Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1920-05-06

| - ~-N--~' ~'--'
| GOLDEN TEXT-The wages of sin 10
death; but the gift Of God Is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Rom 6:2S.
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Sam. 2:22-
Sc; 3:10-l4; 4:19; 6:1S; Eph. 6:l-4
| PRIMARY TOPIC-God Calls the Boy
Samuel.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Eli and His Sons
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
| Sowing and Reaping.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
A Responsibility Of Parents and Chill
dren.
!. The Wickedaess of Ell and His
Sons 2:12-1T. 27-36, wa
/. Ellis sons wv. 1917, 22). The be-
havior of these sons Is in strange con-
trast to that Of the boy Samuel. Ellis
sons we're priests and mintstered in
the things of the sanctuary, but knew
not the Lord" ". l2). q
~ Graft (vv. 12-17. This greed
was 'practiced 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 all
tar eek. 1927; Lev. 1881, S2). The
degenerate sons of Eli were not con-
tent with this, but demanded more.
and even sought to obtain 1t by fore
". 16). Moreover, they lifted =.
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. 4"
2. Eli wv. 27-36). Eli was seeming
ly a good man, but he seriously erred
before God 10 that he failed to disci.
pline his sons '(vv. 1920. 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 weak remon.
STRANGE. He was under obligation not
merely to speak against it, but should
have acted against it.
II, Ell and His Sons Punished a.:
1-1S).
They at last came to reap what
they had sown. God has appointed a
day Of judgment (Acts IBID. There
is a harvest time for the sinner as
well as for the righteous (Joel 3:13).
If one has Sown TO the wind he shall
reap the whirlwind. The Philistines
made war upon Israel and defeated
them with great slaughter. This iudg'
ment had been made known to Eli by
a "man of God'' (2:27) and Samuel
(3:11-1S). The Phlistines were in
struments in the hands Of God fol
this judgment
/. The battle with the Philistines
(vv. 1-9). The Israelites made an I'M
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 then
and to suggest that the ark be brought
from Shiloh as a defense against thu
enemy. In this they committed TIVE
blunders: ~ The elders had no RICH
to handle the ark; that belonged II
the priests. Before taking such stel
they should have sought the mind o
God, and If 1t were his will that tn
sark be brought, it should have beel
done by the priests. (2) 1t was a ST
perstitious use, of the ark, which wa
a symbol of Gods presence. They ie
norantly assumed that the presence Q
God inhered in the symbol, forgettln
that he is the living God, who has
will and purpose Of his own. and there
fore will not give countenance to tina
1 which disagrees with his holy purpos
| and will Processing Christians in thi
age commit a similar error when the
substitute the sacraments of tn
church for the presence of God in tn
soul. The earth rang out with a gree
m Shout when the ark was brought int
a the camp and the enemy was struC
3 with fear for they knew what wondel
e God had wrought in times past. !
= their desperation they made a stan
q calling upon their men to do their bes
81 With their backs to the wall thu
81 fought and won the victory.
q 2. Israers disastrous defeat wv.
= 49,. ~ The army was routed and
~ great slaughter occurred ". 100; {
y the ark of God was taken ". lO). t
. symbol of the divine presence with
a sacred memories torn from their era
~ and with 1t went Tsrael's hope;
y ELS sons slain ". 10l the very prizes
d who were the custodians of the a
= were slain; az death Of Eli the hi
y priest ". 1S). The news OF the
q feat Of the army and the death of
q sons was awful, but when he hea
q that the ark of God was taken ne d
~ inatantly 40