The Tupelo journal., 1907-12-13
THE BOY
A u T.
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. Is. 1907
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper

AiNAE<.-odAuuci WdS u L. ~. ~ -
cording 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
north 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
Their of King David, was born during the
boyhood of Samuel.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Samuel's Inheritance.-Samuel was
the son of Elkanah and Hannah of the
tribe of Levi, the religious and educa-
tional c%ustodians of Israel. His par.
ents were religious people, attending
the great religious festivals. He was
the child of many prayers. Hannah's
song in 1 Samuel Q 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 dedf-
Gated to God from his birth, and he
knew it. He lived under the Nazi-
rites vow (Num. 6:1-12; l Sam. /:
~. 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
Ca~rthaginian 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 &C.
cepted. His father then babe him
devote himself once for all to the
service of his country-Carthage-and
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
istered unto the Lord before Eli" ITO
minister" meal to serve; a minister
1 . a SCl dill odIuuSt pGElOIDuSu 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 neal 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 a 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 che calleth his own sheep by
name" God calls % by his word;
ca by his WI loving, attractive char
acter; (3) by what he has done for
us in Jesus Christ; (4) by the in6u-
ences of the holy spirit; 60 by vari-
GUS pr%ovidences; co. by conscience;
CD by Sabbath and religious services;
90 by the invitations and influence of
friends; co. by the living water which
satisfies every thirst of the soul; (101
by the attractions of goodness and of
heaven; I'D by warning and the fruit
of a life of sin.
Early Piety.@L Like Samuel, we
should answer Gods call by Here am
l." (1) 1t is easier to be a Christian
in youth. -(2) Then it gives us a much
longer time in which to serve God.
(3) We may not live to be old, and
thus by putting off our duty we may
fail altogether. (4) We escape many
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
tian 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 a test and a training for his life
work.
v. Is. Samuel feared to shew Ell
the vision" 1t was a 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 eve adjured Samuel to
tell him all. and Samuel told him
every whit"
Practical Points.
One of the best things in those
most useful of later institutions, the
Christian E%ndeavor. Epworth league.
and other kindred societies. consists
in their training of children and
young people in work for Christ and
the church.
DIR. Haslett in his Pedagogical
Bible School sums up the age of
conversion, as given by a number Of
authorities. with this conclusion:
Out of 6,641 cases 5,054 occurred
between the ages of 1920. 1888 &C.
CURED between the ages Of 1920 and
only 1877 occurred at 25 and over.