The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-03-30
that the full glory Of his exploit might
appear to all.
WA.en The Doom Fell

SO it was a very self-complacent
saul who greeted condescendingly the
man VINO had made him king. II have |
performed the commandments of Je-
hovah." he said, thinking to himself |
douotless, of course, I found it nee
essary to revise the orders given me.
u then, you know, the practical
worldly wisdom of the laity, and Of
the successful man of affairs, must
supersede the absurd liberalism of you
oio 1osey preachers and your rather
out-of-date God.
sheep In mine ears, and the lowing of
the oxen which I hear?" The stern
meln OF the prophet, and this discon-
certlng query, must ave penetrated
even the thick shell Of Saul's pride
and egotism. For his royal highness
began to squirm and evade-poor,
pitiable figure. Why did he not at
least stand up, m%an-fashion. to the
consequence of his own sin? Instead,
ne blamed 1T on the people, as if they
were king n not he. He had been
quick enough to take the glory of the
victory to himself, building a monu-
ment by the way; but he was not
ready likewise to assume the blame.
Perhaps Saul really become in
capable of seeing his own sin, for hat
is the dreadful fate that follows per-
SlStence in sin. Certainly he gave the
wrong reason for his offense, a mere
Subterfuge. A successful personal
| worker told me the other day that he
commonly finds personal sin cloaking
behind PROGRESSED intellectual difficult
ties, when a man is called to face the
question Of accepting Christ. Saul
was dishonesty trying to hide behind
the acts of his followers, and behind
a profession Of pious purposes. In
the same way there is many a person
who is breaking the laws of God and
man in order to become rich, who
avows that he wants money for the
good 1t an do. Does heaven have
greater pity or contempt for the mis-
rable Of earth?
Swiftly fell the word Of doom upon
the disobedient king.
And Samuel said, Though thou
vast little in thine own sight, vast
thou not made the head of the tribes
Of Israel? And Jehovah anointed
thee king over Israel; and Jehovah
sent thee on a journey, and said. Go
and utterly destroy the sinners the
Amalekites, and fight against then
until they be consumed. Wherefore
then, didst thou not obey the voice O.
Jehovah, but dist fly upon the spoil
and didst that which was evil in tn,
sight Of Jehovah? And Saul said untt
Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice
"a d1IO nave SOAc Tic WI
which Jehovah sem me, and hav,
brought Agag the king of Amalek
and have utterly destroyed tn,
Amalekites. But the people took Q
the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief o
! the devoted things, to sacrifice unit
!. Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. An
Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as grea
E fees, as in obeying h voice of Je
: hovah? Behold, to obey is bette
2 than sacrifice, and to hearken tha
e the fat of rams. For rebellion Is a
thes in of witchcraft, and stubborn
e ness is as idolatry and teraphim. Be
cause thou hast rejected the wore G
n Jehovah, he hath also rejected the
from being king"
When God Changes His Plans.
Not his mind, but his method. wa
e Changed by God in the rejection
e Saul. The breaking of the took i
n his hand compelled him to seek ar
other. Even God is conditioned b
r human natures willingness Or VI
q willingness to conform to his pull
r would be today if men a been obe6
lent to all of Gods beautiful plan:
a The large Intentions Of God are a
ways inevitably fulfilled, but he cor
stantly is forced to alter is procedur
This is the mystery Of mans free wi
~ I uIlOCI ~ - OtC1CASASy' w S01A
# understand it; we are all conversan
70 even in our own lives. with the we
a in which man can insist upon havir
Gods second best, instead of his bes
What took place in the case Of Sa'
later became necessary with lsracl !
. self: God had to set aside the natit
D which would not conform to his wi
20 All Of which demonstrates the e.
IRENE gravity of the consequences
tc disobeying God. There are stroT
al ~colOrs in this ancient picture
in IsraeTs life: but they are needed
a bring out in its true light the $
premacy of obedience. Before {
r. else. and in al; else. II above :
mr. else. and after all else. God, becau
he is God, demands obedience to I
.ir will. Behold, to obey is better tn;
Id sacrifice"
The lesson tor life is also a less
a. for the church. Not ritual or mill
try or popularity or power or veal