The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-11-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR DEC. 1 BY THE
REV. I. W. HENDERSON.

Subject: The Deatho I Samson, Judges
16:21.31-Golden Text, Eph. 6:
10-Memory Verses, 1850
Read Judges 1915.
Samson is a warning to humanity
of the consequences that inevitably
follow the misuse of God-given capac-
tiles. His life is a tragedy. His death
IS a result Of the life he lived.
In his commentary on the death
of Samson the Rev. r. A. Watson,
D. D., says:
The last scene of Samson's history
awaits us-the gigantic effort, the
awful revenge in which the Hebrew
champion ended his days. In one
sense it aptly crowns the mans ca
reer. The sacred historian Is not
composing a romance, yet the END
could not have been more fit. Strange
ly enough it has given occasion for
preaching the doctrine of seif-sacrt-
fee as the only means of highest
achievement, and we are asked TO-
see here an example Of the finest
heroism, the most sublime devotion.
Samson dying for his country Is lfk-
ened to Christ dying for His people.
It is impossible to allow hi Tor
a moment. Not Millions apology for
Samson, not the authority of all the
illustrious men who have drawn the
parallel can keep US from deciding
that this was a case of vengeance and
self-murder, not of noble devotion.
If this was truly a fine act OF self
sacrifice what good came Of 1t? The
sacrifice that is to be praised does
distinct and clearly purposed service
to some worthy cause or high morai,
end: We do not find that this dread
I full deed reconciled the Philistines to
Israel or moved them to belief in
Jehovah. We observe, on the con-
trary, that it went to increase the
hatred between race and race, so that
when C~anaanites, Moabites, Ammon.
ties, Midianites no longer Vex Israel
these Philistines show more deadly
antagonism-antagonism OF which Is
rael knew the heat when on the red
field of Gilboa the kingly Saul and
the well-beloved Jonathan were to-
gether stricken down in death. IL
there was in Samson's mind any,
| though Of vindicating "a principle 1t
| was that Of Israel's dignity as the
| people of Jehovah. But here his tes-
timony was worthless.
Much is written about s~elf-sacrihce
which is sheer mockery OF truth, Q
| falsely sentimental. Men and women
are urged to the notion that II they
| can only find some pretext for re-
~nouncing freedom, for curbing and
| endangering life, for stepping aside
| from the way Of common service tnat
they may give up something in an I'M
| common way for the sake OF any per
son or cause, good will come Oh It.
| The doctrine is q lie. The sacrifice
of Christ was not of that, kind. IT
was under the influence of no blind
| desire to give up His life, but first
| under the pressure of a supreme pro-
| yidential necessity, then in renuncia-
! ton of the earthly life for q clearly
seen and personally embraced divine
| end. the reconciliation OF man to
| God. the setting forth Of q propitia-
ton for the sin Of the world-for
this It was He died. He willed to be
our Saviour; having SO chosen He
bowed to- the burden that was laid
upon Him. TT pleased the Lord to
bruise Him; He hath put Him TO
| grief" To the end He foresaW and
desired there was but one way-and
the way was that Of death because OF
mans ~wickedness and ruin.
Suffering for itself Is no end and
v can be to God or to Christ or
to a good man. It his q necessity on
the way to the ends of Righteousness
and love. If personality is not q de-
fusion and salvation a dream there
must be in every case OF Christian
remuneration some distinct moral
aim in view for every one concerned,
| and there must be at each step, as
in the action of our Lord, the most
| distinct and unwavering sincerity,
the most direct truthfulness. Any
! thing else is a sin against God and
humanity. We entreat would-pe
moralists of the day to comprehend
before they write Of "self-sacrince.
The sacrifice Of the moral judgment
is always a crime, and to preach
needless suffering for the sake OF
covering up sin or as a means OF
atoning for past defects Is to utter
most %unchristian %falsehood..
Samson threw away a life OF when
he was weary and ashamed. He
threw il away in avenging a cruelty.
Int It was a cruelty he had no reason
to call a wrong. 20 God, that l
might be avenged!"-that was no,
| PRAYER of a faithful heart. 1t was
the prayer Of .enyenomed hatred, OF
q soul still u~nregenerate after trial.
His death was indeed self-sacrifce-
| the sacrifice of the higher self, the
true self, to the lower. Samson
should have endured patiently, mag
nifvine God. Or we a imagine
something not perfect yet heroic. Had
| he said to those Philistines, My peo-
nile and you have been too long at
enmity. Let there be an END OF IL.
Ayenge yourselves on me, then Scease
from harassing Israel-that would
have been like a brave man. But
II Is not this we find. And we close
tbe story of Samson more sad than
ever that Israel's history has not
taught a great man to be a good
man. that the hero has not achieved
the morally heroic, that adversely has
not begotten in him a wise patience
and magnanimity. Yet he had a place
under Divine Providence. The dim
troubled faith that was in his soul
was not altogether fruitless. No Je-
hovah-worshiper would ever think
of bowing before that god whose
temnle fell in ruins IN the captive
IsraeIite and his thousand victims.