The Yale expositor., 1907-12-13
THE BOY
s A If u Z l.
Sunday School Lesson Tor Dec. IS. 1907
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT Samuel 3:1-21. Mem
DRY Verses $40.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Speak, Lord; for
thy servant heareth."-1 Samuel 3:9.
TIME.-Samuel was born Il. G. ll46, ac-
eording To the common chronology: not
far from the time of Ruth and Samson in
our last lessons.
PLACE.-Samuel was born at Ramah
(hilD, called also Ramathaim (the double
hilD, four miles northwest of Jerusalem
and 10 miles south of Shiloh
The house of worship was at Shiloh,
The religious capital of Israel, II miles
aorth of Jerusalem, and halfway between
Bethel and Shechem, nine or ten miles
from each.
SAMUEL-Twelve years old.
ELI-About rs years old, high priest
and Judge
JESSE the grandson OF Ruth and IA
her of King David, was born during the
ooyhood of Samuel.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Samuers nheritance.-Samuel was
the son of Elkanah and Hannah of the
tribe of Levi, the religious and educa-
tional custodians of Israel. His par
ents were religious people, attending
the great religious festivals. He was
the child of many prayers. Hannah's
song in / Samuel gives us a good
impression of her talent and spiritual
power. He belonged to a religious
home, which, like the quality of
mercy SIS twice blessed; it blesseth
him that gives, and him that takes"
His Consecration.-He was dedi-
Gated to God from his birth, and he
knew it. He lived under the Nazi-
rites vow (Num. CLIP; 1 Sam. 1:
IL. The power of devoting our chill
dren in their earliest years to the
service of God is we'll illustrated by
| the story told by Merivale, in his
History of Rome" of the famous
Carthaginian general, Hannibal. When
| he was nine years of age, his father,
Hamilcar, proposed to take him on
one of his military expeditions, which
offer the young Hannibal eagerly ac-
! cepted. His father then bade him
! devote himself once for all to the
service Of his country-Carthage-
with his hand upon the altar to swear
eternal enmity to Rome. This dedica-
! ton in youth determined the course
of his whole life.
His Temple Work-"Samuel min
/
minister" means to serve; minister
is a servant Samuel performed va
rious services in the house of wor-
ship, such as lighting the lamps ". 81,
| opening the doors " 15), running OF
errands, and other duties required for
the sacrifices and worship. He was
also the personal attendant and aid
to the aged and dim-sighted Eli, as is
implied in his sleeping near him and
his readiness to respond to his call.
| So the young Mark and Timothy min
istered unto Paul.
The Call of God Awakening His
Higher Misunderstanding to Jose
plus, Samuel was II years old, the
same age as Jesus when he first went
to the temple at Jerusalem.
V. 10. And the Lord came and
stood" The Hebrew is emphatic,
presented himself" In vision, or in
personal presence as the angel of the
Lord compare Gen. 1917, 20, 81, SO;
Judg. 6:11-14; Rev. IL; 22:16).
God Calling the Young.-God is
calling every child as he called Sam
uel. 1t is an individual call, by name,
for "he calleth his own sheep by
name" God calls Cd by his word;
! (2) by his own loving, attractive char
acter; CD by what he has done for
us in Jesus Christ; ca by the infiu-
ences of the holy spirit; 60 by vari-
Gus providences; co by conscience;
CD by Sabbath and religious services;
(S) by the invitations and influence of
friends; 90 by the living water which
satisfies every thirst of the soul; Q0)
by the attractions of goodness and OF
heaven; I'D by warning and the fruit
of life of sin.
Early Piety. Like Samuel we
should answer Gods call by Here am
l." Cd 1t is easier to be Christian
in youth. (2) Then it gives us a much
longer time in which to serve God
CD We may not live to be old, and
thus by putting off our duty we may
evils and dangers. No one can sow
wild oats in youth and not reap a
harvest of evil. There are some spir-
itual blessings which can come only to
those who have grown up in the Chris
tan life. 1t is universally recognized
by students of the child that most
men decide their future characters
very early in life.
Samuel's Hard Duty.-A very
heavy burden was laid upon Samuel.
the first of many yet to come. 1t was
both test and a training for his life
work.
V. Is. Samuel feared to shew Eli
the vision" 1t was very hard thing
for Samuel to make known to the aged
ELI the message God had delivered
to him. He was so young to seem to
reprove one so old. He would have to
give great pain to one who loved him
and had done much for him. But ELI
pressed and even adjured Samuel to
tell him all. and Samuel told him
every whit"
Practical Points.