The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-14
The International
Sunday-School Lesson
Fourth Quarter. Lesson NJ. I Samuel Ill,
l-c1. December 10. 1907.
THE BOY SAMUEL


THE BOY SAMUEL.
Samuel was "a lily on dunghil' The
child, clad in his white tunic. his face turned
up in innocence toward God stood in the
midst or moral rottenness unparalleled In
iI.raels history. He reyereu,ly opened and
ana ninistcred unto the Lord whom de-
graded priesthood had forgotten. He was
TIN, white flower OF n dark epoch.
Whence came he? His father was de-
vout man. punctlloIs In his attendance upon
the appointed services Of religion and In the
Offering or sacrifices. He and his house
worshiped God. His mother. secretly la.
nIerting the foul apostnsy of Israel, coveted
a son, who. II he should not prove the very
Shiloh himself would at least become the
neral renovator OF the nation. a woman
I 80 self rgetful In prayer to excite the
suspicion OF intoSicaiion; possessing tho
poetic genius to compose a sacred and praise
hymn of the Virgin Mary: a woman conss-
Grated enough 10 give her irsiborn m
rs.srvsdiy 70 Goanfre ' , such paren tag.
III order OF prophets.
The boys memory went not back Of the
time when his mother. in fpifilment Oh her
vs.. left him within the curtain walls q
I the tabernacle. He was the companion and
stlace of the high priest. SO feeble and dis
s;uced. His childish hands tegnn to dis
charge such SERVICES az they were capnbie
OF. and his pure heart was filled with reycr
en-, emotions. Here was developed that
r,oral power which WIS destined to eclipse
tIs DHsBical eueTSy OF
That youth. soul OF innocence and deyo-s
ten was no soleclsln as he lay there on nis
little mat. nesting within The sacred pre-
cincts OF the tabernacle, and under the soft
That unsullled heart was more precious fur
nlshing than material altar op-Senser. though
nj We're OF beaten gold
Tlen. as ever, the prepared heart received
the prepared message. From between tile
chez ubim above the ark and through the
inastic Yell came the ineGabie voice q The
Gof of Sabaoth. He called the child by
name: Samuel! Samuel"
The excessive wlckedness of the people
had led to n prolonged silence on the part
OF God. SO that the historian says the word
had any Vision from God to publish abroad
The piety Of II child led God TO break His
s!ercc. or samues pure heart lie could
make O founding board TO scnd Els voice
to the outermost boundaries OF Israel.
There could have been nothing terrible
or unnatural In the accents of Gods voice
as He called the child II was the voice OF
G father aud friend. Three times he mis-
took II for the call OF the aged high priest
steering in his official lodge near by, all
within the tabernacle.
That night Samuel "knew the Lord" and
III three.quarters of a century afterwards
| HIS word was revealed to him, and His
voice often heard as that OF familiar
friend.
A new trait is revealed In this fascinating
character. The child was not smart and
pert. His head was not turned by his great
to pose at once as prophet He showed
| refined and sensitive spirit in the reluct-
arcc with which he revealed the evil tidings
OF which he was the bearer Ell had fairly
tn eAtort the sad intelligence from him.
| Such 8WaS the genesis of glorious career
which placed Samuel AMONG rhe Immortal
tall obe!isk the eleventh chapter OF ihnl
Epistle to tho Hebrews. He was the In
that bloodless EVOLUTION which changed the
ItEeocracy OF . al into n Kingdom Il 81
ANALYSIS AND KEY.
I. sanluel his parentage 80
Characteristics Of his father ana
Partial account for his own character.
. A boy given to God and His tabernacle;
Suggestive effect OF environment r and
Evolution OF moral power and spirit
ual character
8. \ Divine summons.
,'5s- Prepared nesszlse for prepared heart.
| 4 Last OF judges. first Of prophets; sucll
Ills origin environment and train
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
No page OF the Bible presents the subiec,
OF parental IL n, mere star.lins
and impressive. manner ~! IL an example
ana sposs Riss & aondoae His rooukss
ere mild and tame as compared with ittoe
|cner,nity OF his sons' offenses. The cata-
lolysm OF woe In which, the course ended ls a
lwnrnIng to be Needed.
III sharp contrast to TINS Is the 5charnslsr
and course OF !slkanah and Hannah. Fhell
son was deyoted$to God before his birth and
Eirnined as O total nbstnlning Nnyarite. He,
| wns placed sin9the tnbernac Gle to dwell thers
IA, s,tal Influence. He was visited mt 9regu-i
| iars Intervals, and not merely clothed in tbs
new tunicf that loving hands had lnnde, but
| advised, 'counscled and prayed With. no
IGoubt The outcome Of tina course. was the
lftimation OF one OF tho peerless characters
I,os Hebrew history, From such a trainiEs
l'ca.he II second Israel, ling With God
At Miapeh. a nations emancipator and We
\ former.
l'ho aptitude of the childs heart for re-5
l.lIeon has here n remarkable Illustration,
| a beloved pastor told me recently that, ntter
lap IA said To him, III God should call YOU
IWGuld sou unswar2n The little fellow re
! srobdea, 70 yss papa tWould5it 40 only
lWEispercd s
Aadstngn!shed minister said 10 nv lately.