Evening star., 1924-03-08
BY REV. HUGH II. STEVENSON.
THE REIGN OF SAUL Sam
uel, ST.; 1876.
Golden Text to obey
Is better than sacrifice-I Sam
uel, 1922

Lloyd George declared in one of
| his speeches, delivered during his re-
! cent tour of America, that "democ-
racy is rapidly disappearing from
Europe History repeats itself so
that men have predicted that Amer
! lea would cease some day to be re-
public. If our country ever ceases to
be "a government of the people, for
the people and by the people, it will
, come in an hour when the nation has
become discouraged by the evidence
OF corruption in high places and, filled
with fear, they will seek, as Israel
did in the days of Samuel, for king
like other nations. In the hour of
peril strong centralized government
usually is required to fully protect
the interests of the imperiled nation.
1t was just such an hour that the
! tribes of Israel requested of the ven-
cradle Samuel that they have king.
Samuers sons had proven them
selves unfit assistants to their father,
for their decisions had been sold for
a price. The elders tried to be diplo-
matte by suggesting to Samuel that
he should retire on account of his
age and the oppression of the Philis-
tines, who had again established gar
riSons in the possessions of Israel, so
they called for a military leader who
would have the confidence of the ma
ton, which his corrupt sons lacked
The real reason was that their hearts
were turned from the Lord and they
were serving other gods. Worldll-
ness had crept into their lives so that
they wished to have a government of
more pomp and ceremony, whose
| fighting forces would be protection
against the people becoming mere
servile race, Samuefs efforts Tor
| unity may have encouraged their re-
quest. for the nation had been divided
by the tribal jealousies.' The govern
ment had been tribal. which had
tendency to. promote differences. dlS-
cord and divisions between the tribes
and resulted in their being subject to
oppression from other nations. Thelr
spiritual weakness resulted in politi-
cal weakness. "A weak, fearful peo-
pie can never he a fear people.
Samuel was filled with grief because
he considered the request for king
reflection upon his administration.
| He advised against il for he knew
that the trouble was due to the spir-
itual failure upon the nations part
Change of the form of government
would not secure the new era which
they sought. The venerable leader
presented the problem to the Lord,
who oomforted His servant by point
ing out that the nation had not re-
jected Samueps leadership. but the
Lord, in requesting king. While
racy in the development OF Israel, He
did not force His will upon them for
He advised Samuel in selecting the
new king.
SauI'S Reign.
Saul Il prosperous farmer Of the
tribe of benjamin, met the physical
and personal requirements, so he was
chosen to be the nations first king.
When Samuel informed the son of
Kish of his selection and anointed
him, after he had spent the night with
Samuel as his honored guest, the mod
est man evidently doubted the aged
prophet Samuel gave Saul three
signs that confirmed in an unmistak-
able manner the prophecy of the aged
Judge who revealed his greatness by
resigning in favor of Saul. as king.
He did all in his power to make Sauls
reign "A complete success.
The brave. chiyalrous and generous
Saul did not proclaim his selection to
the nation. He kept his own counsel
and waited for further development
of the Lords purpose.
The invasion of the rowing, robbing
hand of Ammonites under Nahash,
their king, and the insulting and
atrocious proposal that they sent to
the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead.
threatening them with the loss of
their right eyes il the place was not
surrendered within week. aroused
Saul to action. He summoned a
manner that resulted in the assem-
blying of about 100000 men equipped
with agricultural Implements. as
there were only two swords in the
land. one possessed by Saul and the
other by his son Jonathan. He or
ganiZed them into three bands. and
by his courage and vigorous action
completely defeated the sleeping foe,
Ia H.. I.a. % antr r.A.t h.
sides.
Samuel took advantage OF Saul's
success to summon the nation for the
election of a king. The choice fell
physical fitness was apparent by his
heroic figure and whose ability to
lead had been demonstrated in the
campaign that he had won against
the Ammonites at JabeshG afo,a Gilead;
by the peoples prayer, May the
king live" retired TO his home. fol-
lowed by band of men whose hearts
God had touched. The success of
Saul's reign was due in no small de-
gree to the SUPPORT given the man
whom God had called, Samuel con-
secrated and the nation elected to be
their first king.
While the passage assigned for spe-
cial study points out the failure of
Saul, which can all be traced to his
disc obedience, men recalling SauPS
sacrilegious sacrifice. sparing of
Agag, cruelty to David and his ap-
peal to the witch of Endor. ending
with the taking of his own life. have
seldom given Saul the position that
his career calls for from impartial
historians. He found the nation vir-
tually all under the control of the
Philistines. without an army or funds
with which to equip the men for bat
tie. He left it as a result of his seven
campaigns and executive ability
united nation, with a well equipped
army and the national life establish
ed upon n good financial foundation.
In fact, the success of David and the
foundation of the nations life that
Saul laid.
No one who studies Saurs career but
what will see that the great-hearted
BIBIE STUDENTS.