The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-27
,uNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson xIlI.-First Quarter, For
March 28, 1915. a
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

by Rev. D. N. Stearns.
LESSON I.-God's Patience With Is
rael, Judg. IL, 7-19. Golden Text. Hosea
xiv. 4, 81 will heal their backsliding;
will love them freely" God did
everything for Israel that infinite love
could do and asks SO pathetically In
lisa. v. 4, What could have been done
more to my vineyard that have not
done In itT' He asked only that they
make no league with the inhabitants
of the land, who were all idolaters. hut
keep themselves wholly for Him.
LESSON II.-Deborah and Barak De-
liver Israel, Judg. iv, 4-16. Golden
Text, Ps. xxxiv. II, "The righteous
cried, md Jehovah heard and delivered
them out of all their troubles" It is
the same story over and over again
they sinned, the enemy oppressed. they
cried to the Lord. and He delivered
them. This time He uses a woman,
but man went along who would not
have gone without Deborah. i
LESSON III.-The Call OF Gideon,
Judg. vi, 11-16. 33-40. Golden Text,
Ps. lxv. 4. Blessed is the man whom
Thou choosest." Now the eppressors
are the Midianites, and the oppression
is very severe-so great that il little
grain is to be kept for ones own use
1t must be thrashed In secret, Gideon
while thus occupied is visited by the
Lord verse 10 and called to be the
deliverer, strengthened by the assur-
ance that the one who sent him would
be surely with him oversees 1910.
LESSON Iv.-Gideon and the Three
Hundred, Judg. vii, 1-s. 1923 Golden
Text. Zech. iv, 6, "Not by might nor
by power. but by My Spirit. saith Je-
hovah Of hosts" The sitting of an
army Of $4,000 down to 800 because all
the rest were afraid or loved their own
comfort was very unusual proceed
ing and suggests the question, How
many professed followers Of Christ
today are ready wholly to renounce
self and follow Him fully?
LESSON v.-The Birth Of Samson.
Judg. xiii. S-18, "a. 26. Golden Text.
Judg. Kill, 4, Beware, pray thee, and
drink no wine nor strong drink" This
was the longest and in some respects
the worst of all the expressions, forty
years under the Philistines, but again
the Lord delivered. Again the Lord
came personally to talk with the hu-
man agents. this time to visit her who
was to be the mother Of the deliverer
and tell her the manner Of the man.
LESSON VI.-Ruth Chooses the True
God, Ruth |, els. Golden Text, Ruth
!, 16, "Thy people shall be my people
and thy God my God" All the deliv-
erers were In measure typical of the
great Deliverer, but this is the story
of one who came into the direct line
Of our Lords human ancestry. BY
the overruling Of human failure this
devoted Gentle plays wonderful part
in the great drama Of history. the heart
Of which Is His story.
LESSON vII.-Samuel Called to Be a
Prophet, Sam. Ill, 1-13, 10. 20. Gold
en- Text, Sam. lii, 0, Speak. Jehovah,
for Thy servant heareth." The quar-
ter's lessons seem to be wholly on the
line Of the Lord delivering or pre-
pairing or calling the deliverer." Now
it is a broken hearted, persecuted wo-
man who is called to be- the mother
Of the deliverer, and her song or pray
er is very similar to that Of Mary In
Lukei.
LESSON vIII.-The Death Of Eli and
His Sons, 1 Sam. iv. 1-13, IS. Golden
Text, Jas. /. %, BE ye doers of the
word and not hearers only, deludlng
your own selves" Poor old Eli was In
measure out of fellowship, and God
had to speak to him through Samuel.
The elders also were out of fellowship
and relied upon the ark rather than
upon the Lord. SO that the Lord humil-
lated them by allowing the ark to be
taken, Israel defeated, Els sons slain.
LESSON IX.-Samuel, the Victorious
Leader, Sam. vii, BIT. Golden Text,
Sam. vii. IL, Hitherto hath Jehovah
helped u.s." After Samuel returned to
Ramah, his birthplace, which he seems
to have done after ELS death and the
loss Of the ark he led Israel back to
the Lord In penitence and devotion and
so defeated the Philistines that they
came no more into the coast of Israel
all the days Of Samuel.
LESSON X.-Saul Anointed King.
Sam IL, II; <, 1. Golden Text,
Pet. ii. II, Fear God; honor the
xzk ho1
seen now comes to pass, and the peo-
pie demand Of Samuel king Deut.
xvii, 14). Samuel felt greatly hurt, but
committed all to the Lord. and was told
to grant them king. but under pro-
test. Then the Lord sent him the man
and afterward controlled the lot SO
that the people elected him.
LESSON XI.-Saul Gains His King
dom. I Sam. x. Golden Text. Prov.
xvi, 80. HE that is slow to anger is
better than the mighty. and he that
ruleth his spirit than he tNt taketh
city" The Lord gave Saul d victory
over the Ammonites and thus the es-
teem Of the people. He also gave Saul
victory over his own spirit SO that he
could forgive his enemies (x. 81: xi. 13,.
LESSON XTI.-.Ionathan and His Ar
NOR Bearer. | Sam. xiv. 13. Golden
Text. Rom. Kill. 10. "Let us put on the
armor of light" Although only two
years Of Saul's reign had expired. he
already began to fail in obedience and
was told that his kingdom could not
continue. >