The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-07-18
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= m THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. .
: (By w. P. Chambers.) .
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In our own land when a new ruler,
be he the governor of state or Pres
ident of the Republic, assumes an
office. it is the custom to hear from
his lips an inaugural address, outlining
the policy of his administration and
suggesting such measures as he thinks
should be enacted into laws. Going
back to that day three thousand years
ago when Saul the son of Kish, Israels |
new king, laden with the spoil of the |
Ammonites, stands, in the once Holy |
City of Gilgal, listening to the plaudits
of grateful people, and being solemn
" invested with despotic power-as-
Stunning the robes or royalty and hav
ing the amounting oil again poured
peace offering assembled to mingle with
] the blue of the summer skies, there
was also an inaugural address. But
instead of being spoken by the newly
crowned king, it was delivered by an
old gray headed man, who was virtual
ly abdicating in favor of the nations
idol.
In the history of Gods chosen PEG
pie, the figures of Samuel and of Saul
stand out in bold relief. In some re-
spects there is no character in Sacred
history more puzzling than that of
Saul-the first king of Israel-per-
haps because of the faint of madness
than ran riot in his veins.
The address which the aged Samuel
delivered on that occasion, naturally
divides itself into four topics.
The aged prophet indicates his own
i character as a Judge. He publicly
challenges the whole nation to cite a
single instance wherein he had taken
a bride, rendered an oppressive SEN
ence, or had been influenced by any
thing except love of right in dealing
II out impartial justice to every one.
Il The mention of his sons perhaps re-
Il fers to some younger men than Joel
| and Abijah, whose mercenary conduct
| as judges was made an excuse for the
| revolution that day consummated. Al
Il any rate. they and their possessions
Il were pledged to make good any act OF
Il restitution growing out of an act of his
that demanded restitution. And when
II the people yielded a hearty assent tc
tla+ I, h. 10
| knowledge publicly that God and theil
i new king were witnesses to what they
u said.
2.-Then the aged Seer would vindi
cate Gods rulership over them, show
ing how that in every time of neet
| God had not failed to raise up a de
II liverer. Beginning with the call O
Moses, he rapidly sketched their his
tory, mentioning several of the Judge!
down to the invasion of Nahash, wher
the clamor for an earthly king be
II came so insistent that God directed
Samuel to grant their request. HI
II again reminded them how unnecessary
II and how wrong this request was. sine,
II God was still their king, and they wer,
II the people of his love and especia
II care.
Il 3-Then the old man comes down Il
II the events of that day Behold you
II king!" he cries, whom We have chosen
and whom Jehovah hath set over you.
The are assured that if they still will
| harken unto Jehovah and not rebe
/ against his commandments that it shall
be well with them and their king;
l otherwise, the hand of Jehovah woult
be against them. And, then, in at
testation of the fact that they hat
: done wickedly in desiring a king,
/ most wonderful thing occurred. 1t wa
I the time of wheat harvest-our Jul,
l or August,-and in answer to Samuel
| prayer, a great thunder and rain storr
came up over the whole land. AS
I matter of fact such thing as a sun
mer rain is exceedingly rare in tina
region. Modern statistics show tina
NJ for twenty-five years in succession
. ending in 1882 there was not dro
of rain fell in. Jerusalem during tn
\ months of June. July and Angus
u And all the people greatly feare
Il Jehovah and Samuel"
Such a manifestation of Gods pov
er convinced them, as no mere word
could have done. that they had bee
guilty of base ingratitude Flushe
with victory over their enemies an
seemingly justified in their positio
as they were they saw and acknoy
lodged at once that they had burdel
ed themselves with one more colo