The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-04
International SundaySchool
 Lesson
Third Charter. Lesson I. Samuel viii,
 fO-12 July 6. 1908.
A SIX MONTHs' PREvIEW.

Third Quarter. Lesson 1. Samuel VIII
 10-22. July 5, 1908.
 A SIX MONTHS PREvIEW.
 An epoch now opens in Jewish hiss | tory which equals. if it does not sur | pass, in interest the nations birth-time. l 1t witnesses the evolution of the mon. | archy and the appearance of Samuel, | Saul, and David. who vie with Noses | Aaron, and Joshua among the lustrous heroes Of Hebrew annals. The two books which contain the history bear ! the name of Samuel, although at most
 he furnished memoirs for only part of | the first book. and his name does not even appear in the second book. Yet l the books are we'll named. for the prophet may be thought of as project | ing himself through the reign of the | two kings whem he created. The Greek translators regarded the books | of Samuel and Kings as a connected
 history of the empire from beginning l to close and SO appropriately called them the Books of the Kingdoms.." Israel Asks for King.
 Change in form of government is fateful thing. It affects the nation concerned permanently for veal or woe. It may affect other nations near or re- mote directly or indirectly. This is pre-eminently true of the radical change in the government Of the He- brew people in their early history. The nation was so small as to be insignih- cant when compared with others. ret out of 1t. as from fountain, flowed the two streams, Judaism and Chris tianity. which have affected the destiny of great masses of mankind in a more marked manner and degree than any other.
 It was in that dim age. 5000 years ago, when Homer's heroes warred and Lavinia and Alba Longa were building and Aseyrfa was reaching her zenith. The Jews had been in Canaan upwards of three hundred years. Their govern. ment 10 this time had boon simple and unique. Each tribe was. in sffect, 6 little republic, and all were somewhat loosely federated. Over these the although the nature of their rule is in doubt. the term fudge" meaning only deliveref or vindicator. The scope Of power may have depended upon the prestige of the party attaining it. The towns had councils of elders, prifni- tive type of select men.
 The federation which. up to this time.
 had done fairly well. was now on the point Of dissolution. Each tfibe did as 1t pleased. and there was lacking the strength which rises from unity. Occasionally the tribes even took arms against each other. The territory was stiil full of fortresses in the hands of unconduered remnants of the native populations. The growing wealth of the Hebrews excited the cupidity Of surrounding nations. while their war like character and comparatively de- fenseless position made them seem like
 prize easily won. In point of fact. they had exemption only by paying I Aana~p A~fN
 nor of high type. including coats Of
 mail. shields, helmets and spears. were
 now On the point of reducing the He-
 brews to absolute serfdom.
 Two opposite views maintain con-
 corning the action of the nation at
 this confeesedly crisis-heur of it's his-
 tory. Both views seem to find sup-
 port in the sacred narrative. The