The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-04-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES A
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles x. Meyers.
April 11-David Annointed King.

April l1-David Annointed King. l.
Samuel 10.
We are introduced today to one oil
the great men of the bible. The his
tory of David and what he did and
said occupy a most prominent place
in the books of the sacred writ: He
comes to us an innocent shepherd boy,
and we follow him to old age in his
activities and then read his psalms in
everlasting remembrance. This being
so, there is much interest in him, from
the beginning OF our researches as TO
his career.
1t will be remembered that the first
king of Israel was Saul and we recall
how he came before Samuel the pro-
phet and was Amounted for his
life work. We furthAt know that Saul
did not prove a sucdess as the, king
in the sight of God. He did not obey
the plain instructions given him, was
hcadstrong, and in his last days afflict-
ed with insanity at times. lt-Would
appear that Samuel was much cast
down by the conduct OF the king and
for time discouraged over the out
look for Gods people. Samuel was
directly spken to by God and told to
arouse himself and seek for king In
time to take the place Of Saul. Our
lesson today will tell us what he did
There was living near the village
OF Bethlehem rich land owner named
Jesse, who had a number Of sons. Sam
ual was told to visit this home and
from one of the boys make choice OF
the future king Of the nation. Samuel
hardly dared go in the open to make
this choice, so made it known that he
was making the visit to Bethlehem to
hold religious services in the way OF
offering sacrifice for the sins OF the
people. He particularly sanctified the
household of Jesse and called the sons
one by one before him. The Oldest, a
fine looking fellow, Eliab, seemed to
Samuel fitted for the task, but the d.
vine voice did not tell him that his
choice was the best. In fact the great
thought OF the lesson comes right here
in the words OF God to Samuel:
"The Lord seeth not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the out
side appearance, but God look
eth on the heart"
When seven sons of Jesse had pass
ed before Samuel and none seemed TO
be chosen, the prophet asked if these
We're all the sons and the father re-
piled, There yet remained the young
est, and behold he keepeth the sheep"
Samuel directed that the lad be sent
for at once and in time he came. He
was of beautiful countenance and
goodly to look upon as described in the
bible. The directing voice told Sam
uel that this was the boy of promise,
and thereupon he was Amounted with
the oil from the horn which the
prophet had brought with him. From
that day onward David seemed chang
ed in manyNways the record saying,
1.-The spirit Of the Lord came upon
him.
Ii would appear that David was not
only IA tender of sheep, bat an accom-
plislied player on the harp, and when
such was needed by king Saul for his
amusement and help to drive away
tho spirit of depression which came
upon him. the lad was sent for. He
did so well that Saul loved him and
kept him permanently as. member
of his household. Thus was David
put in training for his great life ca
reer.
We delight to tell how the great men
of our nation came from the loWly
walks Of life; Lincoln the backWoods
rail splitter, Garfield the boy who
drove mules on the Ntow path, Grant
the seemingly unsuccessful tanner,
Henry Wilson the unlettered Massa-
chusctts shoemaker, all of whom
arose to positions of marked distinc-
tion in the world. But LINCOLN was 4
hard student with a mind athirst for
knowledge. Garfield was possessed OF
the highest principles and bound TO
rise. Grant did with thorOughness his
military duties, and Wilson represent.
ed the conscience OF New England on
moral questions and stood the most
severe tests Of his character.
We will find that David was a val
liant tender Of the sheep fighting with
a lion and a bear single handed, and
that his fame extended as q harpist,
long before it entered the minds OF
people that he was made OF the ma
terial for a king. In every case the
young men We're given promise OF
great qualities of brain and heart IN
the years before they came to public
view. Thus it was not by chance az
ter all that these men came II. have
high honors from their fellow men and
God.
The great lesson for US is in the
statement that Man looketh on the
outside appearance, but God looketh
son the heart" We so often note that
the judgment of men is not reliable.
They often look on the outside appear.
ance and polished manners are mis1etl
by words of seeming disinterestedness
when the whole is but put on design.
eddy arranged to mislead. Such mis-
takes occur in church, business places
of trust in the government. We can.
not fool God. He is discerner OF
the most secret hearts Of men. Hy-
,,ncr;cv is known tn Hi1pS deceptiOU