Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-08-27
DAVID SPARES
SAUL'S LIFE
SoAsy SeLssl Lssss fss Ass. 20. 1905
SCRIPTURE TEXT Samuel 817-1.
Specially Arranged for This Paper

TIME Some time during the seven
years OF exile before he came 10 he king,
h. e. 1867. 1866 tUsshorb, or IWi-10l7.
pLACE.-Ths wilderness of Judea. In
Guiding Maon. Carmel, the iill Hachilalh,
and the wilderness Of Iipl. all from four
TO eight miles south and east OF Hebron;
the cave Of Adullam, sOuih west Of Jeru-
salem. about TWO miles from Elah, where
David conquered Goliath; and Engcdi. a
wilderness west OF the Dead sea. and
bordering upon Il. Saul's capital was at
Gibcah, about five miles north Of Jcrusa-
lem.
Samuel died about this time at I,amah.
aged So. David was between 70 and 70
years old. and al exile.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Lessons David Learned.-Hard as
these years OF exile were for David TO
bear, yet they we're most fruitful years
to him, as his apprenticeship for the
kingdom. In them he found what
Hugh Miller called his schools and
sc~hOOlmastcrs.
/. The exile experiences preserved
him from the dangers to which his
sudden elevation to power and popu.
larity would expose him. lie learned
his weakness, and his need OF divine
help.
2. He learned entire trust In God I'M
der all circumstances; the value and
necessity Of religion. This led to the
marvellous development OF religious In.
stiiutiOns, and Of the service Of sons
under his administration.
3. He had the best opportunities for
becoming acquainted with the people;
tl.t,, .. t,.1nls GuII1s thHII
needs; their dispositions and tenden.
cics. He understood their spiritual as
well az their temporal wants. Ills "
weaknesses, In yielding 10 the tcmpta.
ton to f%alschOrd, and 10 dependency
and unbclicr, would help him to IN.
derstand the people.
4. lie had practice in the art OF gov.
erning.
g.. He gained experience in war.
&. He obtained a knowledge OF the
country, and OF It's enemies.
:. In this school Of fighting men
were trained those generals and wise
~sirategiSts who in the golden days OF
Dayid's rule commanded his armies,
aud raised Israel from the Obscurity
Of an Arab tribe, who with difficulty
held their own among the ancient
Canaanites, to the position OF one OF
the great nations " the old eastern
world ."-EllicOtt.
8. Many Of his sweetest songs were
wrought out by this long and hard cx-
%pcrlence, for the comfort and hope not
only Of his own people. but for Gods
children In all ages; for while they
grew out Of hardship and wrongs they
were songs of victory, Of light shin
ing out Of darkness, roses growing
out of black soil"
8. In spite Of his few lapscs from
faith and perfect truth, he grew IN
character and manhood, he became
strong in faith and virtue, large.
hearted, wrise. and ~ConBecratcd to God.
Victory Over Himself.-l Samuel 2G.
The Two Accounts. There are W
accounts Of Dayid's spaIing Sauls life.
one In / Samuel 20, our lesson verses
for to-day, and n in ! Samuel "a. The
scenes Of the events were I'm the same
general region, Saul's army was In
both cases his select band of 5000,
so that some scholars think that the
two accounts are descriptions Of the
same event. But they are so different
as TO make this very i~mprObablc. and
It Is perfectly natural that such an
event should occur more than once.
ID avid and Abishai quietly stole into
Saul's camp and took away his spear.
probably OF beautiful and costly work
mnnship Az became a king. AND the
cruise on pitcher Of water which Is
usually, in warm climates. kept near
q PERSONS couch, as a draight In the
night time is found very refreshing.
Suul's cruise would probably be OF Sl-
peri0r materials. or more richly orna-
mcnted than common ones, and there
fore by its size or form be easily dis
tinguished. "-Cambridge Bible.
Then the two men went to another
hill over against tho n where Saul
was cncamped. and shouted 10 Saul's
general. Abner, deriding him for his
negligence. Saul recognized David's
voice and they talked together.
V. 10. III the Lord have stirred thee
up" as a punishment TO David for
some wrong Saying, Go. serve other
gods" go into heather lands. and
away from all religious services OF
Jehovah.
Saul ~repented and departed. David
accepted his profession OF friendship.
but he was too wise to put himself In
Saul's power. lie well knew that his
changed opinion was like the early
dew which soon passeth away.
Thus David gained his great victory