The Chanute times., 1908-10-16
David's Kindness to
Jonathan's Son
Sunday School Lesson for Oct. Is, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

TIME.--Not far from the middle of
Davld's reign, about the time of the close
of his wars. Prof. Willis J. Beecher
thinks that 'tt was subsequent to David's
great sin and was probably one of the
earliest of the fruits of his repentance"
PLACE.-David was at Jerusalem. Me-
phbosheth lived near Mahanaim. where
Sauls son Ishbosheth. by the aid IF his
general, Abner, had undertaken to hold
The kingdom during Davids reign at He
brcn. 1t was east of the Jordan, about
half way between the Dead Sea and the
Sea of Galilee.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
David's Mind Reverts to Forgotten
Duties.-Overlooked in the great pres
sure of the duties of defending and or
Canizing his kingdom and building
them up into material and religious
prosperity.
David had made league of friend
ship with Jonathan, Saul's son, which
was to extend to their children. All
the affection this prince had lavished
upon David now came back in full tide
to prompt him to express his apprecia-
tion of it by kind deeds to some of the
family. He had also loved Saul him
self. AS far as Saul was concerned it
was noble example of doing good to
enemies, according to the precept of
Prov. 25:21, 22 and Rom. 12:19-21.
Saul had several times tried to kill
David; he had driven him into exile,
and hunted him from place to place.
There was a long, black chapter Of
wrongs in the past.
He Finds Mephibosheth, Son Of
Jonathan.-Ziba an officer of the
house of Saul, reported to David that
son of Jonathan was living in the
home Of Machir in Lo-debar, a place
not far from Mahanaim.
Mephibosheth, whose name was or.
iginally Merib.baal, Lord Meri"
Il Chron. S:34; 9:4O), was five years
old e Sam. 4:4), when his father JON
athan and his grandfather Saul were
slain on Mount Gilboa. When the news
came of their death the boys nurse
took him and fed toward Jezreel, and
in hes haste let him fall He was so
injured that he was all his life lame IN
both feet Being five years old at
Saul's death he must have been 12
or 13 years old when David became
king over all Israel. When, therefore,
he came to court he must have been
80 years old, was married, and had
little son ". 12). Mephibosheth, as
the representative Of Saul's eldest son,
had the precedence over Saul's other
grandsons, and was Saul's heir.
Other Accounts of ephibosheth.-
See 1 Chron. S:34-40; 9:4O-44; 2 Sam.
A; 21:7; 16:1-4; 19:24-3O.
Mephibosheth's Property Restored,
and Himself Brought to the Palace
The oriental idea was that all the fam.
lily of rival claimant to the throne
should be put to death, or removed
from all possibility Of melting an in
surrection.
His inheritance from Saul was re.
stored to Mephibosheth. 1t must have
been considerable. 1t was placed un-
der Ziba, steward, and the revenues
were to be sent to his master at the
court of David.
Mephibosheth was invited to sit at
the royal table as a part of Davids
household. The Syrian missionary,
Rev. William Ewing, says in the Sun.
day School Times: when two men
eat bread together, this is the desert
sacrament, the sign and seal of GOV.
enant Of friendship, leagrS for mu.
tual protection. This is so II they eat
but once. Had David only on one oc.
casion invited Mephibosheth to sit and
eat with him, he would thenceforth
have been known as the kings friend,
to injure whom would be to provoke
the monarch's vengeance. But
place continually at the royal table
declared a relationship of a deeper
and stronger kind. He who eats con.
tinually' at an Arabs board has
passed the conditions OF mere guest
or FRIEND and is acknowledged as
identified with the family in all IL
manifold interests. David thus devised
right liberal things for the unfortu.
nate son of the beloved comrade OF
other days"
Like David, we are not to wait till
the needy come to us, but we are to
search for any we can help; canvass
our field, and find out who can be in.
vited to eat the bread of life continu.
ally with us in our class.
We should organize and train our
class to go into the highway and
hedges If need be. and bring others in
to enjoy the good things of the Bible
with them.
No one should be too busy to do
acts of kindness to individuals, and
TO pay by kindness the debts Of love
Elevation to power is a God-given
for remembering those
who have been less successful.
A woman came to an oriental king
10 have some wrong redressed, and he
refused because he had not time
said she, IF you have not
lime TO do justice, you have not time
o be king"
Great Men Of Culture.
The great men Of culture are those
who have had a passion for difrus