The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-09-05
In the Sunday School.
By w. P. CHAMBERS.

Our lesson this week describes the
death of one of the most puzzling char
acters in the Old Testament history.
1t occurred nearly a year and a half
after the event studied last week AS
we saw then, David trusted neither
SauIs repentance nor his promise;
and decided that he could live in peace
and security only by placing himself
beyond Sauls jurisdiction. So he went
to the Philistine city of Gath, where
some years before, he had feigned
madness, and rendered allegiance to
Achish, the king. His followers, six
hundred in number, as well as him
self, took their families with them, and
set up their households.
Perhaps a residence in the royal city
under the eyes of the king, soon be-
came irksome to one who had so long
lived the life of a freebooter, and was
the undisputed master of his own &C
tons, So he requested that a smaller
and more remote city be assigsed to
him. Accordingly Ziklag was selected.
and thither he betook himself. This
place was probably on the border land
far to the south, and where David
seemed to have as much independence
of action as in his former life. At any
rate, he made forays when and where
he pleased, and unhesitatingly lied to
his royal master, in Accusing for the
spoil brought up for the king to select
! his own share from.
The Philistine cities formed a fed
Grafton for a more serious invasion
of the land of Israel than ever before.
In the northern part of Sauls domin-
ions was the great plain of Esdraelon,
thes and even now, one of the most
fertile regions in the world, which they
coveted for a permanent possession.
So an army of invasion and occupa-
ton was organized, and marched in
that direction. David was drafted,
with other leaders, and seemed to have
gone readily enough On arriving at
the general rendezvous, however, the
lords of the Philistines objected to Da-
vid's presence in the army. Achish
pleaded for him, but was overruled,
and he sent David back home. On ar
irving there he found that the city had
been pillaged by the Amalekites, and
everything taken away Upon inquiry,
the Lord directed him to pursue the
pillagers, which he successfully did,
recovering an immense amount of spoil
beside that belonging to his own city.
Portions of this spoil were sent to the
cities of Israel, in the South country.
Meanwhile, the armies of the Phil
istine and of Saul confronted each
other at the southern edge of the great
plain of Esdraelon, the battle-ground OF
the ages. Saul, comparatively an old
man now, rejected of God, disappoint
ed, harassed, partially demented, hay
ing vainly sought direction from the
God of Israel, turned in desperation
to the devil for help. In obedience tC
the Mosaic law, he had destroyed Of
banished from his kingdom "all the
wizards and those who had familiar
spirits But learning of a witch a
Endor. he resolved to consult her as t.
the future. Disgusting himself, hi
went by night, around the Philistint
army, found the woman, and aske(
that Samuel be called up.
As if in response to her incarnation
but entirely unexpected by her, AM
| evidently to her great CONSERVATION
] she saw the figure of an old man. clat
in a royal robe rising out of tn
ground. 1t is probable that Saul say
nothing at all, but recognized Samue
by the woman's description. He ais
heard the dead prophets voice. TIL
message was a hopeless one. Fore
warned as to the fate of himself an
sons, and knowing the issue of tn
impending battle, he met the Onslaught
- of the enemy on the morrow, an
fought with the bravery of despair
With the bravest of his choice mel
including his three beloved sons, |!
} ing dead around him, himself sorel
wounded, and surrounded by enemies
: he begged his armor-bearer to sla
him lest he fall into the hands of tn
foe. Upon the refusal of that officis
y to comply, he placed the hilt of hi
own sword on the ground, and throw
ing his weight of his body on tn
naked point, he was pierced throug
the vitals and died. His armor beare
did likewise, and the Philistine victor
was complete. (The invaders too