Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-23
A BIG MAN roo SMALL FOR JOB.
The International Sunday School Les.
son for July &c Is, "Saui Rejected
hN The ord " Sam IL

tBy William T. EIlis.)
A few weeks ago it happened in
New York; a few millenniums ago 1t
happened in Palestine; so history is
ever repeating the story of q strong
man given a great opportunity and
achieving-failure.
The New York incident, familiar
to the newspaper readers of a conti-
nent, is quite analogous to the story
OF King Saul's tragic failure. A GER
tain strong man, of good family, and
towering head and shoulders above
his fellows in ability, was called to
a high municipal office in a time of
crisis, amid the huzzas of an enthu-
siastic and admiring people. Through
out the land it was felt that here was
the deliverer of New York City from
corruption. Great power was in his
hands, and public opinion supported
him strongly. Yet a few weeks ago
specific charges of m~alfeasance in
Office, neglect of duty, and unfitness
for his position, were lodged with the
governor against this man, SO recently
a popular idol. Whether the particu-
lar charges are true or not, the fact
is indubitable that the mans public
career has been a failure. Two or
three years ago newspapers and mag
azines ere lauding him as a possible
president of the United States; now
the same publications are talking
about the reasons of his fall. And
the lessons In this modern instance
are practically the same as those in
the case Of the handsome, giant king
of ancient Israel, who went down in
disgrace because he did not measure
up to his position.
Living in Front Of a Mirror.
If l dared, l could print in this col
umn the names Of a dozen or a cor
Of more or less well known men of
promise who have come to naught for
the same reason as Saul. They havs
been smitten with the dread and prev
alent disease of improving self-satis-
faction. They have stood sc long be-
fore the distorting mirror of egotism
that they have grown great in their
own eyes,. Like Israels first king,
they are no longer little in their own
eyes; they think of themselves more
highly than they ought to think. In
the picturesque language of the street,
every such person Is "a dead n
This strapping big son of Kish had
actually got to the point-and modern
instances are within everybody's
view-where he thought he could give
the Lord Almighty points on running
the world, and where he would dare
speak with condescending approval Of
Jehovah. He not only chose to twist
the divine commands to suit himself
and assumed the role Of priest and
prophet, but he also dared to speak
patronizingly to the Lords hoary
prophet Samuel. 1t would be a VIOLA
ton of confidence to use names, but
heard recently, at first hand, the
story of how, in similar arrogant and
insulting fashion, n of the most fam
Gus Of the modern kings of finance
treated an honored minister of the
gospel. Unfortunately, the minister
in the case had not Samuel's fire and
courage to rebuke with stinging words
the offensive upstart. Saul had for
gotten how little the biggest man Is
in %Jehovah's sight; and he had for
gotten also the pre.eminent sacred
ness OF the Office of the messenger
who comes bearing the word, t"Thus
saith the Lord In offering sacrifice
himself at Gilgal, and in failing to
destroy Amalek in the way command
ed, the vain and foolish king sealed
his own fate.
Shall Amalek Liver
Our soft times have begotten a GER
tain type Of sentimentalists who in
vest all animate, and sometimes mani
mate, nature with their own capacity
for suffering; and so they bewail the
decapitation of a chicken and weep
over the skinning of an onion. These
persons build asylums for homeless
cats, and are too busy to bother about
the grave social and economic evils
which aff1ict humanity. The idea of
capital punishment for criminals
makes them hysterical. They shud-
der at the story Of Amalek, and the
divine command to extirDate these
heather who had harried Gods people
ever since they had left Egypt.
The incident does not make pretty
reading. 1t occurred in rough times.
when stern measures were necessary
for the preservation of the nation
which wasNto bear the torch of civi-
lization and religion to uncounted gen.
erations. There is a place for the
sword and for the gallows, even in
these gospel-leavened times. For in
stance, this is a narrow and short
sighted spirit of mercy which would
let the liquor traffic go unhindered
because many persons get their living
from it. Like the saloon, Amalek,
persistent foe of human welfare, was
to be rooted out utterly, and removed
from the face of the earth. Society
is really merciful, as well as just,
when 1t inficts capital punishment
upon certain offenders. Another illus
tration is the case of Turkey; the
pusillanimity Of the great powers OF
Europe, and their mistaken tolerance,
has caused anguish that cries to
heaven for vengeance. A large num-
Der Of executions, and the complete
overthrow Of the Turkish government,
would be the most humane and benz
fcent event that could occur in Eu-
rope today.
The Lust for Loot.
Saul, who was an Oriental, and en-
t%ertained the ideas of his time, had
no scruples about the justice of the
command to destroy all the Amale-
| I-I4e. ~ !: H., IL, tho