Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-05

was proof of the might of God The Phil
istines therefore. thought that their God
mad triumphed over Jehovah. the God of
Israel. Hence, on the morrow they went
10 the field OF battle to gather tronhtes
, They stripped Saul OF his armor and cut
off his head, and these they displayed 70
the people In the lands of the Philistines
as proofs of the strength and glory OF
together. The people would not long
service, designed 10 promote love of coun-
| try ana devotion TO religion. which two
directions al that time must perish or live
together. These people would not long
serve a god who would not defend them
or fight for country If their god did not
give them victory. The shocking spec
tacie OF Sau's head and armor in the
cities was pagan mode OF revival. When
THIS display was over the armor was
/ hung up in the house OF the god Ashter-
9th. and the body os Saul was fastened
against the wall of Bethshan a town near
the battlefield, where conquered Israel
might see it and feel reproach.
RESCUE Verses II. 12).-This last
act OF the Philistines. the exposure OF
Sauls head,ess body to public gaze was
a supreme insult to every Israelite. 1t
was intended TO bring contempt upon the
| former king Fortunately though de-
feated in battle. Israel had not utterly
lost self-respect There fingered enough
or national pride In the heart to arouse
men 70 resent this insult and to rescue
the body of the king. An expedition of
valiant men set out from Jabesh- Gilead.
on the east OF Jordan. crossed the co,m-
try 10 Bethshan. removed the body and
| bore II away home. No resistance ap-
/ pears to have been offered. Probably the
| Phiistines were quite satisfied with what
they had done. and they may have re-
| moved from the place, intending to leave
any to do what they pleased. The text
| says the body was burned That is not
| probable, since cremation was practiced
! only by the heather and was abominated
! In the sight OF the Jews. Most likely
| they burned aromatic spices over the
! body. as that was a custom among them
der. xxxiv:5), an act of high respect for
| mobiles and kings.
MOURNING Verse I3).-The view
just expressed. that the body of Saul was
! not burned, Is confirmed by the after dis
position Of the bones. These were buried
under tree at Jabesh. or rather they
were buried and a small tree was planted
at the head of the grave. That vas the
Jewish mode Of interment. The planting
of tree was a religious ceremony. It
represented the hope of future life Job.
xfv:D They therefore expressed their
faith in Immortality and honored their
king by believing that though slain in
battle he had entered into life beyond,
where he coIlH - longer be disturbed
In this the men Of Jabesh-Giiead drew a
mantle of charity over all the misdeeds
Of Saul and gave him resting place
among them-a beautiful deed, worthy OF
people who claimed to be chosen OF
the Lord. This being over, a public fast,
| another religious ceremony. was ordered,
| lasting seven days. BY this they mourn
| ed, well they might, the loss OF their
| sovereign and proba bly, the misfortunes
| that had come upon the nation. Bereaved
| and oppressed, they gave suitable ex-
preston to their grief.
| REFLECTIONS.-1. The horrors OF
war. SO long deplored by good men Of AL
| nations, are presented IL this lesson in =
most shocking form. We have here all
those revolving occurrences that represent
man at his worst, the record being made
by prophet of God to show the condi-
ton that prevailed three thousand years
ago. ,. The sad end of Saul. the loss OF
his army, the death of his sons. followed
by his own self-destruction, is in striking
contrast with his beginning forty years
before when Samuel anointed him king q
warning to all rulers who depart from the
purity of their early lives 3. Nations
of their rulers, the innocent being over
whelmed with the guilty all In one fate.
Wherefore it is important to see that
| good and wise men are elevated to places
of trust and power, that by them the pub
| lie welfare may be secured. 4. There 10
| in man better nature that at times as
serts itself. When the heat of contro-
| versy is past and time for reflection is
| given the evil is put away and good deeds
| are wrought. II is noble impulse that
| leads one to bury the dead with honor and
| to mourn his departure.