The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-10-29
David CrieVes
for AbSalom
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 8, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

GOLDEN TfAT.-"A foolish son 10 a
grief 10 his father."-Prov. 17:25.
TIME.-Three months after our last
lesson.
PLACE.--Jerusalem and Mahanaim, a
fortified town east OF the Jordan, near
the Jabbok, memorable for Jacobs
wrestling in prayer Half way between
the Dead sea and the Sea OF Galilee. The
battlefield was in the Wood OF Ephraim
In Gilead, cast of the Jordan. within one
day OF Mahanaim.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The day that David left saw Absa-
lom taking possession OF the throne.
Rejecting the shrewd advice OF
Ahithophel. he waited till he could
gather a great army with which to at
tack and overcome his father.
This was fatal. David and his two
generals, the greatest in all Israel,
planned and organized their forces for
defense only, so far as David was
concerned.
Absalom reigned three months. and
during that time not one good thing
Is recorded concerning him.
He was as great a failure as a king
as he was as a man; and for the same
reason-he was selfish. He wanted to
be king for his own pleasure. He had
no kingly aims or ideals.
Apparently self-conceit was the rea-
son why he followed Hushai's advice,
for that willy enemy OF his put before
him a picture OF himself at the head
Of an immense army. like a world-con-
queror, and all the nations, as II were,
singing Hail to the Chief"
Among many other significant de-
vices, some beyond the seas have a
picture Of man, with a full-blown
bladder on his shoulders, another
standing by and pricking the bladder
with a pin; the motto: How sudden
lyl" limiting thereby the sudden down
fall OF all worldly greatness. -
Spencer.
A man selfish in his inmost soul can
never attain true success. Selfishness
ruins health, ruins conscience, ruins
Judgment
Amidst the scattered fight Absalom
was separated from his men, and as he
led from a party Of the enemy, the
mule on which he rode carried him
beneath the low branches OF a spread
ing terebinth and left him hanging by
the head, probably in a forked bough.
Perhaps. also, his long, thick hair got
entangled. but there is nothing to sup
port the common idea that he was sus-
pended merely by the hair" Josephus
says distinctly that Absaloms hair
was entangled. THE first soldier who
came up spared his life because Of the
kings command. and went to tell Joab.
The INSCRIPTIONS chief hurried TO the
spot and thrust three javelins into
Absalom's heart. There was prob
ably a true regard for the king and
kingdom in this act OF Joab. He knew
that Absalom could not with safety
be suffered to live, and that il would
be diflcult 10 rid the state OF so
foul member at any other time than
now, when a just right to Stay him
had been earned in open battle
Kitto. Absaloms body was cast into
great pit. and a great heap of
stones was cast upon him, either in
detestation OF his memory OF as mon
ument to distinguish the place.
V. 80. Went Up TO the chamber"
To be alone in his sorrow. The deep
est sorrow "treads the wine-press
alone" And wept." Tears are the
safety-valves of the heart" 20 my son
Absalomi" There is not in the
whole OF the Old Testament a pas
sage Of deeper pathos than this. The
simple beauty OF the narrative is ex-
quisite; We are irresistibly reminded
Of him who. while he beheld the rebel.
lious city of Jerusalem and thought
OF the destruction il was bringing upon
Itself, wept over il (Luke 19:4D."-
Cook. Would God had died for thee"
so Moses lex. :32), and so st.
Paul Rom. $3.50. would have sacri-
iced themselves, had IL been possible,
TO save others. His wish TO die In
Ahsalom's stead was no mere extravA-
sance of grief"
Absalom and His Sin.-He was
young he sinned with his whole IA
ture; he kept on SHINING to the end,
with no hint Of repentance, with no al
deviation OF character. He did not re-
pent even as much as Esau. who re-
GREETED the consequences OF his action
with strong crying and tears.
David's sin was an incident-a very
terrible incident--in a very great and
useful life. II was a dangerous eddy.
like the whirlpool below the Niagara
falls; but II was brief, IL was not the
main current OF his life He repented
and all his after life showed sinners
the way OF repentance, the possibili.
ties OF repentance and restoration. II
has been sermon for almost 5000
years on the tender mercies and for.
giving love Of our Father in heaven.
Absalom from out the far-of past is
still pointing our modern youth TO
certain great lessons his career
teaches us;
p THE way of transgressors is
hard"
90 The success of the wicked Is
short, and then he is like chan which
the wind bloweth away. Not consid-
ering that the successes Of he foolish
and wicked form the first rod OF their
cnaStfsQmenf 1"