The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-16

a Knighriy Deed of Derring-Do.
Nothing n THE Arabian Nights is
truer to the spirit of the East or nor
pictorially written, or inherently more
than the fragment of the
ancient Hebrew chronicles which re-
lates how fhe outlawed hero. David.
spared the life of the sleeping king
who was hunting him. The story Is
assigned for this weeks Sunday
School Lesson: and the text itself is
better than any comment,
so David and Abishai came. to
the people by night: and, behold
Saul lay sleeping within the place
of the wagons. with his spear stuck
in the ground at his head; and
Abner and the people lay round
about him. Then said Ahishai to
David, God hath delivered up thine
enemy into thy hands this day: now
therefore let me snite him, / pray
thee, with the spear to the earth at
one stroke, and I will not smite
him the second time. And David
said to Abishai. Destroy him not; for
who can put forth his hand against
Jehovah's anointed, and be guilt
less2 And David said, as Jehovah
AANON1At OCAAONaA wiz o.
his day shall come to die; or he shall
go down into battle. and perish.
Jehovah forbid that NJ should put
forth my hand against Jehovah's
aneinted; but now tahe. pray thee,
the spear that Is at his head, and
the reuse OF water from Saurs head;
and they gat them away: and. no
man saw it, nor knew it, neither did
any awake; for they were all asleep,
heRaTza
was fallen upon them.
Then David went over to the
other side, and stood on the top of
the mountain afaT off. a geat space
between them; and David cried to
the people. and TO Abner the son of
Ner, saying Answerest thou not.
.Ahper? Then Abner answered and
said. Who art thou. that cries to the
king? And David said to Ahner, Art
not thou valiant man? and who
is like to thee in Israel? wherefore
then hast thou not kept watch over
thy lord the king? for there came
one Of the people to destroy the
KING thy lord. This thing is not
good that thou hast done. AS Je-
hovah uveth we are worthy to die.
because We have not kept watch over
YOUR lord, Jehovahs anointed. And
now see where the kings spear is,
ana tne cruise of water that was at
land Saul knew David's voice
and said, Is this thy voice, my son
DaVld! And David said, 1t is NV
voice. my lord. o king -. Then
SAID Saul. 1 have sinned: return. INV
son David; for I will no smore do
thee harm, because my slife was
precious in thine eyes this day: be-
hold' have played the fool and
When Enemies Pursue.
J., Every virile personality is bound &c
nave enemies. The size and oIIalitS
ana animus of the enemies is. realiS
proof ofleone's character. If theS
words that are discreditabIe, Their
enemies are badge OF dishonor Rls-
II ones foes are also the foes of right.
eousness and decency and law, the,
are as marks of honor.
How shall one behave when besei
ana pursued by enemles-aftho few
persons are really bounded bv foes
the assumption that they are being I
delusion of the mentally unbalanced
The best thing to do with enemies is tt
forget them, when that is possible. Ir
pavid's case it was not An old Wort
OF wisdom has it that MY enemies
teaeh me what ought TO do and m,
friends teach me what l may become.
Even bitter and malignant hostile,
may minister to ones own growth il
character.
Saul made a king out of. David
Those weary months of flight anc
hiding and defensive guerilla warfar,
brought young David to tine height O.
his powers; taught him self contro
and self reliance; made HIM a master
or men; and gave him a detached and
tolerant viewpoint of life and its vicis
situdes. AL unwittingly. the mat
king was doing the best possible serv
Ice to the young rival of whom he wa
Jealous. David went to tine throne o
Israel a proved man.
"Thcn welcome each rebuff.
That turns earth's smoothness rough"
Recently I had occasion to observ
person who had been uniformly ant
conspicuopsly successful; and had be
haved notably well in prosperity. Blu
sudden, tho temporary, adversely ap
peared, and the person who had beef
so urbane when all was we'll cola set
/ under disaster and could not play tn
game David, as our story shows
came to his greatest height when con
| tending against heavy odds. Nobod
is equipped for real living who is no
prepared for all kinds of experiences
the bitter a s well as the sweet.
1T is easy enough to be pleasant.
When life flows by like a song.
But the man worth while
Is the one who will smile
When everything goes dead wrong"
King Feisal, OF Syria. the famou
head of the Arab army that routed tn
! Turks from the East, was prepared
like David, for his role of Leadership
! by long, hard experiences as keepe
! of the caravan roads in the Heja1
He got the qualities OF endurance an
( leadership before ever he came to hi
kingly post
Hurrah for Enemies!
"Goody-goody" boys are develope
/ in the school of teaching which put
the minor virtues in first place. an
makes ft appear most important tina
! one shall be agreeable to everybody
Their tender spirits are grievcd b
/ the thought that anybody disappreve
/ OF them; they lie awake Nights owe
/ the news of criticism. and are morbf
4 in their seIf-conseiousnes
| Out upon such heresy, Ever
! Christian sh 5uld-be trained to e1
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