The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-06

The Lame Man 1T the Kings Table.
NOBODY is truly educated who has
not reasonable familiarity with the
great library of the worlds best litera-
ture--a. compendium of romances.
hero tales. history, philosophy, poetry
ana Theology ea1ledaThe Bible.
Yet there are persons who would
be ashamed to confess ignorance of
Robin Hood or Richard the Lion
Hearted or of the two little princes
in the tower who unblushingly ad-
nit that they never heard of the lame
prince with the long name of Mephi-
bosheth. who was rescued from OBJ
security and established in royal state
at the table of the greatest king of his
age. All the charm of the tales that
engross childhood is in this old story
from the annals of the Hebrews,
story which, constitutes the present
Sunday School Lesson.
Back Of the narrative itself lies
philosophy which this world of ours
in the year 1920 sorely needs-the
philosophy or how to behave after vic
tory. The record of aDaVid's reign,
after he had come Ito the throne of
saul, should make stimulating reading
for the mighty ones at Paris and Lon
don and Washington and Moscow
Also it might be conned by those lead
sudden power on earth.
David was SO royal in soul that he
behaved magnanimously toward all his
late foes. He punished no enemies.
except those who had done wrong to
others than himself, and with spacious
tolerance and forgiveness he set about
making his nation safe and prosperous
and great, He knew that there could
not be a new order built upon hatred
and revenge and small selfishness.
David was. great enough to make a
rresh beginning for Israel.
The Lame Prince.
Men tried to curry favor with David,
in his hour of victory, by dealing
harshly with his late foes. Oh, the
woe wrought by these conscienceiess
sycophants, who are forever tempting
the mighty to their fall! An Arab
messenger brought David the first
news of SauPs~ death, declaring, in
hope of reward, that he himself had
struck the fatal blow. Instead of win
ming honor and a. prize; he was slain
by David's order as the murderer of
crafty men slew. Saulse remaining son,
Ishbosheth, supposing, that they would
thereby secure the kings favor. They
also were punished with death. GEN
eral Abner's death at the hand of
General Joab, in pursuit of a private
blood feud, and in apparent violation
of the kings hospitality, moved David
to real mourning.
In the same spirit, he men of Jez-
peel, who had rescued the bodies of
Saul and his sons from the ignomin-
ious fate accorded them by the Phil
fstines, were sought out and honored
by King David, whose soul was as
royal as his throne.
Firmly established in his kingIy es-
tate, David began to look about for
any survivors of the family of Saul.
Only one could be found, Mephibo-
sheth, the son OF Jonathan, who had
been crippled in both feet by being let
IsfaIl infancy from the arms of nurse.
This lame prince had been taken in by
a loyal Israelite. Maehir, who was the
sort of a man that stands by his
friends in al. kinds of weather. as
A Tale of the Kings Mercy.
The flavor OF an oriental court per-
vades this stor9. We think of recent
happeningsin Afghanistan: and of the
conduct of the late Abdul Hamid to-
ward his brothers; and of familiar
ftales and poems of the habit of the
kings of the East in getting rid of pos
sible rivals to their thrones 1t was
the usage of his day and station for
King David to clear the field of all the
descendants of Saul, who might later
risa up to dispute his right to the
seeptre.
So when David began to make in
quiries for the seed of Saul there was
excitement and fear. Mephibosheth
was discovered and brought into the
royal presence overwhelmed, and
tcalling himself "a dead dog. unable
to believe,that love and loyalty to his
father could survive the atmosphere
Of court.
Let us have the charming story it.
self, straight from Holy Writ, as the
Sunday schools of the world are study
ing it: and David reigned over all
Israel; and David executed justice and
! Righteousness unto all. his people.
|. And David said, Is there yet
any that is left of the house of Saul.
that I may show Ahim kindness fer
,Jonathahss sake? And there was of
1.-THE house of Saul a servant whose
name was Ziba, and they called him
furto David; and the king said unto
i, him, Art thou Ziba? And he sid,
Is there not yet any of the house of
Saul, that I may show the kindness of
God unto him? And Ziba said unto
1.-THE king, Jonathan hath yet a son,
who is lame of his feet And the king
said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba
said unto the king, Beholde he is in the
house Of Machirthe son of Ammiel in
fetched him out of the house of
Machir the son of Ammiel, from Le-
debaF. And Mephibosheth, the son
of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came
unto David, and fell on his face. and
did obeisance. And David said, Mephi-
bosheth. And he answered, Behold,
thy servant! And David said unto
him, Fear not; for~I will surely show
thee kindness for Jonathan thy faith
ers sake. and will restore thee all the
land of Saul thy father; and thou
shalt eat bread at my table continually
And he did obeisance. and said, What
is thy servant, that thou shouidst look
upon such a dead dog as am?
Then the King called to Ziba- SauHs
servant and said unto him, All tha1
pertained to Saul and to all his house
have I given unto thy masters son.
And thou shalt till the land for him.
thou. and thy sons. and thy servants;
and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that