Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-12-14
7 HE BOY
8 A ri u + L
Sunday SchoolLesson toT Dec. IS. 1907
Specially Arranged sor This PAPER

coruinE 10 the common chronology. not
Tar from the time Of Ruth and Samson In
our last lessons.
PLACE. Samuel was born at Ramah
[hilD. called also Ttanathaim (the double
hiin. four miles northwest OF Jerusalem
and IS miles south % Shiloh.
The house Of worship was a. Shiloh.
the religious capital OF Israel. II miles
north Of Jerusalem. and halfway between
Bethel and SLcChem. nine or ten miles
from each.
SAMUEI.-Twclee years old.
ELL About IS years ola. high priest
and judge
JESSE. the grandson Of Ruth and Ia
Their ~ King David. was born during the
bcyhood OF Samuel
Comment ana Suggestive Thought.
Samuers Inhertance-Sam was
the son Of Elkanah and Hannah OF the
tribe OF Levi. tho religious and educa-
tional custod.ans OF Israel His par
cnts were religious people. attending
the great religious festivals He was
the child 90 amy prayers. Hannah's
song En- 4 samuel gives as "a GOOD
impression Of hcr talent and spiritual
power. lie belonged to religious
home. which. Ike the quality OF
mercy "is twice blessed. SO blosseth
him that gives and him that takes"
AAIH hNA.H. aNN as AfNNA-
Gated 20 God from his birth. and he
knew it. He lived under the Nazi-
rites vow lNum. 6:f12. sam. !:
III. The power of dcycting our chill
dren in their earliest years 90 the
service or God is we'll illustrated by
the story tcld by Mcrivale. in his
History OF Rome" OF the famous
Carthaeirian general Hannibal When
he was nine years OF age. his father
Hamncar proposed 20 take him ON
one OF his military expeditions. which
Offer The youne Hannibal eagerly ac-
coptcd. Eis father then badc him
devote himself once for an 90 tho
service o. his country Carthago-and
with his hand upon uc altar Co swear
eternal camity i0 Rome. This dodica-
uou in youth determined The course
of his whole life.
Ills Temple Nork.-"Samuel min
istered unto tho lord before Eli." "To
miuistCr" means to serve; q minister
IS ser,nn. samuel performed va
rtous services iu tho house az wor-
ship. such aa lirtuns the lamps (v. 3D.,
oQcuils tlc doors lv. 15). running OF
ornDds. and o-Ecr duties required for
the sacrifices and worship. He was
also che personal attendant and aid
20 the a-Cd and dim-siEhted Eu as is
implied .n h.s sleeping near him and
his readiness to q. pond TO bis CALI
So The you0e Mark and Timothy min
istered unto Paul.
The Cal az God Awakening His
Higher Nature.-Accordinr 90 Jose
phus. Samuel was - years ola. the
same arc as Jesus when hc FIRST went
to the temple &C Jerusalem.
Y. 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. 80:
Judg. G:11-l4, Rev. IL: 22;16).
God Calling the Young-God Is
calling every child as he called sam
uei. IL IS an Individual call. by name.
for che calieth his own sheep by
name" God calls CD by his word:
CO by his own loving. attractive char
acter; 60 by what he has done fof
us IN Jesus Christ: (4) by the infu-
ences OF the holy spirit; CD by vari-
ous providenccs: (6) by conscience;
90 by Sabbath and religious services;
80 by the invitations and influence OF
friends; 90 by the living water which
satisfies every thirst OF the soul: l0
by the attractions Of goodness and OF
heaven; Q) by warning and the fruit
OF a life OF sin.
Early Piety. - Like Samuel. we
should answer Gods call BY Here am
10 a.
In youth. 90 Then It gives us a much
longer time in which 20 serve God
80 We may not live 70 be old. and
thus by putting off cur duty we may
fail altogether Cd We escape many
evils and dangers. no one can SOW
Wild oats an yogth AID not reap a
harvest Of evil There are some spir
itnal blessings which can come only tc
those who have grown up in the Chris
tan life. II IS universally recognized
by students Of the child that most
men decide their future characters
very early in life
SamueIs Hard Duty.-A very
heavy burden was laid upon Samuel
the first OF many yet 70 come. II wat
both a test and a training for his life
work.
Y. Is. Samuel feared to shew FL
the vision" II was very hard thini
for Samuel to make known to the aget
E1i the message God had delivered
TO him. He was so young to seem u
reprove one so old. He would have 4
give great pain TO one who loved hin
and had done much for him. But Fl
pressed and even adjured Samuel .
tell him all. and Samuel told bin
every whit"
Practical Points.
One OF the best things IN thos
most useful Of later institutions. tn
Christian Endeavor, Epworth leagu,
and other kindred societies. consist
IN their training of children an
young people in work for Christ an
the church.
Or. Haslett in his ''Pedagogics
Bxble School" sums up the age c
convention. as given hy q number {