The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-24
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I Samuel 7:3-11.

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 Hitherto hath the Lord helped s.a-t Samuel 7.l2
 Samuel the prophet might serve Eli tho priest, but could not become his suc- cessor. because not of the priestly fam- ily. Probably, therefore. as he reached maturity he found other service; but there Is q blank in the record of 70 years at least. Quite possibly he engaged him. self in instructing the people respecting ther wrong conditions-the permission or idolatry amongst them. their neglect of the Lord. etc.
 Our lesson introduces him to us as the leader of tho hour, when the people had become thoroughly aroused to q sense of their unholiness their need of God, anu ot help back into relationship with God, Having brought the people to this proper condition of mind. the prophet appointed genera, meeting at small mountain called Mizpeh-Watch Tower They came in considerable numbers. with hearts bowed with grief seeking God; and He was found of them
 A Great Reformation Effected
 The propheS Samuel put the matter dis tinctly before fre people. saving If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashfaroth from among you. and pre- pare Noer hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only. and He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistinesn Samuel was warranted in telling the people this: for Gods standing agreement by His cove al. .lya obey His laws and be loyal to Him. He would be their God and would guide their interests to their highest welfare; but If they would not, He would deliver them into the hands of their enemies and pun isn them seven times God was keeping His part of the covenant; it was Israel that had failed
 Then the children ot Israel put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served Joho- yah only." Baalim is plural for Baal- caretaser Israel had been distinctly forewarned to keep separate from all idols so fully that they might not even make an image of Jehovah. He would have His people worship Him in spirit and in truth But all around were Cannaanites. whom they had not had faith to drive out os the land. These Canaanftes had Paal idols in all their towns; some had them in their homes, as protective genii.
 Ashtaroth Is the plural of Ashtoreth, a female deity Known to the Babylonians Ishtar and to the Greeks as AstaSte. She the goddess of fertility. Con nected with her worship were many li- centious services supposed to promote fer tlity--the propagation of the human spe- cies If Samuel's work of 20 years in- huenced all Israel to put away their gods and worship and serve Jehovah only, he certainly accomplished much. We may be sure that some human agency was connected with so great an outward man Hesitation. Such reformations do not come by chance, nor are they miraculous
 Samuel prayed for the Israelites and they drew water and poured It out before the Lord. and lasted on that day and said there, We have snned against the Lord Their confession was not only a manifestat ton of their honesty and sim cerity, but it was appropriate that they shoulc do this when asking God to re, ceve them back into covenant relation slip with Himself The humility neces- sary to such confession would be profit able in respect to their character build ing.
 A Lesson for Spiritual Israel
 Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh." As q counselor he gave ad- vice respecting their affairs, disputes, proper course of conduct, right and wrong on any subject, etc But as trial or their faith al this very time, the Philistres, having heard of the gather ing. came against them with an army. The Israelites were probably more or less hut fo1t