Milford chronicle., 1907-07-12
pavId.s Childhood.

his"
oaVId's Childhood.
Where do find the intimatiOn that
David had an unhappy childhood? 1
think we have it in the story OF
Samue's visit. Have you ever care
fully studied that incident? Why,
parental favoritism is sticking out all
over it. When Samuel came to Beth
lehem to find a new king of Israel
among Jesse's sons, what did the
father do? He brought every son he
had before the prophet. except one.
He seemed to say: Samuel here are
my seven boys. Did you ever see a
finer lot Of young men? Any one Of
them is fit to be a king" And as the
/ father speaks thus a hook of loving
/ pride spreads over his features. But
the prophet is still not satisfied. He
keeps looking and looking. He Is
looking for some one else. Then he
says ts Jesse, "Are here all thy chill
dren?" With that a look Of disdain
comes into the fathers face as he an
swers: "Ah, yes; there is still another;
hut he is a puny, understood STRIPPING.
He does not amount to much. You
surely do not want him. There yet
remaineth the youngest, and behold he
keepeth the sheep" Thus as Jesse
pushed David his son into the back
ground on account Of parental favOrit-
ism for the other children. some Of Us
have lived through a bitter childhood.
We have angrily felt that our father
or mother did not care for us as they
cared for the rest. David well knew
what It was to weep during the long
nights Of his childhood. And yet to-
day he comes to all boys and says:
my young friends, do not worry. God
will yet scatter your gloom. There is
a bright dawn coming for you. Look
how God has led me out OF my child
hood trials. Weeping may endure for
a night, but joy cometh in the morn
Ing Boys and girls, young men and
young women, with your fresh young
cheeks wet with a shower Of tears,
will you believe it?"
But David had more dark nights
than those found in his childhood days.
He also knew what the struggles Of
young manhood mean. He knew what
it was to work for years to perfect
himself for an important task and then
to be laughed and sneered at and de-
MED opportunity to do what he knew
he was fitted to do. He was just like |
hundreds and thousands Of young peo- |
pie adrift in our large cities, struggling 4
to get a foothold in life when the world /
will not recognize their physical and 1
mental capabilities.
A Revolutionary Story.
Perhaps can illustrate my thought
by telling you the sad history of Cap
tain John Calender Of the Revolution
ary war. At Bunker Hill this young
American hero was in the command of
an artillery company. Something got
wrong with his cannon, and he ordered
the soldiers to drag them to the rear,
that they might not fall into the hands
Of the enemy. Just then General Is
rael Putnam rode along the lines, and
he saw what Calender was doing. He
charged the young man with being a
coward and ordered him back to the
line of battle at the point of the pistol.
after the battle, upon the
testimony of General Putnam, young
Calender was degraded and in dis
grace retired from the service. In
launted by the injustice which was
lone him, young Calender enlisted in
he army as an ordinary private. He
fought through battle after
battle. At last the attention of the
great commander in chief, George
was drawn to this young
soldier And toward the close of the
var General Washington investigated I
he cause of Callender's dismissal. He 1
'eversed the unjust sentence of Put /
lam. He restored Captain John Cal
ender to his original position, making S
lis commission date from the degrada- I
ion at Bunker Hill. So we find our /
'oung Captain John Callenders every
where. They are young men Of brain /
nd force and power. By the injus- :
ices and jealousies Of their fellow men a
hey are kept in the background, and j
ounger men with half their capabili a
les are pushed to the front. Was this o
ot young David's experience? n
Read the story of his offer to fight the p
liant What do you now find? Young v
,avid is in the camp of King Saul. t
'efore him stalks the great Goliath il
efying the armies of Israel. What il
id David do? Why, he said, "If no Ii
ne else will go forth to meet this giant n
will 60" Had he not earned the a
ght to go? Was he not one of the s.
eenest if not the most expert marks b
ian with the sling in all the Hebrew y
alton? Had not his bravery been II
.sted again and again? Alone with h
le sheep, way off among the foot is
Ills, had he not defied the wild beasts c.
nd the Bedouin robbers? And yet II
hen young David said, Il will go and W
ght the mighty Goliath" what hap Il
sned? His elder brothers, who were II
,nored soldiers of SauTs army, began
sneer and to laugh. "Aha," they al
i'd, "you had better go home and hang NJ
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