Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-05-07

GOLDEN TExT-The wages of sin 4,
DEATH but the gift OF God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Rom. s:zs.
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Sam. z:22-
20. s:io-it; t;i9; s:ls; Eph. s:i-4
PRIMARY ToPIc-God Calls the Boy
Samuel
JUNIOR ToPiC-Eii and His Sons.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Sowing and ReapiuE.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
"A Responsibility of Parents and Chill
dren.
Sons 2:12-I7. 27-36.
I. Ellis sons wv. 12-l7. 22). The be-
havior OF these sons Is In strange con-
trast to that Of the boy Samuel. Ellis
sons were priests and mlnistered in
the things OF the sanctuary, but knew
not the Lord" ". I2).
ID Graft tvv. l2-17). This greed
was practlced upon the worshIpers
who brought their sacrifices to the
sanctuary. according to Gods law.
God ordained that the priests should
have the breasts and shoulders of the
animals which were brought to the al
tar (Ex. 1927; Lev. 7 81. 32). The
degenerate sons OF ELI we're not con-
tent with this, but demanded more.
and even sought to ob,nin il by force
". l6). Moreover. they lifted out
with fork certain choice portions
while raw. and had them roasted
Such behavior on the part OF the
priests was revolving to the worship
ers and resulted In the adherence of
the Lords offerings.
2. ELI tyv. 27-36). Ell was seeming
iy good man. but he seriously erred
before God in thai he failed to dIsci.
pline his sons wv. 22-24). He knew
OF their sins and was conscious of his
obligation, but his fatherly heart led
him Into sentimental indulgence his
love got the better of his Judgment.
Eli was content with a weak remon.
strnnce. He wns under obligation not
merely to speak against II. but should
have noted against It,
II. Eli and His Sons Punished a.:
1-iS).
They M last came to reap what
they had sown. God has appointed
day OF judgment tActs II :3D. There
is harvest time for the sinner as
well as for the righteous tJoel 3:13)
If one has sown 10 the wind he shall
reap the whirlwind. The Philistines
made war upon Israel and defeated
them with great slaughter. This judg-
ment had been made known to ELI by
"nan of God" (2:27) and Samuel
t3:11-lS). The Philistines were in.
strumenfs In the hands OF God for
this judgment.
l. The battle with the Philistines
tvv. 10y. The Israelites mnde an un-
successful attempt to free themselves
from the oppression OF the Philistines.
Israel was smitten and some 1000 were
slain. This aroused them to inquire
as to why the Lord had smitten them
and to suggest that the ark he brought
from Shiloh as defense against the
enemy. In this they committed two
blunders: ~ The elders had no right
to handle the ark that belonged to
the priests. Before taking such a step
they should have sought the mind OF
God. and II Il were his will that the
ark be brought. 1t should have been
done by the priests. t2) II was su
persttious use of the ark, which was
symbol Of Gods presence. They ig-
norantly assumed that the presence Of
God inbered In the symbol. forgetting
that he is the living God. who has
will and purpose of his own. and there
fore will not give couniennnce to that
which disagrees with his holy purpose
and will. Processing Christians In this
age commit a similar error when they
substitute the sacrameDts of the
church for the presence OF God In the
soul. The earth rang out with n great
shout when the ark was brought into
the camp and the enemy was struck
with fear. for they knew what wonders
God had wrought In times past. In
their desperation they made stand.
with their backs to the wall they
fought and won the victory.
2. Israel's disastrous defeat wv. 10
1877. 90 The army was routed and
great slaughter occurred ". lU); ~
the ark OF God was taken ". l0). the
symbol of rhe divine presence with Its
sacred memories torn from their grasp
and with II went Israei's hope: (3)
Eii's sons slain ". iO) the very priests
who were the cusfodians OF the ark
were slain: t4) death OF ELL the high
priest ". 1877. The news OF the d.s-
feat OF the army and the deuth OF his
sons was awful bur when he heard
thot thu rk NJ f.nd tyas toba, ..a dt...t