The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-15
The Use of Our Enemies.

The International Sunday School Les
son for May 16 is: David Spares
SAUL Sam. CHI. &c.
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS)
"A certain number of fleas are good
for a dog; they keep him from think
ing too much about being dog" says
David Harum. Another putting of the
same principle is Mrs. Whitney's
famous sentence: 1.-The best cure for
little worries is a real trouble Still
another aspect of the case is in the old
epigram, "Our enemies show us what
we ought to be; our friends what we
may be-
Evidently there is a proper place in
the development of character Tor
enemies else there would not be so
livered from morbid self-complacency
and introspection by few vigorous
enemies They are an educational
force in life. Woe unto you wnen an
men speak well of YOU Our lesson
today has to do with the training given
David by his enemies, King Saul being
the chief.
It was a wonderful university into
which David entered when he was
driven out from home and friends and
position. In the stern school of out
lawry, he learned lessons that fitted
him for the throne. By having to
guard his own head. he was dlsclp-
lined for the protection of his people.
The qualities of leadership, resource
fulness and GOODNESS in danger were
acquired amidst the alarms of a fugi-
tive's life.
Perhaps if more of our young men
had to fend for themselves amid
primitive physical perils, if they were
freed for a time from the an-enfoldlng
and eneryating care of our paternal
civilization, we should have a Sturdler
type of manhood. People who prevail
over pioneer privations. always prove
sturdy characters. Our steam-heated,
electrically equipped, law-girt and
fully-policed manner of life is not an
unmixed blessing. 1t takes hard cir
cumstanceS to develop hardy souls.
Old IsraeI's Robin Hood.
Whoever loves a tale of adventure
should know this narrative of Davids
experience while a fugitive from
the New Testament and of general
literature are incomprehensible with
out familiarity with this romantic
chapter of David's life. 1t was then,
when hungry, that he ate of the sa-
cred shew bread from the taber-
nacle; and obtained from the priest
the sword of Goliath. 1t was then
that this brilliant leader of men pre-
tended to be crazy, in order to escape
from the court of Achish, king of
Gath. 1t was then that a host raj
lied to him in the cave of Adullam,
an episode frequently used as a fig
ure of speech, for every one that was
in distress, and every one that was
in debt, and every one that was dis
contented, gathered themselves unto
him.
Crowded with vivid episodes were
these years of f1iPht, when the madly
jealous Saul. growing more petulent
and suspicious and unstable every
day pursued David constantly. Even
the family of Jesse were not safe in
Bethlehem, and David provided for
them over in Moab, the home of his
great grandmother Ruth. We recall
nov ,, n h civ h dr-a6 -nH
town of Keilah, only to have its I'M
grateful people willing to surrender
him to the pursuing king. Verify
David Learned in sorrow what he
taught in song
There were brighter incidents. of
course; as when Jonathan sought him
out in a the wood of Ziph, and re-
newed their covenant of friendship.
of his two followers risked death to
bring him a drink from the well at
Bethlehem. And beautiful Abigail,
who afterward became David's wife,
showed that woman is the natural
mistress of the art of diplomacy, by
placating David and his bind when
her fool husband. Nabal, had offered
them deadly affront. There was the
loyalty of Abishai, who dared pene-
trate with David into the very center
of Sauls sleeping camp, and who, for
an end of the royal pursuer- Hard |
times had David, but in them all he
proved himself more of a man than
King Saul That, after all, is the real
success, so that sincere spirits shun |
ease, and ever cry, with the poet,
"Grant me the struggle, that my soul
may grow"
Where the Songs Were Brewed.
| have been reading Kipling's early I
letters of travel and tracing in them /
the originals of persons and places and !
scenes in his later fiction and poetry.
His experiences were the stuff of
which his literature is made. To I'M |
derstand the psalms of David one (
must look back into these hard days
when he was hunted as a bird in the /
mountain. Out of this soul bitterness /
solaced souls for centuries. In hard |
living he acquired high message. The |
broken heart sings most sweetly.
Thirst, flight, treachery, hunger, |
loyalty, insults, dishonor, enmities-of |
such bitter herbs as these was brewed !
that sweet draught of poetry and in |
spiration which has refreshed I'M /
We have said that David was fitted for |
a throne by his outlaw ordeals. Far !
from that BY his sufferings he was
trained to be humanity-s poet-laureate. |
Even at the uttermost cost. the price /
was small that he paid for the priv /
ilege of immortality of service. All
literature and life are richer because
David's soul was so sorely storm
tossed.
That is the royal lesson for US ALL |
out of our pain let US make a pean; |
from our sorrow song; from our
misery ministry. The highest use of
suffering is to learn how to sympa-
thize and to serve. Our own day needs
interpreters of the highest experiences
of our fellows: alas that so much con-
temporary literature is cynical and
shallow and smart and frankly ma
terialiStic. Well cries Niehardt:
"Out of the great wise silence, brooding
and latent so long