The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-06-03
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Especially Prepared for The Republi-
can by DR.. U. s. Wright.
SUNDAY lime

OOANOA L. ONG D.
Saups Failure. l Samuel 15:13-23.
Read entire chapter.
Thou hast rejected the word of Je-
hovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee.
Sam. 1926.
THE UNSTABLE THRONE.
Saul's seat was settled but it was b
no means secure one in the midst of
tribal jealousies, differing parties and
aggressive enemies. That he accom-
plished all he did is rare comment upon
the ability of the man. The initial vic
tory oyer the Philistines brought no oc.
casion of their hostility but probably
made them charey about spreading over
the plateaus of upper Judea but they
chung all the more tenaciously to the
trade routes upon which their prosper
ity depended. When Saul grew strong
enough to consolidate the central and
southern sections of his territory and
was moving northward to clasp the
hands of the tribes beyond Esdraelon
there was an immediate response for
that would have severed Philistia' g
main arteries of supply from Damascus
and the East and the defeat at Mt.
Gilboa ended the life of the champion
of Israel. Amelek occupied the south
ern deserts and harassed all the border
with occasional raids so that the en-
nifty begun at Sinai grew with the
years. They were constant menace
to the peace and so long as Saul could
not show strength enough to keep the
border clear the strong tribe of Judah
would be lukeWarm in his support.
Here lay the political reason for an at
tack and the religious party urged it
upon other grounds, Samuel like Peter
the Hermit preaching it as a crusade
against the enemies of Jehovah. Be-
hind the march seems to have been the
united feeling of Israel south of Galilee.
And the EXPEDITION was q CONSPICUOUS
success so that there was long peace
upon the border but out of it came the
estrangement Of Samuel, the detection
of the religious party's support of the
reign of Saul and the beginning of his
decadence as a ruler. The grief of the
Seer is tragic but the break was ire
parable and forecasted the sure weak
ening of the reigning house. Victory
over an outer foe at the price of inner
cleavage is worse than a defeat in the
field could possibly be and it is at this
parting of the ways that the elements
of the choice made by the King become
so significant for any other person
standing
with reluctant feet,
Where the brook and river meet"
THE CHOICE OF POLICY.
The passion for righteousness that
famed in the heart of Samuel and turn
ed in the later prophets found scant re-
pose in the external religion of Saul
More and more would he grow out of
sympathy with its heat and would in
cline to favor the political party in af-
fairs of state. The latter were prob
ably in the majority in the army camp
and when rich spoil fell into their hands
there was the demand that what had
been preached as crusade should be-
come raid for plumber. There is a
significant change in the note that ar
ried us thru the war and that which has
been sounded in our share of the set.
Element; service of the world has been
altered to service for America or for
class. Saul faced stormy session
with his chleftains upon that far away
battle field where all the moral supports
of home were banished and he must
make his choice. Apparently it was
expedient to placate these CLAIMANT
voices and Saul followed policy in de-
termining his course. There was such
captured material not worth the car