 He became this triple-dyed traitor by | almost imperceptible degrees. He was al | first vain of his good looks; then, iuxu. | riant in person, table, and equipage; then an aspirant for power; finally, unscrupu. tous as to the means of securing it Doubtless, he first aspired to be associ. ated with his father in reigning. At last | his heart was so indurated with pride and ambition that he hestated not to sup. plant, and, if need be, kill him. A son at war with his father, Pitffu sight! Alas! not uncommon. If every boy whose purpose runs counter to hi. | fathers pious ambition concerning him | was to literally take up arrns, it would look as If the days of civil war had come again.
 ~David's sorrowful retreat Is emblematic of Jesus's Via Doloroso "David's fiight is described with a minuteness to which we have no parallel In the history of ( single day, except that of which this wa. the type, when the son of David, be trayed by his own familiar friend, wen out by the same path, bearing his re- proach.'
 If, Absalom is the incarnation of fila ingratitude, David certainly stands fol | culpable parental negligence. He had q | fatal easiness of temper in the treatment | of his children. He was lax and indul gent. The consequences. distressing and disastrous. should be noted in every par. ent's. handbook.
 The Incidents of the retreat are indexes of character. It may be difficult for Il. to decide whether David was absolutely candid in his attempted and apparently generous dismissal of Ittai, or was only l testing his loyalty. There can be nc doubt however, of the fidelity of this foreigner. His fervent attestation reminds us of Ruth's to Naomi. The faithfulness of this alien is in striking contrast witt the indfidelity of the son.
 Davd's faith and resignation shine re. l splendent in the incident of the ark. He | will Go of the nations sacred palladium. Mem. orable are his words to Zadok: Carry back the ark of God into the city. If shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord | he will bring me again. and show me both 1t and his habitation. But if he thus say. have no delight in thee' behold here am I: let him do to me as seemetf good unto him." Words that remind ua of Jesus. when he said. Nevertheless not my will. but thine. be done."
 The strategic prudence and sagacity ol David shows itself in the use of the fleet tine bearers of information, and of the astute counselor Hashai to checkmate Ahithophei
 The nasty and ex parte Judgment against Mephibosheth, the luckless crib. ple' obtained by the craft of the treach. erous Ziba was afterwards, at least ir part. rectifed.
 By the patient endurance of the persis. tent abuse of Shimei. David acknowl edges in conspicuous manner that he deems his sufferings the deserved chas tisement of Providence. He makes no re- tort to the despicable meanness which seizes a time of calamity to reviIe. Thi. insult, too, seems the veriest trifle com pared with Absaloms course.