The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1920-05-05
Sunday School Notes
4 sIDELIGHTS on NEXT SUNDAYS
B Lesson for Teachers and Pupils:

May 9. Eli and His Sons. Deut. g.,
CT; Sam. 3-13; Eph. 6, IA.
1t will be recalled that in our lesson
OF last week an account was given of
the sboyllo0d Of Il Samuel; that he was
& btcnEIlt up lat the temple OF the Jews
aud That the high priest at the time
waas. Eli /. sIt will ~ Fenieiiih ered that
Samuel IVA given III special vision or
aifSsCJmlng from God telling him that
ElisW0uld be punished because Of the
Wicked ness of his sons
one can: but feel sorry for Eli. He
was gevidently a good man, one who
fiIIed. Is 1t appears that despite his good
ness and his ability to advise others,
asStO their duty, in many things ne was
not faithful to his duty toward hin two
sons, and they became a disgrace. In
! our days we would say the boys were
wild. The bible says they were very
bad and tells what they did.
1T has ever been something unac-
= countable to me why the sons and
daughters Of ministers and parents gen
orally who have the reputation In the
community Of being worthy christians,
persist in wreckinE the family by wick.
edhess. don't believe that such boys
and girls have the love for. their par
\ ents which they profess. am sorry
i to say that case after case will be call
ed to mind by adult readers of boys
who followed in the way of the sons OF
ELI. They have gone off on a course of
living Just the opposite to that advised
by their parents and seem to glory In
their badness. "A pastor comes to town
and seems right in his living example
and conversation, when behold his boys
go to swearing, lying, talking nasty
are the leaders in defiance OF the teach
aers in the public schools. The minis
ter and his wife are broken hearted
their influence for good is gone. Again
tho children of the head OF the school
mock him TO his faces and rldicule him
before the other. boys tOf, the town. anc;
soon it is said the new principal is max
ing fab failure riof his, wOrk, the schools
are hecoHing .M1goYer nable, and the
situation is lost. ItiWould seem ;aasH
selfishness to keep the father in work
would have some bearing on the con.
duct Of the boys, but experience shows
1t does not. II 81 @
The discussion of this lesson will
bring up the responsibilities of parents
for the right rearing of their children.
It will develop many hard problems.
Boys and girls differ so with each fam
lily, and among different members OF
the same family. Let it be remember
ed that the Jews were given special d.
.
children in the history of their race,
also that this be done not once in a
while, but constantly This means re-
likiOus instruction is not to be a side
ma after but one Of the great subjects in
the home. n ;e Is ss5 VIZ
IL will be remembered that one OF
the Ten Comma ndme nts relates to the
Z duty of children to honor and obey
their parents. Paul says it is the first
cb4niiiandrtent with = promise. Y, Z 4; The
gfsAt APOSTLE added TO his request that
TIE thtldrent be 5obed dent, the fathers
pf6voke not the children to, wrath but
nGf tare them TO love God. IS Il is clear
ihg ttiIs SSase al Eli. - God held him to
atc0HIt abi1ity for 4 |b his boys did
an I6s stsd ,V SAt punishment Ms t. me ne
assms 'isf il As tis% they ought q have
been deeply ashamed Of bringing down
on. the head OF their loving aged faith.
or trouble, heartbreak, all because Of
fketf wick edneas. q h, y a s;S -
There Is d SUSPICION Of course that
L when the Boys come Up wrong there fis
y,ssSftsy a IN the home II Is This Whlfh
AZ. case SO bad Ef1urther h ~
I tt3e bsst mothers have died With, Il, "a
broken Heart when they and the father
tltttve done their level best, and lived
y cpnsisteft christian life In the, home.
III does seem often that nothing that
human being can do will stop the down
ward course Of some boys and girls.
We found it so as to the drinking of
liquor. One might hold up all the aw-
full results of drink and it made no
more impression than the prOverbial
4 water on a ducks back" In some cases
4 the children are simply bent on self de-
struction. Nothing but the power of
the Almighty will cause halt.
4 1t Is my hope that few families where
%tnan nnfau y,oacI, will have the main