The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-05-18

did not give them a field for the ex-
ercise of the abilities which they
knew to be theirs from God. have
slumped in their morals. even as did
David while among the Philistines.
He deceived Achish by pretending to
war against the Israelites. when all
the time he was making fOrays only
against the Amalekites. He lived in
a tissue of falsehocd and misrepre-
sentation, and these days must have
been unhappier for David even than
those when he was a hunted wander
er like the wild goats upon the noun
tains.
The Suicide of a King.
In the great battle Of Gilboa be-
tween the Israelites and the Philis-
tines. Saul and his army were rout-
ed God be merciful to the man who
so ineffectively leads the hosts of
Righteousness that they are defeated.
Saul had been SO engrossed in his
personal ambitions and jealousies
that the cause, which was the one
warrant for his life, had suffered.
His plight was worse than David's.
We find him at this period consult
ing the witch of Endor. Whichever
way he turned he heard only words
Of doom.
Jonathan, royal in soul and in rank,
fell with two of his brothers in this
battle. Driven to an extremity, Saul
thought Of suicide. He entreated his
armOr-bearer to slay him: but this
ma would not touch the Lord
anOinted. Saul sought the refuge OF
the cowardly man who is without
God and without hope in the world,
Suicide is always indefensible.
The Imperial Statistical Bureau o.
Berlin, according to THE Mission
AIRY Review of the World sometime
ago published the averages of death:
: by suicide among one hundred thou
! sane people in the German nation
Their ratio gave the following in
teresting light upon the relation o
a to courage in bearing life's burdens
Among MOravians. Mennonites.
etc. -. :.
Among PrOtestantS ........... 3
Among Catholics ........... 3
: Among Jews 4
Among the r~eligionless, p
cially among Socialists. ..., 60
n Loval And Royal.
How a man behaves toward a
enemy, gives a good measu Of tina
mans character. We see the stu
a that David was made of when "
~ note his m~agnanimous conduct tt
ward his dead foe, Saul. He smot
the Amalekite who had robbed til
tened to him with them. hopin
thereby to ecure a reward.
10 The Song of the Bow" into whic
- David broke forth-from which y
have the greatest of all funer
dirges, 1.-The Dead March in SAUL
sprang from David's lips as his tri1
ute to his friends:
Glow are the mighty fallen in tt
- midst Of the battle!
,h Jonathan is slain upon thy his
10 places.
- l am distressed for thee. my brot
IL err Jonathan:
Very pleasant hast thou been u
to me:
- Thy love to me was wonderful,
% Passing the love of women.
~ How are the mighty fallen,
~, And the weapons of war persisted
a,s When David learned that the m
80 of Jabesh-Gilead had fearlessly S
cured the bodies of Saul and Jon
than, which the Philistines h
~shamelessly exposed, and had Civ
them royal cremation and interme
he sent mis- greetings and thanks
these who were brave men after
tLS ~ own heart. Saul, in his better da
nv had come to their help when tn
co, were oppressed. David and the M
AT of Jabesh-Gilead shine like cand
a. III a dark night.
,a1 A Crown At Last.
art His enemies defeated, the PEG
is clamoring for his leadership. Da'
of was crowned king Of Judah, and
ter an interval of seven years
leaders of Israel assembled in con
ses. cation and asked him to assn
lult reign over them.
or When his day of triumph cal
en-. David behaved royalty. He sou
the counsel of the elders: he diSpla.
the magnanimity. lshboSheth, son
her Saul, reigned for a while in
for northern kingdom. but David BIZ
ave his time. He had Learned in
but ~wanderings how to wait. as we'll
for how to work. He came to his thr,