The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-15

secure for himself and his heirs personal
safety and such favor as only a royal per
son had ability TO bestow. At hTst tins
eAaction seems to vitiate the declared
friendship. II has the appearance OF self
lshness on the one side and OF doubt OF
the others goodness on the other. as II
own sake distruStful of the one whose wei
fare he would promote. more careful
study Will show that the request was wise
and Just. that 1t was made in good spirit
and that it was calculated to strengthen the
bonds OF friendship. ana especially to rem
der David u truer and better man. How he
afterwards complied with Jonathans re-
quest is a matter of history. Oh Sam. Nv, IL
1t sometimes occurs that a kindly act is
more appreciated when return o" reward
is affixed to il. SO that obligations become
mutual
COVENANT-Cerse 49, Strictly speak
Ing, this is what was done between iona
than and David. Neither pledged to the
other wholly unpaid kindness. but each
promised something by which the other vas
induced TO act Tney made covenant, an
agreement in which the two parties were
interested ard obligated That covenant as
to It's nature has already been given. but
may be properly repeated. Jonathan agreed
to befriend David ny learning the purpose
OF the hlns and helping him to escape from
any danger that mtsht threaten him. As a
result the life would be spared and in Gods
own good time David would ascend the
throne OF Israel. obtaining the honor and
power accorded to him by the amounting of
Samuel. u Sam. xvi. 49, And David agreed
for himself and house that on attaining the
jonathan and his children for ever not only
sparing their lives. but in various ways
sealed on both sides by kind OF oath in
which the two parties called to God wit
ness and TO help them in keeping the terms.
lated on David's side dI Sam. Nv, y, but
without his design.
AFFECTION-(verse ~ This transac-
ton, however was not on the plane of com
mercialism-it was not purely giving and
taking. the giving being for the sake of
receiving. Below 1t all and dominating all
was affection, and. strange as il may seem,
the King son exceeded the shepherd youth
in his love. The latter had deported him
self SO properly; had displayed such gen
tiles and indicated his destiny that Jona-
than's whole soul was drawn out toward
him. He filled the Saviors requirement in
this particular. Matt. xix. 49, II was a
| marvellous display OF affection. To sur
render voluntarily the throne of Israel,
which was his by inheritance. to protect and
assist another in obtaining regal pOwer-this
act Of Jonathan is without Il parallel in
history, and it marked him as of that high
grade which adorns our humanity only oc
casionally i'll the progress of the centuries.
Having these emotions he turned TO David
and required him to swear to keep the
covenant they had made because of his
love: that is, for loves sake alone. Thus
two hearts We're Joined and two lives were
blended in holy PURPOSE with mutual in
terest. Whoever at this distance beholds
that picture must be filled with admira-
ton.
APPOINTMENT-CVe IS and 1a) There
followed this formal agreement an arrange
ment of details ali locking toward the sarv-
Ice to be rendered by the Kings son. David
was directed to keep in hiding in a safe
| place for three days. During that time Jon
athan would he at home with his father
learning that he could. 1t would be the time
of the new moon when a feast would be
! spread and all the household was expected
| to assemble. Davds seat would be empty
and Saul would notice his absence. If that
| fact awakened displeasure and caused any
demonstration, the Kings heart would thus
he revealed. and his attitude toward his
son-in-law would be known. At the end OF
the appointed time David might come forth
into the field again and repair to the very
place where he was by the stone Eel
place we'll known to him and Jonathan.
| 1t was by this appointment that the two
they might afterwards come into better
| understanding of the wisest mode of pro
cedure in this time of uncertainty and
danger. 1t was good strategy on both sides.
the heart of each coniding in the other.
bound by an oath which love would faith
siGNAf-Cverses 20, q and 22) An ORR
entalist has a double language, one of ac-
tons as signs. the other of words. Usually
the sign precedos the word The reason for
this mode of conveying information is that
1t IS less abrupt and more gentle. An utter
ance has been known 10 shock peoDe even
to prostration. The same person might calm
u consider an act ard slowly comprehend
its meaning and experience no perturha-
ton, and afterwards he might hear with
COfflpOSure Whatever one might say. 1t was.
therefore, in great kindness that Jonathan
proposed to give his friend q signal He
would shoot three arrows and send his lad
in search of them. If he should say to the
lad that the arrows were this side the place
of his search David might come forth, know
ing that all was well. ii he said they We're
beyond. he might know that evil was de-
termined by the King. that God would have
David fee to some safe place. All this
might he easily understood by both. and If
overheard by any 1t would be profound
mystery.
WITNEss-Uerse 2s) David and iona
than We're not alone when that Day in the
omen field they entered into a covenant of
mutual friendship. There was no other man
present. and no human ear heard their
vows: but the Almighty. whom they b0tf
served and trusted. was there In his sigh
and for his glory they had acted. The spiri
of seliishness. of pride and of ambition va
absent from their hearts and the spirit of
loyalty to Jehovah dominated them. It
would have been impossible otherwise for
two young men to enter into such engage
ments. Human nature. ungoverned by de-
sire for divine approval. does not behave in
this fashion. And 50, they about
to separate, Jonathan spoke the last words
expressing what each felt. He called upon
God to witness the sincerity of their do
ing and to stand between them to approve
and sustain. that they might well and truly
accomplish what they had undertaken. The
form of words was like that used by the
patriarch. Gen. xxi, i9l They trusted not
in themselves alone. knowing they were
fallibe, but they tr, sted in the living God.