Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1920-06-10
LESSON FOR JUNE IS
a SHEPHERD BOY CHOSEN KING.

| Il II
j. ESsON TEXT Sam. i6.1-lS
GOLDEN TExT-The Spirit OF the Lord
cahe upon David from that day forward.
- Sam. 1913
4 Optional MATERIAL-Ps. a.
PRIMARY ToPlC-Th Story OF q Shep-l
heri Boy.
JUNIOR ToP1c-A Kingly shepherd
Boy.
j VTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
- ne Road to Promotion.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Tie Possibilities Of Youth.
!. The Lord Rebuked Samuel for
Exc esslve Grief ". u.
II was a bitter experience for Sam
uel 10 pronounce Gods judgment upon
Saul. The cause Of Samuel's grief
was threefold:
/. The wreck Of promising life.
In I'LL history, perhaps. life with
greater promise cannot be found, and
yet 1t affords no example Of more
wre. ched failure.
2. A personal loss. No doubt as
the spiritual adviser Of the king, SANE
uel found many things in him to adj
mire. His removal, therefore, Samuel
most keenly felt. Il
3. Anxiety for the national welfare.
Samuel knew quite well that a change
Of dynasty oftentimes meant severe
war and the reign Of anarchy. This
would very seriously weaken the als
ready weak kingdom. His concern
for the peoples good was therefore 9
part Of his grief. One can readily
see why Samuel should mourn, but AL
a prophet of God he should not have
INDUCED to excess. The Lords ques'l
ton "How long win thQl mourn for|
Saulf'' has In Il q rebuke for Samuel.
| Grief for others Is a sacred thing. but
whenever It Is cnrried so far az to tn
terfere with ones duty 1t becomes
sinful.
u. Samuel Sent % HethDshSm %
Anolnt sauI's Successor (vL 10y.
Though Saul failed, GOd II able to
provide q successor who - better
than he. Samuel is directed p 90 10
Bethlehem and from among the sons
of Jesse choose successor. Samuel
again showed his weakness IN express.
Ing his fear lest Saul should kill him.
n God sends a man on an errand
| what matters It though thousand
Saul's be waiting to kill himf Even
though It means death, II God sends,
| who dare refuse or offer excuse! God
instructed him to avoid publicity BY
the concealment Of his real purpose.
Some may question the diplomacy OF
Samuel. but we must remember that
no one is under obligation to tell all
that he knows, especially to parties
who have no moral right to know.
| To withhold truth which Is necessary
morally to tell is duplicity which dare
not be practfced. God allowed Sam.
uel, to hide his true errand under the
cloak Of q sacrifice in order to shelter
his weakness. The whole matter was
already decided; the moral acts were
already committed; the issues vera
already faced. The exposure Of SAM
uel to the murderous hatred Of Saul
would have only made matters worse.
III. The Method Of Code Choice
wv. 6-12).
The elders of Bethlehem were some
what alarmed when Samuel came.
| He, in the exercise Of his judgeship,
went from place to place. and at
| times he doubtless had to deal in
severity with the people. He Gained
their fears by assuring them that he
came peaceably, even to worship God.
| While the preparation for the sacrifice
was being made, Samuel seems to
have had the interview with jesse
| and his sons. When the eldest or
| Jesse's sons passed before him he de-
I cided that this stalwart young man
| must be Gods choice, but God told
| him that man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looketh on
| the heart. We should learn. like Sam
ual was obliged to do, that the quail
| fications in Gods sight for workers
are inward, not bodily. The one who
| does Gods work must do 1t by Lean
ing upon him, net through personal
strength or endowments. To the ut
| ter surprise Of Samuel and Jesse.
David the shepherd boy. was chosen.
w. Samuel Anolnts David ". 13).
When this STRIPPING Of boy came
before Samuel, the Lord indicated his
choice. Samuel proceeded to anoint
him. This amounting typified the en-
| downent Of the Holy Spirit, which is
essential for any and all service for
God. The preparation which David
| needed for the Office Of king was just
what he got as a shepherd boy. Gcd's
choices are not arbitrary. AS king,
his responsibility was to defend, feed.
and lead Gods flock, and this he had
| learned to do as he attended his IA
theirs flock. This promotion Of the
shepherd boy should be an encourage
ment for boys of lowly station in life.