The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-05-01

GOLDEN TEXT-My son. give me thine
heart, and let thine eyes observe my
ways.-Prov. 23:26.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Il Sam.
l:l-23: 2:I-36.
PRIMARY TOPIC-The Child Samuel
in Gods House
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Boy Who Listened
and Obeyed
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Training for Religious Leadership.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
~Religious Capacities in the Training of
Children.
!. Samuel Given to tn. Lord q o.
2S).
Samuel was given to Hannah in
answer TO prayer. His name means
asked of God" For a time he was
cared for by his mother in the home.
In asking God for a son she vowed
to dedicate him to the Lord Accord
ingly at an early age she took him to
the sanctuary and gave him over to
the charge of Eli. Thus in his tender
years he ministered to the Lord.
u. Features Of IsraePs History ia
This Period.
l. A demoralized priesthood. ID
The priests we're actuated by greed
C:l2-1O. 1t was Gods will that
those who ministered at the altar
should live of the things of the altar,
but they broke through the divine reg
ulatiOns touching this matter and
were securing their selfish ends by
force. (2) The priests polluted the
courts of Gods house with the gross
est immortality (2:22).
2. An alienated people. The only
thing which separates people from
God is sin.
3. A cessation of divine revelation
| GRID. God was silent-''The word of
God was precious in those days; there
was no open vision" The message
| from the Lord was more a matter of
memory than an active experience.
The same thing in principle is true Of
the individual life today; some who
once enjoyed fellowship with God no
longer hear his voice speaking to them.
III. God Calls Samuel (3:2-lO).
In striking contrast with the degen-
eracy of the nation we have brought
before us the beautiful life of Samuel.
We see God getting ready for the re-
| generation of the nation. Dwelling
within the sacred courts and minister
| ing before the Lord with Eli, is Iha
| innocent Samuel, who is to be the
| savior of his people. In Samuel we
have a striking pattern of child re-
| ligion. The Lord gave him in answer
to Hannah's prayer. From his birth
he was dedicated to the Lord. While
| quite young his mother took him TO
the sanctuary of the Lord where he
| served and slept. it is a good thing
to have much sin forgiven, but il is
better far 10 grow up without sin.
| Two traits in Samuel's character
| stand out in this call; namely, his
| cheerful obedience to the Lords call
and his surrendered will. 1t was no
easy thing to respond cheerfully TO
the thrice repeated call. 1t may have
seemed TO him TO be unreasonable,
but each time he obeyed in simplicity.
| He expressed his willingness before
| he knew what was required; he did
not inquire what was wanted and then
let his obedience depend upon its suit
ing hiir.
~. SamueI's First Prophetic Mes
sage (3:11-1a).
Up to this time Samuel obeyed the
one who was over him, but the time
had now come when he must directly
hear and obey the Lord. The first
message entrusted to him is a most
terrible one. To deliver it is a most
| trying task. He hesitated to tell ii to
Eli, but when pressed by him he man.
| ifested the true courage which was
| lying back of his fear. 1t must have
been q bitter sting 10 Eli to see SAM
uel recognized and himself passed by,
but he was submissive. He knew
that the slight was just; he could not
fail to interpret it thus in view of the
| appearance of the man of God to him
| e :27-36). This fearful visitation up
| on Els house was due to the sins of
his sons. He was held accountable
for not restraining them. Parental
laxity is most cruel. There is an age
in which children may be restrained,
but when passed over the power to re-
| strain goes with it.
v. Samuel Established in the Pro-
phetic Office (3:19-2D.
"And Samuel grew, and the Lord
was with him, and did let none of his
words fall to the ground. And all
Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba
knew that Samuel was established to
be prophet of the Lord" This Is a
verification of the saying Him that
honors me / will honor" Little did
Hannah realize that the boy who had
been given in answer to her prayer
would one day become the head of the
nation. This new position brought
great danger to the boy, but the God
who raised him up was able to sus-
tian him.