Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-09
The International Sunday school lesson
for July IL Is, Saul Chosen King"
/ Samuel 8 and 10.
WHEN A NEW ERA DAwNs.
(By William +. Ellis).

A man cannot see the spectacle IF
which he himself is a part. Times
change without the knowledge of those
who help change them. New eras
afterward. 1t is unfortunate that they
who shape destinies cannot see to
what end they are working. Probably
when our children, or children's chill
dren's children, come OIL the scene
they will regard the first decade Of
the twentieth century as epochal,
Transforming and momentous. Even SO
1t was in that portion of the history of
the little kingdom of Israel which the
the entire course of the nations life
was changing, n nobody knew it
except one man.
Seen in perspective, this interesting
story reveals what is equally true Of
our own and and time; although the
actors in the vents were unwilling
of their significance, yet above all,
and overruling everything, was the
omnipotent providence of Jehovah, the
Destiny that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them IS we will"
Guiding Samuel and Saul and the
congregation of the people was the
wisdom of him who Is significantly
called King of kings" We may not
escape the divine sovereignty, no mat
ter what u waywardness and per-
versity.
Seeking Asses, Finds a Throne.
Like the deathless folk tales which
has fed the heart Of youth for centu-
ries, this page from the history OF
Israel is full Of romance and COM
polling human interest. We find a pig
country youth, who, like Ajax.
Towers over all with head and Shout
ders broad"
going forth in search for asses which
had strayed from his fathers farm;
OF good blood, the young mar is still
only a shy, modest, awkward country
man, with no thoueht beyond his own
neighborhood affairs. He was "a choice
youne man" in character, n diligent
in business. He kept UP the search
for three days. until a large territory
had been covered and his supply Of
bread exhausted. He had the GOOD
sense to know that there comes a time
to cease a fruitless search and to re-
gard grave issues; for ne said, Come
and let us return, lest my father leave
off caring for the asses. and be anxious
for U.s."
One last resort remained. They were
in the city of the seer Samuel. perhap:
he could shed light on their perplexity
BY a succession of apparently trivia
lncldents-the story READS ike lire
they were brought into contact will
Samuel. Now there were two searche,
going on simultaneously: Saul wa
seeking his fathers stock, and Samue
was seeking Gods man for the throne
of Israel. The former, in the pursuit.
of commonplace duty, proved to .b'
the object of Samuel's search. Coz
never selected a mar for promotion
from any other position than the place
Of duty. Had Saul been Indifferent
to those asses, he would have remain
ed an Inefficient country pumpkin t
the end. They alone are in the lin
Of advancement who are in the pat
of duty. Thrones are reached by wa!
of daily needs well done.
Testing the Young Man.
There are myriads Of young men to
day undergoing the experience that en-
sued for Saul after meeting Samue
Incidentally the young man was reas
sured concerning the lost asses; the
had been found. Then he was toll
that he should spend the day wit
Samuel, eating with him, and on tn
morrow the seer would tell him al
that was in his heart. Overwhelme
and perplexed by these honors, and b
the prophets warm words. Saul pro
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