The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-05-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles X. Meyers.
No. o--The Friend shin of David and

Our lesson this week. like shat OF
he last, has to do with Saul, David ana
Jonathan Those who are constant
readers of these notes must be patlenl
If in the opening paragraph each week
there appears statement OF 1acts
which have been given before, and
which to the we'll posted seem like
useless repetition. | always feel that
each week there are new readers VINO
are not aware of just what has been
said and that it is Necessary to recount
events leading up to the lesson under
You know 1t is Gus
in the case of continued
stories" to use short paragraph post
ing readers up as to what has been
printed before, so to keep up the IN
terest.
We are studying of events some one
thousands years before the birth OF
Christ. Gods chosen Neople, the Is
raelites, are in the Promised Land,
which is now known to us as Pales-
tine. Their first king was Saul. While
starting out WE'LL lie in time acted so
wilful and disobedient to the COM
mands of God that it seemed best Tor
some one from another family to III
time head the kingdom. Samuel the
prophet had secretly Amounted a
young man named David to in due
time assume the kingship. With the
withdrawal OF the confidence of God,
from Saul he became vicious in tenn
per, and with anger uncomfortable.
He did not know for sure that the
young man David was to be his sue
cessor, but he did sec that he was fast
becoming the favorite of the people.
This caused Saul to desire to rid him.
self OF so dangerous rival, and ne
decided to kill David.
II will be recalled how with the
faith of young manhood David had met
and defeated the giant Goliath. When
David appeared before King Saul alter
that important event, he came also TO
the special attention of Jonathan, the
son of the king. 1t would appear from
the bible account as found in sam
uel IS that the two young men had
mutual drawing toward each other.
aud thereupon celnented friendship
which has ever since stood as mar
vel and example OF this priceless quail
ity of mind and character The record
says that 1.-The soul of Jonathan was
knit with the soul of David, and Jona-
than loved him as his own soul" In
token of this Jonathan shook Off his
robes. sword, bow and sirdle and gave
them to David.
Having this feeling for David the life
of Jonathan was far from happy one.
On the one side his father, Saul. hat
cd David and went about to Kill him,
and on the other he loved David and
was thoroughly convinced that he was
pure in life and motive. In our last
lesson we were told how Jonathan
made an appeal to Saul to do justice
to David. He could not believe that
his father really had deadly hate for
his friend. The two men and David
in l Sam. 2O-3, told Jonathan truly as
the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liv-
eth, there is but a step, between me
and DEATH" Jonathan could hardly
believe the situation was so bad and
asked for chance to make test as
to Saul's feelings toward David. 1T
was arranged that Jonathan should
make the test, and then report by an
agreed plan as to the result. Then
they went out in the field together, and
there Jonathan made anew his pro-
tests of friendship and pledged David
to deal favorably with him in the fu-
ture, and with his family in the event
of his death. The declarations OF love
and friendship found in verses IA to IL
are most beautiful to contemplate.
Jonathan again risked his life be-
fore his father to find out just how
= A< o,y;I Cn,,1
so enraged when he spoke favorably
TO David that he threw his javelin at
his boy in rage and cursed him as un-
grateful, an enemy to his father, and
pursuing course which would end in
losing the kingdom to David, who
he might reign himself in due time
Jonathan was now convinced that
there was no reconciliation to be made
He went out as if to go hunting, or to
shoot arrows for exercise. He shot an
arrow and told the boy who was to
get it to look beyond, far away. This
was the agreed sign to David, who
was in hiding, that he must himself
go far away from Saul. Later the
young men met and fell on each other
| with tears and kissed, and bid last
farewell, invoking God as witness OF
their lasting love and friendship.
The nobleness, JOY and beauty OF
true friendship have been sung by
bard and poet, orator and preacher,
and need not be dwelt upon at length
here. 1t is one of the most precious
things in the world. That Jesus was
the friend of>sinners" is one of the
most touching things which can be
said as to his life work on earth. At
one time the Master in talking said Il
have called you friends" as showing
the close relationship which He had
| with His disciples.
One of the great things about the
friendship of Jonathan for David was
it's throwing aside of all seltishness
in it's manifestations. The rise OF
David meant the decline of the father,
Saul, and loss OF the kipgship to the
son. Perception of the greatness OF
the character of David overwhelmed
all selfshness and made Jonathan
cling to him. 1t is the friend who is
willing to sacrifice for you who is ap-
preciated. In the days of prosperity
one may have many apparent friends,
but when the times of adversely ar
rive, comes the proof OF sincerity. Let
us strive to be a friend in adversely
as well as in times of prosperity.
Tho tr,Io christian can como IN to