The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-06-11

YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADOLA 1O1 ~
The Possibilities of Youth,
I. The Lord Rebuked Samuel for
Excessive Grief ". ~.
1t was bitter experience for Sam
uel to pronounce Gods judgment upon
Saul. The cause of Samuels grlel
was threefold:
1. The wreck of promising lire.
In all history, perhaps. a life with
greater promise cannot be found ana
vet it affords no example Of a more
wretched failure.
2. A personal loss. No doubt as
the spiritual adviser of the king SAM
uel found many things in him to adj
mire. His removal. therefore, Samuel
most keenly felt.
8. Anxiety for the national welfare.
Samuel knew quite well that change
of dynasty oftentimes meant severe
war and the reign of anarchy. rms
would very seriously weaken the al
ready weak kingdom. His concern
for the peoples good was therefore
part of his grief. One can readily
see why Samuel should mourn, but as
a prophet of God he should not have
INDUCED to excess. The LORDS ques'
ton "How long will thou mourn tor
Saul? ?" has in it rebuke for Samuel.
Grief for others is a sacred thing, but
whenever it is carried so far as to IN
terfere with ones duty it becomes
sinful.
n. Samuel Sent to Bethlehem to
Anoint sauPs Successor wv. 1-5).
Though Saul failed, God is able to
provide successor who is better
than he. Samuel is. directed to 60 TO
Bethlehem and from among the sons
of Jesse choose q successor. Samuel
again showed his weakness in express
ing his fear lest Saul should Kill MIN.
re God sends a man on an errand
what matters it though q thousand
Saul's be waiting to kill him? Even
though it means death, If God SENDS.
who dare refuse or offer excuse! GOO
instructed him to avoid publicity by
the~ concealment of his real purpose.
Some may question the diplomacy OF
Samuel. but we must remember tnat
no one is under obligation to tell all
that he knows, especially to parties
who have no moral right to know.
To withhold truth which is necessary
morally to tell is duplicity which dare
not be practiced. God allowed Sam
mel TO hide his true errand under the
cloak of a sacrifice in order to shelter
his weakness. The whole matter was
already decided; the moral acts were
already committed; the issues were
already faced. The exposure OF sam
mel TO the murderous hatred of Saul
would have only made matters worse
III. The Method Of Gods Choice
wv. 6-12).
The elders of Bethlehem we're some
what alarmed when Samuel came
He. in the exercise of his judgesnlp'
went from place to. place. and al
times he doubtless had to deal IN
severity with the people. He calmeo
their fears by assuring them that ne
came peaceably, even to worship COO
While the preparation for the sacrince
was being made, Samuel seems &c
have had the interview with Jesse
and his sons. When the eldest OF
Jesse's sons passed before him he de
cided that this stalwart young mar
must be Gods choice, but God tolc
him that man Iooketh on the outward
apnearance, but the Lord looketh OF
the heart. We should learn, like Sam
mel was obliged to do, that the guam
6cations in Gods sight for workers
are inward, not bodily. The one WIT
does Gods work must do 1t by lean
ing upon him, not through persona
strength or endowments. To the ut
ter surprise of Samuel and Jesse
David the shepherd boy, was chosen
Nv. samue. Anoints David ". 13).
When this STRIPPING of boy came
before Samuel, the Lord Indicated MI
choice. Samuel proceeded to anoin
him. This amounting typified the en-
dowment of the Holy Spirit, which Il
essential for any and all service TO
God. The preparation which PaviC
needed for the Office of king WIS JUS
what he got ~ a shepherd boy. Cod
choices are not arbitrary. AS king
his responsibility was to defend, feed
and lead Gods flock, and this he ha'
learned to do as he attended his ia
4Lor,e aoct- This promotion of TIT
shepherd boy should be an encourage
ment for boys of lowly station In life