The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
For July 10, "Snmpei's Farewell Ad
Dress" Il SAM, 13-2S.l

CONNECTING LINkS-LaSt lesson, the
choosing of Saul as King. ended with the
tenth chapter. The anointed sovereign
soon had opportunity to display his ability
and win the confidence of his countrymen.
Ii occurred on this wise: The, The Amm mon e
came up against sabesh-Gilead, city on
the east of the Jordan. On learning oil the
siege Saul. prompted by the SPIRIT of Goo
sent messengers into all parts of the land,
and more than 100000 men rallied to his
standard. With these he gained an easy
and complete victory over the enemy, VINO
were partly slain and partly scattered. and
the invested city was delivered. As a con-
sequence of this splendid triumph the peo-
pie were greatly pleased. and at the sug-
gestion of Samuel a general convention was
re joicng, the kingdom was confirmed. The
prophet then felt that his work was done,
and he. there FORE delivered his farewell
address. the latter part Of which will be
studied to-day.
DESIRED KING-Verse 49, In the early
| part Of his address, Samuel testified to his
| pie. He then briefly reviewed the events
in the history of Israel, beginning with
Moses. to show that God had been faithful
! to his covenant, but that the monarchy had
| been sought means of defense. Our
lesson begins at point in the speech. where
they had desired whom the Lord had set
over them. Behold the King" he said.
q Sam. <, 80: Look upon the man. SO
spisuous for his physical ability S and m riI
tary achievement, the pride and joy of all.
He desired that they, might now become
there might be no division of sentiment.
| that the entire nation might at once sur
round the reigning King with those condi-
tons that would insure his perfect sue
cess. The words were in the interest of the
Government.
PERMITTED CHoIcB-Verses IA and 15)
samuel was not In these last hours of his
publ: career proposing any spirit or meas
ure of secularism. He did not suppose that
nation could prosper merely through a
s steady of It's King ard
| that although a monarchy had been estab-
l,shed Israel was sti q theocracy. God
Hence. he proceeded to present the matter
Of loyalty to the Almighty. But this he
did as to freemen. those who had a right
men We're then subjects. here they were
acknowledged to be capable of deciding
what they would do; An alternative was
and fear God and continue following the
Lord. and so fulfill the destiny marked out
n their del!very ;a from Egypt. eek, I'll.
mandment of the Lord. they might refuse
to be longer under the guidance Of heaven.
In the latter case the hand Of the Lord
| would be against them and they would SUI
PRoPosED siGN-Uerses IS and ny All
through the earlier centuries. especially
| luctant to accept any statement. particular
| ly on important public matters. unless it
| were corroborated by something phenomenal
| that was supposed to give it supernaturai
or divine authority. This Is still true in
| Eastern countries. mark of a low intel
| lectual and spiritual DEVELOPMENT Matt.
vii, 3a). while in Western civilization re-
| lance Is placed more fully upon natural.
| ethical and logical conditions Samuel felt
| obliged. therefore, to employ a method thu +
| would be effective with his hearers He de-
| sired them to know that, while the King
had been divinely appointed by their re-
| quest and hence entitled to their s,Innort n g
| a representative of God. they were never
theless guilty Of a great sin in asking for
| q human monarch. To convict them of
wickedness he proposed a sign, one that
| would be easily convincing He would n-ay
| and God would send thunder and rain,
| something unknown at that time of the
| year. the wheat harvest, which always oc.
! ours in the drv season.
INTERPRETING PRAYER-(yerses Is
! and 1917 Samuel called on the Lord. who
| thunder and rain, as he had predicted. I,
| Is useless for us to speculate concernine
| this occurrence. Some will say that there
| was no relation between the prayer and the
| storm; that nature Is governed by inf1ex-
| ible laws, and that the narrative is no,
| therefore to be received as historical. BuI
| here Is the plain statement and no amount
| of denial or quibbling will expunge 1t from
the record. The effect upon the minds OF
the people was precisely what Samuel haG
desired. They greatly feared even. as Is
| rael did. when the Egyptians were drowned
in the Red Sea. eek. xiv, 81 They recog