St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-09-14

there the stirring reports Of the Bat.
tie with its i'll consequences to Israel
were repeated over and over again,
ana the same questions stirred the
hearts OF the people as to who now
i would lead them as troubled the
nortnern tribes. In the spirit of much
t oppression the elders of Judah came
/ together to consider the situation.
meeting secretly in one of the little
obscure towns lest If they assembled
at hebron, their chief city, news of
Ine meeting might reach the ears
1 OF the Philistines and stir them to
immediate attack.
1t was but natural that the first
thought should be of David, and some
were for an immediate sending of
messenger to him inviting his re.
Turn 70 Judah, but just as they were
ABOUT TO do so runner brought It'd
iugs mat David had Joined his forces
Win those of Achish, the Philistine
nins' and had shared in the recent bat
ne Wnlch had resulted so disastrously
10 the army of Israel.
what, David fight against his
oretnren in Israeli" the elders ex.
| claimed.
Yes" replied the messenger.
Ihou knowest how he has been
u"eiilng In the land of the Philistines
lor now these many months, and how
hing Achtsh gave him Ziklag in which
70 dwell. And Achish made league
Win MIN and trusted him as he might
q orotherD so that when he gathered
MS armies to go out against the arm
les of Israel he took David and his
men along"
long painful silence followed this
dlsconcerttng news. Whittier, now
indeed, would Judah turn. David had
Ialled them. Now that he had taken
up arms against his own countrymen
mere could never more be place for
MIN In Judah. And with even great
er depression than before the elders
departed TO their homes.
But the next day strange things had
happened in judah. The elders sent
messengers to each other with the
query:
Hath David sent aught to theeo
Behold, when | arrived home I found
tnere awaiting me goodly portion of
the spoil which David had sent with
loyal greetings. What thinkest thou
concerning it?"
IT. can be imagined what SUNRISE
and establishment such tidings brought
TO each of the elders and hastily thew
reassembled early on the following
DAY to consider the matter. Then it
was that the full details of David re-
turn to zfklag, his pursuit of the en-.
envy which had burned his civ and
carried off the women and children
ana OF his recovery of everything
which had been taken, were made
known
Then he did not fight with the
Phllistines against Israeli" thew ex-
claimed, enc to the other, their de-
preston giving place to the Joy Of a |
new hope.
Let us send greetings at once to |
David. and invite him to return" Gag
erly suggested one.
But who is there who will dare go |
into the land of the Philistines to |
carry him word. If the coming Of |
such messenger reaches the ears of
the Philistines. fear it will 60 hard |
with David, and may bring the Phil
istine armies down upon us spoke |
up another cautiously.
Then followed an earnest discussion
which was suddenly interrupted bv
the entrance of GREATNESS runner
who exclaimed as soon as he was
able to recover the power of speech:
David! Hebron!"
What's that you say?" fairly shout.
ed the elders, so excited were they.
David has come to Hebron?"
The messenger nodded his head in
assent, and added:
Yea, and he hath brought all his
men and all his substance, and his
wives and all whatsoever he hath"
Then let us go up to Hebron and
there anoint him as our king Sure.
y God has looked down upon us in our
distress. and hath sent deliverer."
And SO it was that the men of ,Ju-
1ah came and there they anointed
David king over the house of Judah.