The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-04-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson II.-Second Quarter, For
April II, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERlES..

Memory Verses, IL, 13-Golden Text.
l Sam. xvi, documentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
1t Is certainly restful to be In the
hands Of Him who worketh all things
after the counsel Of His own will (Eph.
/, III and who says, Il will work. and.
who shall let 1t" (hinder, or turn back
lisa. xliii, 13), provided We have ne
will of our own In the matter. Even.
Samuel seems not to have been fully
one with the Lord concerning Saul, for
he continued to mourn for him after
the Lord had rejected him, so that the
Lord had to say to him. "How long
wilt thou mourn for Saul. seeing
have rejected him from reiguing over
| Israel" When we can say. Even 80,
Father" "Just and true are tay ways"
because we are certain that As for
God, His way is perfect" Matt II. rs:
Rev. XIV, 3: Ps. viii, 30), we have en-
tered upon restful life. Then its.
continuance depends upon our living
Fin the perfect will Of God moment by
moment Note the messages to Sam
uel In verses 1-3: Il will send thee to
Jesse. have provided me king. l
will show thee what thou shalt do.
Anoint unto Me him whom name
unto thee" This left nothing for SAM
uel but simple obedience to Him who
was managing.
But Samuel had an objection. III
Saul hear it he will kill me-" The
Lord quieted him. and matters pro-
ceeded, and Samuel did that which the
Lord spake und came to Bethlehem to
meet Jesse and his sons (yerses 4. 81.
The elders Of the town seemed to re-
gard Samuel almost as God Himself
or they must have had very guilty con-
sciences, for they trembled at his COM
ing until assured that he came peace
ably. Those who are walking with
God need have no fear of visit from
a man of God nor Of the coming Of the
Lord Himself, for it is possible so to
abide that we shall not be ashamed
before Him at His coming q John II.
2S). Having called Jesse and his sons.
Samuel thought that he saw in Eliab
ft successor to Saul, but the Lord told
him not to look on his outward appear
ance oversees 6. y. When we consider
Eliab's contemptuous and uncalled for
treatment of David little later xvii,
2S) we do not wonder that the Lord
refused him. for He knew what was
in man John Ii. 25). Seven Of Jesse's
sons passed before Samuel, all who
had come to meet him, but the Lords
choice was not among them. so that
Samuel had to ask, Are here all thy
children?" Then he learned that the
youngest had been left ut home to keep
the sheep. and Samuel said, Send and
fetch him. for we will not Sit down.
till he come hither" oversees Sill. -, .
am interested to know how David.
felt that day when left at home and:
all the other brothers went TO meet.
Samuel, for. knowing what we do OF
David, We can easily imagine that he
would be more desirous to meet Sam
uel than any of his brothers would,
even though there might be nothing
especially for him in it. Some day In
the kingdom we may talk with him
about that particular day. l never
read or write this story or think about
it that 1 do not rejoice to see the
Lords way in it. The young man left
at home because he was seemingly OF
no account OH this great occasion, and
i then all the older brothers set aside
and compel.ed to wait till he came.
and then to see Samuel take the horn
of oil and anoint him in the midst OF
his brethren.
I think | can hear Eliab say to some,
Of his brothers as they went home
ward. THE old prophet must be in his
dotage." There IS nothing to 1t, for
they did not hear the Lord say to Sam
uel. Arise. anoint him, for this is he"
(verses 70, 13). The comfort get from
It is that the Lord looketh on the
heart, not on the outward appearance,
and when he wants you for any work
III he Will uIlu SOu tluu SSI Soa 'ASAS 80
spite of all obstacles. 1t is ours to keep
quietly on minding our sheep. like Da-
vid or Moses: thrashing our wheat
like Gideon: plowing, like Elisha: doing
housework, like Mary Of Nazareth:
mending nets. like Peter and John. or
whatever else is our regular occupa-
ton. The Spirit of the Lord came upon
David, but departed from Saul because
of SauTS failure to obey Q3, 14). COO
allows us to choose. and If we choose
the evil and not the good we have no
one to blame but ourselves.
By the advice Of Saul's servants he
sought some one to quiet him when
the evil spirit was upon him. and they
recommended David. the son of Jesse.
as cunning player on the harp,
valiant man Of war. a prudent man,
comely man. and they also said that
the Lord was with him (verses 13-23).
Being sent for, Saul loved him greatly
o,d ,,,do him hic ormor bearer How