The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-08

Los Angeles, Cal. March That we should make no compromise with evil and should be bold and outspoken in our stand against sin, no matter how much we may love the sinner, is the lesson of this sermon, the text for which is taken from l Samuel. xvi, l, How long wilt thou mourn for saul?"
 Who has not read with thrilling interest Sir Walter Seott's story of Jeane Deans I was much interested in learning that the heroine of that story was a real char acter, a girl who lies buried near Dum- fries, on whose tombstone is an epltaph written by Scott himself It is impos- sible to refrain from tears as we read the story The girl whose life is wrap ped up in that of her young sister, gives evidence against her that conVicts her of a capital offense and then walks all the way to London to obtain a pardon for her. The brave girl could not tell a lie even to save her sister from a shameful death. but could undergo hard ship to deliver her. That is heroism, the herosm of a fine soul that loved intense ly, but feared to sin. Few of us could have done a thing so heroic. We try to shield our loved ones. We shrink from exposing them. We sometimes shrink from even reproving them lest we cause them pain. We try to shield and cover up their wrongdoings even as you sometimes see a foolish mother shield from her husband the wrongdoings of her prodigal son because she is afraid the father might punish the boy.
 It was in this way that Samuel chung to his protege, Saul Most of think of Samuel as a stern faced grim vis- aged mentor to the young King. We picture him standing before the offender implacable as a goddess of justice with blinded eyes holding high the scales and ready without particle of personal regret to execute the sentence when the scales indicate guilt But lnderneath this stern set, iron muscled counterance of Samuel was a heart of deep. tender, faithful love. Though he must denounce Saul's sins, he could not cease to love Saul. His heart seemed to cling to Saul, and he would have been glad, had it been right, to cover up Saul's misdeeds. Thus in the text the Lord finds the old prophet and says practically this Samuel, how long are you going to grieve for Saul? He has done wrong. Are you going to continue to stay at home and grieve? Are you not going forth to try to rectify the evil Saul has done? Come, Samuel, be man. Be brave and true to your nobler and better self Come. I have selected another King for Israel" As God came to Samuel in times of old God is coming to us and bidding us. refrain from useless grief.
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 In the first place you must remember that Saul was a handsome man. He was not only a King by election, but he was one of those wonderful men who are described as every inch kings be- cause of their physical presence. He was not only tall standing head and shoul- ders above all his companions, but he was perfectly formed. And this face in It's beauty must have looked like the oo1N .a~faln h H ias to form the beautiful countenanceS of Greek gods. His bearing when he first came before Samuel was so humble and pure that, even in the eyes of the stern faced prophet, nothing was to be crit- cised, nothing was to be apprehended.
 Saul had the refinement in his make up which came from a cultured life. He was the son of one of the representative men of his tribe. His blood was of the best. He walked with the conscious gait of one well born. who was natural leader among men, His ancestors for