The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-22
International SundaySchool
 Lesson

eN4MN NgA &R &zH z3iR All & lA A8h stnMamn1N Third Quarter. Lesson VIII. 1 Samuel
 xx. 30-z2.
 FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND IONA
 THAN.
 Great souls by instinct to each other Demand alliance. and in friendship
 burn.
 Addison. The Campaign.
 The kings son was fascinated with the shepherd boys deed of prowess. There he stood. in the royal presence. self-oblivious hero, his hand clutch ing the gory locks of his dripping trophy. He had slain the Gathite monster: and. single-handed. turned the tide of battle; but with modest composure he answered Saurs ques- ton as to his origin. freely admitting his humble parentage. His heroic and patriotic spirit was transfused with piety. He had done this deed as unto the Lord. He had adventured with fearful odds against him, but In the buoyancy of faith that apprehended victory. He would avenge Jehovah Of His insulting adversary. and then. If He wtlled it so. go back to his little flock on the Judean steppes.
 Such modesty. piety, disinterested- noses could not but arrest the atten- ton of the most sluggish and unob- servant. David's noble spirit bloomed like Q fair lily on the reeking dung hill of Saul's sordid court and camp. Jonathan was struck with consuming admiration. He had found his fellow. His own daunless and devout heart was mated. The ideal friendship which then sprang up was rooted in a com mon theocratic faith. Both believed in Jehovah and the immanence of His Government in Israel The mutuaiity of their faith accounts not only for the origin of their friendship, but for It's phenomenal strength and perpet- uity.
 Jonathan's affection for David was severely tested. 1t seemed to be in hopeless collision with the spirit of hliaf piety. How could the fathers hated enemy be the sons chosen friend? Again. this intimacy seemed inimical to his personal interest. It required of him the surrender of his right to the throne. And this prince of sauPs royal house was no effemin- ate weakling, predisposed to evade an honor environed with dangers. Jona- than skilifully traced and resolutely kept within the tangled boundary lines of apparently conflicting duties. He saw that his fathers envy of David was groundless. He refused to aid him in making away with his rival.
  from Saul a promise of safety for him. When the promise was broken. he warned David of danger. At the same time he gave his father indis- putable evidence of his fidelity. He fought for him and died with him. Again, while Jonathan recognized his prospective right to the throne after the order of human law, and was con- scious ot his ability to reign, yet when the theocratic purpose that David should succeed Saul was evident he | bowed in the complete self-abnegatton | of one who, Tn a later period of Is- rael's history. said he must increase, but must decrease.
 The murderous envy of Saul forms | the inky agate on which the friend- | ship of Jonathan and David stands out like a fair cameo in clear-cut and lovely outline. That jealousy was in- cited by the woman's ovation--the folk s0ng-to the returning victors, in which the need of praise was given to the Bethlehemite stripling. The self centered king could not brook the sup posed indignity. He saw in this in- cident the unfolding of the divine pur- pose to supplant him. He determined to nip 1t in the bud by the murder of David
 He tried one expedient after another to compass his cruel and wicked end. Twice with his own hand he hurled his javelin at his rival: but he was sheltered in the broad, impenetrable shield of Providence. Next he sought to expose him in perilOus adventure with the enemy. He would fain use his own daughter as a bait to catch David, regarding her feelings no more than the fisherman the angleworm With every failing expedient hts jealousy augmented. He would fain have thrust his hands within the sa cred precincts of the school of the prophets and taken the refugee hence. While life lasted. the stubborn pur- pose to thwart the divine will in the | elevation of David to the throne | changed not except to increase in tn e l degree of it's intensity. History, pro- bfane or sacred. does not contain more awful instance of conscious and inc veterate assertion of human selfhood | against a declared purpose of the AL mighty. Then. as ever. the hammer | broke, the anvil remained.