Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-07-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson w. Third Quarter, For
Aug. 2, 1903.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, I Sam. xvi, 1.13.
Memory Verses, II, t2-Goldea Text,
Sam. xvi. 7-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. stearns.
Copyright, 1908, by American Press Association
When the Lord told Samuel that Saul
could no longer be king 1t grieyed him
so that he cried unto the Lord all
night, and, although he went to see
him no more, he continued to mourn
for him Chapter XIV, IL, 35); hence the
opening words Of our lesson chapter,
How long wilt thou mourn for Saul
seeing have rejected him from reign
ing over Israeli 1t Is well to remind
ourselves that the cause of Saul's be-
Ing rejected by the Lord was his re-
lection Of the word Of the Lord XIV,
%, 26), for in these days the word Of
the Lord is being rejected by many
who still profess to be His friends, but
1t cannot be, for those who reject or
even question the word Of God are in
the service Of Him whose first record
ed utterance was, YEA, hath God
said" Gen. Ill, u. There are many
also who, like Samuel, seem to side
more with the Sauis than with the
Lord. Matt. xii, 80, is a searching
word, HE that is not with me Is
against me-" and we must stand whole
heartedly with Him for every word
the Spirit has written, receiving it,
holding 1t fast, rightly dividing it and
holding 1t forth JAS. 4; Tit. 4; ii Tim.
ii; Phil. ~. To be on the Lords side
means to stand with Him against even
the nearest and dearest as Levi did,
for only thus can we turn people away
from iniquity eek xxi, 26-29; Nal.
II, 4-6).
"Fill thine horn with oil and go:
will send thee, for have provid-
ed me king" These words carry US
back to that great name Jehovah
1ireh" Gen. xii, 14. The Lord will
see or provide, and He who provided
the lamb has also provided a king who |
shall sit on the throne Of David and |
reign over the house of Jacob forever |
The Lamb and the King shall be seen |
to be one and the same, for when John |
was told that the lion of Judah had |
prevailed to break the seals and open |
the book he looked and beheld a lamb |
as 1t had been slain Rev. V, s, O.. |
Thinking Of the Lord seeing and pro-
viding leads me to say that l find a
lot Of comfort In the name of that |
well by which the Lord comforted
Hagar Gen. xvi, IA, margin), 1.-THE
well Of Him that liveth and seeth me-"
We are reminded also Of our Lords
word, your Heavenly Father know
eth what things We have need Of
(Matt vi, 32). 1
Samuel seems to be q little out of
fellowship, for his "How can | go?
Saul will kill me" verse p, does not
sound like prompt and hearty obedi-
ence. Possibly his continued mourn
ing for the rejected Saul was the
cause Of 1t. The Lord graciously and
gave him commission which
included the former and dispeled his
fears. Doubtless this was the Lords
original intention, but Samuel got In
bis question Of fear before the Lord
had finished His commission. Now it
Is all plain, and Samuel has only to
10 that which the Lord spake verse a.
and he did it, Jesse and seven of his
sons came to meet Samuel, who had
been looking so long at tall, fine look
ng man, Saul, that when he set eyes
upon Eliab, whose countenance and
height made him conspicuous, he said,
Surely the Lords anointed is before
Him" verses 6, y. But note the Lords
Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man
Ooketh on the outward appearance,
)ut the Lord looketh on the heart"
What word for us to keep In mind ,
n connection with 1 Cor. 1, 1920! We
viii need 1t as long as we continue in
hese mortal bodies-not the outward [
4 form or figure, Of height or coun- {
enance, Of eloquence or oratory, or
nything that the merely natural man {
3 apt to consider, but the attitude Of
he heart toward God They said Of {
he great apostle Paul that, while his {
etters were weighty and powerful, |
is bodily presence was weak and his {
peech contemplate Oh Cor. X, 10) {
% the seven sons passed before Sam /
ell the word came again and again. L
The Lord hath not chosen this" What
great and comforting truth it is that (
'hen a sinner comes to Christ for sal a
alton no one is ever refused. reject o
or cast out! John vi, 3D. t
Samuel is perplexed, for the Lord C
ad said that He had provided a king Il
;om among the sons Of Jesse, so he
SKIS II all are here and is informed
lat the youngest keepeth the sheep
home. Everything stopped till he p
as sent for, and as he came the Lord q
lid to Samuel, "Arise, anoint him. C,
n this is he" (verse 12). He, too, had Il
beautiful countenance, so that need n
ot be hindrance, but he had heart Il
lat was right with God back Of 1t.
y heart rejoices In this story Of the B
,y who was left at home when all
lie rest went to meet the prophet be- m
e the one whom God had chosen.
est assured, o young man or young CO
oman, that II your heart is right with
cd the one thing to do is just what Il
~ are now doing, whether 1t be help We
G mother In the home or father on
e farm or in the store or Office or az
orkshop, and when the Lord wants
" elsewhere He VIII Enthusiastically
II you. Run not before Him. He dc
at believeth shall not make haste.
avid Is now anointed a. the midst Of
s brethren. The Spirit Of the Lord
me specially upon him from thar al
Y forward (verse 49,. ed