The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-16
The Sunday School Lesson

Lesson May 20. Samuel o:l5 to
1924.
The first king chosen for Israel
was not man who had been sock
ing the throne. or who even had "a
foroboding that he was going TO be
called TO great responsibility; but
was q matter Of fact young man who
was faithfully going about his pro-
sale everyday business. This Is The
way In which the Lord chooses his
leaders among mon. lie PICKS out
these leaders from among those who
conscientiously pursue the duties AZ
their hand, rather than from those
who have their lightning rods up
for the bolt OF popularity TO strike.
IL takes n man who IN faithful IN
small things TO be qualified to as
sumo the direction Of great things
There was In Israel no lack ot
confidence In the man Samuel. but
thoro was not enough fnith In Goa
ability to take care ot his people
10 counteraot their fear OF The ,cVlla
OF hereditary succession. WIN tho
example OF Eli's sons before ihom,
they hesitated TO see the direction of
the nation fall into hands whom
they did not trust This wHs thelr
most plausible excuse In pleading
for king. though back OF That ihere
was much racial pride pleading thnt
they should have the pomp ana avs
play Of royalty commemorate WIN
their position among surrounding
nntlons. They saw moro o. the cf-
feciivenoss Of human power ana or
gnnization than Of the omnlpotent
conccrn Of tho Lord who had
brought them out of all their pre-
vIous troubles They ala not nave
the faith to comprehend that, II only
the peopie themselves walked IN the
fear of the Lord, he would not leave
them without competent Buidano"
and protection.
God never lacks Tor men to serve
his purposes. lie may allow sin 70
hold sway for a season, that people
may learn the peril OF trying TO i've
outside His direction; but lie Is al
ways ready and prompt To feHoVo
those who trust In Him from the
dominance OF evil. Tho prime re-
aulsite is that tho hearts OF the peo-
pie shall be right with God--when
that comes TO pass divine power AZ
WAYS asserts itself to right their
wrongs and give them leader ana
deIiycrer. But they wanted a fol-
low man TO wear the crown and levy
taxes and lead their armies. tho
material mind Graves material
things, no matter what they cost.
and is shy OF the greater Intangible
benefits OF trust In Jehovah.
We like, even now, TO have hng-
ible. material evidence OF divine om-
impotence. We fear to trust domi-
nance OF the spiritual. Israel had
the laws of Moses and the splendid
record OF God's past care Tor MS
children; yet they wanted man
whom they could see with natural
eyes aud whose voice was audible TO
natural ears. II has always been
that we would rather trust our well
fare with an imperfect specimen OF
the human race than 10 place I'M
piioit confidence In spiritual guild
ance. The spiritual Ideas is hard
for the ordinary intelligence to grasp
lit is real only to the eye OF faith.
Man is prone to materiallsm rather
rather than the deal--forgetting
than spirituality---to the practical
that ideality is tho foundation of all
that In best for humanity ana that
sincere spirlsuality is the most prac-
tical thing In the world. There In such
thing as nm ideality that In not
practical. but the idoahty which 10
guided and inspired by a sincere re-
gard for Gods purp, sc IN the prao-
teal motive behind every force that
counts for the bettcrment of the
human race.
Rulers OF nations are only the
agents commissioned by the Lord to
oversee his work. The error has al
ways come through the mistaken
notion OF the ruler that he him
self was the court OF last resort and
possessor In fee simple OF all the mon
and things trusted To his charge.
Saul was annoitcd to be prince over
the Lords inheritance. He was In
the service of the Lord AS his agent,
not as dictator to follow his own
ideas of royalty. lie failed only
when he forgot that God was tho
author OF his commission and when
he sought to evade his responsibility
TO the Lord, the only rightful king.
We who call ourselves democrats
boast that we have abolished the ills
incident To royalty, while in fact we
have only modified them. As long
as we pin our faith TO human beings,
instead of to divine leadership. we
repeat the same error that Israel
made In trusting "A king other than
Jehovah.
II is not sufficient that people
should choose their leaders. That Is
one step better than trusting In tho
failties of hereditary systems. But
the voice of the people Is not the
voice OF God unless the people have