Arizona republican., 1921-09-02
LAST UNION CHURCH SERV|CEOF SEASON
 HELD SUNDAY NIGHT

The last unior. church service Of the summer was held last Sunday evening at Library park, and next sunday night the various churches will resume their own services. One of the largest audiences of the hot weather period turned out for the final union meeting.
 The service was under the auspices Of the Calvary Baptist church, and the sermon was delivered by the Rev. ii. G. Behrman. who has been. acting as supply pastor of the church. The subject was "A Fools Death" the text being David's question at the bier Of Abner, Died Abner as a fool dieth?" The gist of the address fol- lows:
 "Abner was the son of Ner. the uncle of King Saul, and was selected as captain of the hosts of Israel. by virtue of which he was the keeper of the person of the king.
 called 'to very high position, given a very great responsibility, provided with splendid opportunity Tor service, Abner proved himself:
 Selfish; for when Saul became angry with David and the latter had to flee from his presence, Saul with Abner and 5000 chosen men started in pursuit of David and when night came on and the tents were pitched while Saul slept Abner slept also and David slipped into the camp and carried away the spear and cruse ot water which were at the kings side and might have easily slain Saul with his own sword, while Abner, who should have been the guardian and protector of the king, slept David crossed to mountainside and turned and called and asked Abner, Art no; thou valiant CD man? Where then Is the spear and cruse of water oi the king?'
 ''Vacillating; for he became angry upon one occasion and took Ish- boseth, one of Saurs sons, to Mana hahn and had him proclaimed king and set up a revolt against Saul, and a little while later became disgruntlec with lsh- -boseth and went back tC Saul and agreed to turn all of Ish- boseth's army over to Saul. at which | time Joab, whose brother Abner haC | slain. called Abner aside to speal quietly with him and slew him; wher | David called all the people to mourn over Abner and himself wept at th' | bier and said, Died Abner as a foo dieth? Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into letters; as mar falleth before wicked men so felles l thou
 "Presumptious; he thought h, could make and develop and carr, out a plan for his own life that woult be better than the plan which Go, had selected for him. and this cours upon the part of any man leads onl. | to sorrow and death.
 "The lessons drawn from this incl
 dent were: that there are many wh
 are like Abner:
 selfish. -centered and con
 cerned not for anyone or anything bu
 their own selfish interests and who's
 motto seems to be I get mine Go
 has dual purpose for the life C
 every human life; first that life sha
 florify the God who brought it int
 being and second that the world sha
 be made better for its coming into i
 but many are like Abner.
 "Vacillating, trying to serve Go
 and Mammon at one and the sam . time; going with the army of God on
 day and with the army of the worl
 the next. On the fence, ready to ia
 off on whichever seems to be tl
 most advantageous place-for whic
 class neither man nor God have ar
 respect. This challenge of David { Abner rings down to them, now. A thou not a valiant CD man? Afrai to come out and show yourself ar your colors-asleep on the watcf l, Where then is the king. and the king ! standard?'
 "Presumptious: think they can d ! wise and develop and carry to succei a better plan and purpose for the lives than can God. And for a whi all may seem to go well with the and their plans. sooner or later ! 1 will bring sorrow and spiritu ! death.
 "The conclusion Is there is one pa ? ticular in which all are like Alone in that he was constantly pursued l death.
 l We may, like Abner in battl
 manage to meet and escape 1t; V ] may, like he did in his experien' | with Asahael, out-run it for tim l but sooner or later, like Joab d r Abner, it will call us aside to 'spes Q quietly with us and then sudden l and most unexpectedly and unpr' Q paredly 1t will strike us down. I Died Abner as a fool dieth? I
 we want to die such a death? N r most of us are determined deep dow s in our hearts and in our subconsciol { minds constantly carry the thougl s that we will not and are saying 3 ourselves, Let me die the death
 the righteous and let my latter CT . be like his.'
 If this be our desire than we mus if we would die the death or u U righteous, make the preparation Il righteous have made, bow the will