Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-09-03
Saul and Jonathan
Slain In Battle
Sunday Seissl Lessss f@ Sspt. 9, 1898
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT Samuel chapter u.
Memory verse 6.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Prepare to meet thy
God."-Amos 4:t2.
THE ERA.-The close Of the first
reign OF United Israel. Tie dawn or a
now era.
TIME-B. c. 1866 u'sshcr. in margin
Of our Bibics). b. &. ldl7 In Revised Chro-
nology.
PLACE.-On the northern slopes OF
Mount Gilboa were cncainpcd the army
of Saul; the Phllistine army at shnnem'
The valley Of Jezrccl lay between them.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Saul and the Witch Of Endor.-SauI.
brave as he was, felt a deep depres'
sion Of spirit. Why? II was not 30
much the numbers and battle array OF
the invading army, ms his feeling OF
guilt and Of loss Of the favor OF o
There is nothing so weakening IN
depressing az a guilty conscience.
Saul made every effort TO obtain the
favor and aid of Jehovah, except the
only one that could have been sue
c~essful; complete repentance OF SIN
and turning with his whole heart 10
God. Like the king in Hamlet, ne
could not try what repentance could
do, because he would not repent.
His last resort was to find a sorcer-
ess or witch, the whole tribe OF which
he had driven from his kingdom. be-
cause they led men away from God.
Saul learned that eight or ten miles
away to the north in some OF the re.
mote gorges OF Little Hcrmon, near
EndOr, a sorceress had built herself
q cabin, and there in gloom and OBJ
security piled her unholy arts"
There are two possible interpreta.
lions:
First. That the wOman vas inter-
rupted and frightened by the unex-
pected. actual appearance OF Samuel,
whose voice Saul heard, but whom he
did not see; and that Samuel uttered
the terrible words Of condemnation
against Saul.
Second. That the whole scene was
q deception on the part Of the woman.
She recognized Saul, and was glad OF
an opportunity to revenge upon him
the evil he had done to her race. She
acted HstOnishcd. and made Saul think
she saw Samuel. Then she put In
the prophets mouth only the doom
which seemed probable. and. AZ MIL
man says, "~exccpting the event OF the
approaching battle, the spirit said
nothing which the living prophet had
not said before repeatedly 'and pub.
licly."
V. /. "And the men OF Israel fed
before the Philistincs." SauIs three
Rons, including Jonathan, were slain.
The PhIlistines drove the people out
OF their town and occupied the terri.
tory ". y.
"Gibeah, Saul's own city, was
thrown into terror. The royal family
fed for their lives. In the flight the
nurse let fall Mcphibosheth, the son
Of Jonathan, then a child Of 1--we
years " age. lie WAS famed for life
q Sam. james Slime.
The Death OF Saul.-ln the general
rOui, Saul realized that there was no
way OF escape. lie was in despair.
His army was gone, his son slain, b"
himself was wounded and weak, and
God was not with him. He had
"suppcd fun OF horrors"
Finding he could not escape, Saul
t0oH a sword Gnd fell upon it. 3d..
the hilt on the ground and the point
nj his heart. Thus father and son lay
dead together on the field OF battle.
9. "And they cut on his head" To
send as a trophy and proof Of their
victory. II was hung In he temple
OF Dagon at Ashdod q Chron. TO-: 100.
stripped on his armor. and sent into
the land to publish 1t in the
house of their idols"
A Heroic and Loving Deed,-V. II.
"The Inhabitants OF J~abcsh'gilead
heard" Jabesh. gilead was a city OF
Manasseh, east OF the Jordan, about
ten miles across the Jordan valley
from Bethshan. The Inhabitants re.
membered the splendid feat OF arms
by which King Saul at the very begin
Minis Of his reign delivered them from
the Ammonites under Nahash. who
agreed TO spare them only on condi-
tion Of the loss Of their right eyes.
The men in grateful memory res
cued these trophies. burned the decay
ing bodies, and gave their bones an
honored burial.
What Aids Did Saul Have Toward
q Blessed Life?--m He had a long pc.
Rod OF home preparation and testing
In little things tn his powers were
matur~d before he was called to sus'
tain the strain Of the court and the
battlefield. (2) Saul az king was 70.
nuired laee Deut 1T.IS.2Ol In write
out n copy Of The law, thus becoming