Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-09-03
Saul and Jonathan
Slain in Battle
sunAsy SehosI Ls,sos Gee Sept. 9, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT Samuel chapter Al
Memory verse g.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Preparo TO meet thy
God"-Amos Asia
THE ERA.-Ths close Of the first
reign OF United Israel The dawn Of
new era.
TIME.-B. C. 1865 Usrher. in margin
Of our Blbiea). d. G. i027 in Revised Chro-
nology
PLACE.-On the northern slopes OF
Mount Gilboa were encamped the army
Of Saul. the PhiliHtine army at Shunem.
The valley Of Jezrsel lay between them.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Saul and the witch Of Endor.-Saul,
brave as he was, felt a deep depres-
sion OF spirit. Why? II was not so
much the numbers and battle array OF
the invading army. as his feeling OF
guilt and OF loss Of the favor OF God.
There is nothing so weakening and
depressing as a guilty conscience.
Saul made every effort to obtain the
favor and aid Of Jehovah, except the
| only one that could have been sue
cessful: complete repentance OF sin
and turning with his whole heart TO
God. Like the king in Hamlet, he
| COOlu not NY "uaA repentance NNN'N
do. because he would not repent.
His last resort was TO find a sorcer.
ess or witch, the whole tribe OF which
he had driven from his kingdom, be-
cause they led men away from God.
Saul learned that eight or ten miles
away to the north in some OF the re-
mote gorges Of Little Hermon, near
Endor, a sorceress had built herself
a cabin. and there in gloom and OBJ
security piled her unholy arts"
There are two possible interpreta-
lions:
First. That the woman was inter.
rupted and frightened by the uneH'
pected actual appearance OF Samuel.
whose voice Saul heard. but whom he
did not see; and that Samuel uttered
the terrible words OF condemnation
against Saul
Second. That the whole scene was
a deception on the part OF the woman.
She recognized Saul and was glad Of
an opportunity TO revenge upon him
the evil he had done 10 her race. She
acted astonished. and made Saul think
she saw Samuel Then she put In
the prophets mouth only the doom
which seemed probable, and, as Mil
man says. excepting the event OF the
approaching battle. the spirit said
nothing which the living prophet had
not said before repeatedly and pub,
llcly"
V. /. And the men Of Israel fed
before the Philistines." Sauls three
sons. including Jonathan, were slain.
The Philistines drove the people out
OF their town and occupied the terri
tory ". -.
"Glbeah. Saurs own city, was
thrown into terror. The royal family
= fed for their lives. In the fight the
nurse let fall Mephibosheth. the sor
OF Jonathan, then a child Of fvC
years Of age. He was famed for life
. e Sam. 4:G."-James Sine.
The Death OF Saul--ln the general
. rout. Saul realized that there was nc
, way OF escape. He was in despair
His army was gone. his son slain, ht
I himself was wounded and weak and
God was not with him. He haC
I "supped full Of horrors
Finding he could not escape, "Sau
took sword and fell upon IT, ~
the hilt on the ground and the poin
AZ his heart. Thus father and son lay
dead together on the field OF battle.
Q. And they cut on his head" II
send as a trophy and proof Of thei
| victory. II was hung In the tempt,
l OF Dagon at AshdOd Il Chron. lO:lOl
. stripped on his armor, and sent int
D the land TO publish it in III,
! house Of their idols"
A Heroic and Loving Deed.-V. II
The inhabitants OF Jahrsh-cilea,
}. heard" Jabesh-gilcad was a city O
: Manasseh east OF the Jordan, abou
a ten miles across the Jordan vale,
1 from Bethshan The inhabitants re
!. membered the splendid feat Of arm
). by which King Saul at the very begin
3 ming OF his reign delivered them from
n the Ammonites under Nahash. VIII
!. agreed TO spare them only on cond
q ton OF the loss OF their right eyes.
The men in grateful memory res
cued these trophies, burned the decay
ing bodies. and gave their bones a
, honored burial
What Aids Did Saul Have Towar
q Blessed Lifs?-CD He had a long pt
riod Of home preparation and testiu
> in little things tin his powers wer
matured before he was called To SUI
. tain the strain OF the court and IN
, battlefield (2l Saul as king was r,
Qulred (see Deut. l7:lS-2O) to writ
out a copy OF the law, thus becomin
thoroughly acquainted with H. bette
Q than by almost any other means; an
/. then he must read therein all m
p days OF his life" (3) Saul receive
2. special influences OF the Holy Splr
u Il Sam. 1850. fitting him for HI
D, great duties. (p lie had the abilii
TO become a warrior and statesman.
great benefactor OF his nation, ed
eating them in religion. defendiI