The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-06-07

he was Just a wee bit lonely since his
mother had gone. He had recalled
the stories which his mother had told
him Of how Moses had been taken by
his mother to the palace of the daugh.
ter OF Pharaoh when he was just
about his age, and he had wondered
whether he had felt as forlorn and
lonely as he. And then he had com
forted himself with the thought that
he was better of than Moses had
been for he was in Gods dwelling
place and Moses had been among q
people who did not know or care for
his God.
and I'll try and be as faithful as
Moses was and learn all / can so as
to be fitted for Gods service" he
had thought to himself with a wis
dom far beyond his years. And often
since that first definite experience In
the temple this thought had come to
him to quicken him in his studies and
duties. Each day he had had his
task to do and his lessons to learn.
and eagerly he listened as the aged
priest Eli had gone over the history
of Israel and had told OF Gods deal
ings with Israel. He had been deeply
interested in those parts of the stories
where it was told that God had spoken
to his people and their leaders. and
had asked Eli. with childish eager
ness:
Does God speak to you?"
And then when the aged priest had
hesitated in evident confusion and
embarrassment, he had followed UP
his first question with:
How can we hear God speak?'
But he had had no satisfactory re-
spouse from Eli, and this was one
of the questions which he was anx.
ious to ask his mother when she
should come.
Then there were some things about
the temple service which he knew his
mother could explain to him as had
not been explained to him by Eli or
his sons. Nay, Samuel had early
learned that 1t was quite useless to
ply the latter with questions. In
fact he had felt in his childish heart
an aversion for Hophni and Phinehas
which had led him to avoid them all
he could. Here was something else
he wanted to ask his mother:
How it was that if they were serv-
ants of the Lord they should take
the best of the sacrifices for them,
selves, as he had seen them do re.
peatedly when the people had come to
make their offerings to the Lord.
These were some of the things
which were troubling his tender heart,
and there was the brighter side, as he
thought of the part he was taking In
the temple service and how his moth.
err would feel proud of her boy as she
saw him among the musicians doing
his part to make a joyful noise unto
the Lord. In this way his mind kept
busy while he waited for the break.
ing of the dawn. and 80 absorbed did
he become In his meditations that the
sun was all but bursting above the
horizon when he aroused himself.
Il shall be late" he exclaimed, has.
tening towards the gate of the tenn
pie court. "But what is that?" he add.
ed, noting the dust in the distance
and moving figures. "Who can be
coming so early to the celebration :
Can it be mother?" he asked himself,
and the first impulse was to rush of
down the pathway to meet the ap
preaching company, but he checked
himself, and remembering his duties
in the temple, he hurried on and was
soon busy extinguishing the lights and
performing the duties preparatory to
the services of the day. Already the
Levites were arriving and putting
things in order for the offering of the
sacrifices, and many a little duty fell
to the lot of Samuel to perform ere
everything was ready. Almost impa
tiently he waited for the chance tc
get away to find his mother.
Now, the last task was completed
and he would be able to get away, but
just as he was passing out of the
outer court n of the Levites sum
moned him and requested him that he
find Eli.
A look of disappointment swept over
his face, and he was just on the point
of saying: MY tasks are all done
now and must CO." when the thought
came to him: What would mother
think If | should come to her with
a service left undone2" and SO swal
lowing his disappointment he started
off to do the bidding Of the Levite.
And when he had come into the
presence Of Eli the high priest and
had delivered his message, who should
he find waiting to receive him in an
adjoining apartment but his mother,
and what vas his delight to find that
she had brought him a little coat, the
work of her loving hands.