The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-01-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Z Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited ny Charles K. Meyers.

Edited ny Charles x. Meyers.
Jan. 31.-The Birth of Sampson
Temperance Lesson.) Judges 10;
16, "a, 25.
Who was the oldest man? Methus
4 elah. Who was the meekest man
Moses. Who was the wisest man? Sol
onion. Who was the strongest man,
Sampson. Well, it is about the strong
est men we are to talk today.
That he might be so strong an(
/ healthy it was specially given out as
q guide for his life that he should
! never drink intoxicating drinks
Among the many benefits coming tt
Z the present generation of boys in the
high schools and colleges through the
athletic sports of foot ball. rowing
running. baseball, basket ball. is the
demand that all who take part, While
connected with the institutions OF
learning, shall not drink or smoke. We
shall see In the present lesson the
directions given to the parents OF
Sampson to make him strong and fit.
ted to be the deliverer of his people
from the Philistines and the judge OF
Israel for twenty years.
These were the days of eleven hun
dred years before Christ was born
The Children of Israel were living IN
the promised land at the east end OF
the great Mediterranean sea. The old
time enemies of the Jews, the Philis,
tines, were depressing them. Deliv-
erance was at hand. 1t will be remem-
bered that before John the Baptist was
born and likewise in the case OF
Jesus, angels appeared to the women
who were to be the mothers of the
babes, rgiving them special instruc;
tions as to the lives OF the sons. Just
this. thing happened when God was
preparing a special man for the emer-
gency which had come before His
chosen people.
In tile tribe of Dan there was man
named Manoah. He and his wife had
lived together many years and no
children had been born to them. One
day there came to the wife messen-
ger from God telling her that she
should haveNa son. Note what he told
her further. She was commanded that
in preparation for being the mother OF
this child she was to keep from drink
ing wine or any strong drink, and to
be careful to eat only clean food. She
was also told that her son should be
a "NaZarite" from birth. In Numbers
8 we find what this means. A NaZar
tie was never to touch wine or strong
drink or put razor to his head while
the vow to be such was upon him. The
mother was told that, in time her son
should deliver Israel from its enemies.
The woman informed her husband
what had been told her. The now eX-
pectant father took great interest in
what had been told him and prayed to
ger that he Teach us what we shall
do unto the child that shall be born"
This prayer was granted and the mes
senger came again, whereupon Mano-
ali said to him, How shall we order
the child and how shall we do unto
him." The anger retold the instruc-
tions given the wife at the first.
~ call special attention to the course
taken by the father He set an exam
pie for all parents. Alas, how many
parents we have all seen who seem
to care little as to how their children
come into the world and are reared. |
The fact thatsparents who have drunk
strong drink smoked tobacco, abused |
their bodies by nameless crimes, are
almost sure to have children deformed
in mind or body makes no impression
on the mind. 1t is Mhat is called
good time" for the present and let I
the future of the children of this world |
and the next take care OF itself. The |
sins of the parents are indeed visited |
on the children and all who take upon
themselves the responsibilities of par
enthood should heed this we'll All \
parents should offer the prayer Of the |
father of Samuel, Teach us what we
shall do unto the child-that shall be
born
1t Is not the province OF these notes
to go into the entire bible history OF
Sampson for that all can find in the
three chapters of Judges beginning
with the thirteenth. Suffice it to say
that Sampson was master in strength
With his bare hands he killed a lion,
later with the jaw bone OF a dead ami
NAL for weapon he killed thousand
or more Phillistines. Finally when
old and blind lie put his arms about
the great pillars which supported the
roof of a large structure, pulling down
to death with the building many
Of his tOrmentors and enc
mics. During his life he judged Israel
for twenty years.
NJ The instruction to the mother of
Sampson, and his keeping through life
the same, as to never drinking strong
drink, are well made the basis of
talk on the evils Of intemperance. AS
has been before said in these notes,
strong drink is the greatest enemy the
Sunday schools have to fight. Saloons
10 not lead people to purity OF life,
but rather to swearing. carousing. suf
lering. crime. hayward children, indif-
ference to the future life, to which all
ire certainly coming. 1t can be said
IOr encouragement that at no time has