The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-01-28

The story Of Samson buIks large In
the book OF Judges and In the interest
and Imagination OF all men ever since
his day. This being the only lesson In
seven years course We suggest in
outline. samson's entire life
.. ssrson's Parents. God chooses
a humble man and woman. folk OF piety
and prayer. to bring forth and rear
this great deliverer The angels most
improbable promise $50 10 accepted
BY Manoah and his wife ti3:s. ~.
They express q desire TO be able to
measure up TO the responsibility-a
suggestion TO parents There 10 also q
hint OF the dual responsibility Of par
ents In the words. teach us" tsee
Eph. SO; Jas. i:5-7D Il was reason
able TO believe that the one Who
brought the promise could also tell
them how to train and nurture the
child. God honored the mothers pray
or and she shares her experience with,
the father ". ~. A the mother Of
NaEarite she must keep herself from
all things unclean ". 10: II Cor 9:
III. even as Mary. the mother Of
Jesus Luke 1881. The experience Of
the sacrifice. the worship Of Manoah
and his wife and the fact OF Sam
sons birth completes the record OF
chapter Is. Manoah could not worship
the angel. but could show him hospi
tality. Verse IS (R W seems 20 indl
cate that this was another premanl
Hesitation OF our Lord Jesus.
~. ssmveI's Power. Every race has
Its superman. and usually Il is one OF
physical strength That Samson had
no physical evidence OF his superior
strength 10 evident from the fact that
Deiiiah asked to know his secret Nor
was his strength In his hair. else there
was no need that the Spirit Of
Jehovah should come upon him The
secret OF his power IL Indicated In
1875. The word move" suggests TO
play upon q harp. as II samson's heart
was open to God N harp Is open to
human touch. "Samsons power was
the result OF q faith that was open
TO the Infinite storehouse Of the d.
vine dynamic" Such spiritual power
Is within the reach OF every man
Samson ("sunny''D was full OF laugh
ter: not the comic. but the Joyous He
did the big things God gave him 70 do
and was filled with glAdness But
Samson came under the spell Of an
evil woman and all Of this true laugh
t.r .nA .l.A knwo..n... l.ft -. .<..i
~. ssmson's impvr'sy. A woman
can make or mar the man with whom
she associates. Al o Nazartte. Samson
was dedicated unto God. must not Al
low q razor 10 touch his head. vas not
to touch anything unclean. nor drink
liquor. This vow vas
usually for q short period Samuel and
John the Baptizer are other Mana
rites recorded In Scripture and are
said 10 have been such from birth
(S.i<: 1911: Lake i:Is). ssmson's
strength burned out when he lay his
head In hAriot's lap and the laughter
went out OF his soul Il was that
which broke the contact between him
and God. Samson's birth In Q godiy
home. his knowledge OF his relation TO
God and the experience Of Gods power
did not keep him from an ignobls
failure
~. ssmson's Imprisonment. We ind
him after his excesses grinding In the
Philistine prison. where he perhaps
overheard praises being sung 10 Dagon
who had overthrow Jehovah's Judge
II is never safe to play with tempta-
ton though conscious OF our own
strength; then Il Is We are most apt
TO fall q Cor. i0:i2). One act and
the gay hero Is grinding In . prison
house Directly q man goes into TIM
purity. whether In act or thought he
loses the power that formerly moved
men or worked wonders Year after
year Samson plodded his round OF en-
forced toll a type OF the force and
power OF intemperance and other I'm
pure habits
Finally. when their hearts were
merry" (i6:25). he Is brought out to
make sport Durins one Of his resting
periods he said to boy near by. Let
me feel OF the two pillars" those upon
which the main walls rested and
which were within q mans reach.
Then Il was that he was able 10 grip
The mysterious power OF the unseen
(i6:30D Was Samson a suicidef Mol
He accepted death as the Inevitable
OF his act OF duty tSee
Heb 1889.
The growth Of his hair was only
token Of that conservation which he
had surrendered when he tailed TO
withstand the wiles Of Delilah
The Temperance Teaching OF this
lesson is all too plain Il must begin
IN the home and continue throughout
al OF life As We have scattered tn
throughout our land 90
have seen the work OF Temperance sd-
gancing nightly Samsons exploit
with the ton 10 temperance sermon
IN parable u+'b 9; Prov a0;n The
business Of the temperance forces 10
10 stay the lion We are also to eat
honey out OF the rock to gain vic-
lories within and without and ike
samson, We can give honey 10 others.