Evening star., 1923-05-12


hundred years or so creates a great
| man. and then breaks that mould for
ever" David was one of Gods great
men. He recognized that his emf
nence was due to the grace of
| Jehovah, whose gentleness the poet
king declared hath made me great"
! Unlike the other great historical fig
| ures that have been recognized as the
| master mind of his age. David has
ranked high In many fields OF en-
deavor Israel found in him the one
personality whose life was a per
sonification of the nation itself-the
embodiment of her qualities. the in
! carnation Of her spirit. the type of
her destiny"
No more thrilling narrative has ever
been penned than the Scripture story
of his life from shepherd boy to
sovereign. II is crowded in the sixty
one chapters. which is the largest
space given to any Old Testament
hero. with Que sensation after an
other. His whole career was marked
with events that are stranger and
more stirring than those usually pre-
sented on the stage. pictured in the
movies or found in the thrilling fic-
ton of the day.
We first hear of him as a shepherd
| who was not considered worthy of a
place at the feast that his father
made when he was surprised by the
! visit Of the aged prophet. Samuel. 10
| his home. No one of his day would
| have expected the courageous shep-
herd boy of becoming great. but God
| had selected the one whom others
would have rejected to succeed Saul,
| who had failed TO make good as a
! king. II is evident that the Lord
knew what David codld do for while
others have surpassed David in some
realms. no other person has touched
! SO many sides of life successfully and
made the record of mastery in every
! field like the son of Jesse. He was
! "A man after Gods own heart" in
! spite Of his sins. awful hlunders. and
| moral falls that marred his life.
God has His own method of pre-
pairing men for His service. His
way Of fitting men for their life
work differs radically from that OF
men. He commenced the education
OF the shepherd boy in the field
where Ruth, his grandmother. had
cleaned David watched over his
fathers f1ocks. 1t was on the same
the angels announced to other shep
herds the glad tidings Of the birth
| of one in the DaVidic line, who has
brought life and immortality to men.
that God started his training of the
boy. He planned to place him upon
the nations throne in place of Saul.
| whose courageous and strategic
leadership had unified the disorgan
! iZed. disaffeCted and demoraliZed
tribes into united nation that had
! won its place among the nations.
Saul. through his disregarding
Samuers advice. personal seltishness
and forEetfulness of God. lacked the
power to consolidate the gains he
had won for the nation.
In the open fields during the silent
nights the young shepherd came to
know God. whose reality and pres
ence had become real to him In many
Il conflict that he fought with the
wild beasts and prowIing enemies
who tried to capture some OF his
! flock The heavens sDake to his
Poetic soul Of the glory OF God and
the life in the universe testified to
His divine skill. He learned to play
listening to the music OF the birds
and the melody OF the feather chorus
who throughout the day proclaimed
Gods greatness and glory.
We, must not overlook on Moth
mother in forming under God his
character. When the young shep-
herd returned. all wornout from
watching his fathers f1ocks. she COM
forted him by her loving ministry
for the absent boy and encouraged
him to develop his musical talents
by her constructive criticism of the
songs he chanted to her listening
ear 1t was without doubt her in
Spirati"r that aroused his ambition
10 prC"r.'" roetry that would make
his name Immortal. No other mem
her of III" family appears 10 have
| sympathized much with his desires
shepherd
The outdoor life filled him with
! physical strength. developed his ac-
curacy of observation. taught him
the lessons Of prudence. promptness
! ana OF Gods protecting care at all
] times. 1t was while carving for
the sheen that his conservation took
! place at Bethlehem by the aged
Samue!. who set him apart to rule
the nation. The spirit of the Lord
came upon him from that day for
ward" Samuel had not revealed
Gods program, but the Holy Spirit
made known to the shepherd boy
the significance OF his dedication by
the seer, who was Gods appointed
king. maker. 1t was probably due
to the same overruling spirit that
he was summoned to the palace Of
| the KING TO quiet Saul's troubled
| nerves. through his musical skill.
msinister with his voice to Philip V
OF Spain. QuietinE the mental per-
turpation by the influence of music
mas been recognized in all ages
SauIs trouble was spiritual not
physical. Music NAV help cure a
mental disease and prepare the soul
! 1or the reception Of Gods spirit of
paBEao1; BaNia psaSs e7,fferad md powsr;;
physicians have who speciaIise in
mentai diseases. When he defeated
the giant champion of the Philistines,
~' p9nt 1laIubjOU OI 0I6 bIlII1fINfl
snd fn fnr 4rmS fart dhEs 4hEsB6 R6d nf dsfsd
in his sling Saul did not reeeentss eePtss
IN the hero of that unique contest
the musician whom he had appoint
physicians whose professional skill
| had restored a prominent officer of the
| world war to health. met him some
time later and he failed to recall
him or the services he had rendered
/ David put his trust in the Lord and
won the battle that resulted in his
becoming a member of the king
| family. but not until he had won his
bride through a field of blood that
| Saul had expected would result in his
death
1T was shortly after the battle with
Goliath. which we have studied ever
since our childhood. that David re-
vealed his genius for friendship. He
formed with Jonathan "a league of
friendship, which for sincerity, con-
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