The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-12-24
forever" VOW of fidelity which was
never broken.
DAVID TAKES BREAD AND A
SWORD

ADlmelecn was priest at NOD. DAVID
came hither in the early stages of his
flight, famished and unarmed. Anime
lech was afraid at David's coming,
probably being fully aware of the
kings desire to compass his death,
and not quite sure of the meaning Of
his sudden appearance at Mob, he
questioned him about his mission. Dav-
id gave truly diplomatic answer, as
surfing the priest that he was on a
secret mission, which was true enough
and the thing he desired to keep as
the profoundest secret was the where
abouts of his own person.
David then requested bread of Abim-
elech, who informed him that there
was no common bread at hand, but
that the hsllowed bread upon the
table might be given him if he and
his followers had been living good
lives. David gave assurance of this,
so the priest gave him hallowed bread.
Here was a new but true sacrament,
for
''The holy supper is kept indeed
In whatso we share with another's
need"
1t SO happened that Doeg, Sauls
chief herdsman, was there that day. He
marked all that was done and has
tened to report it to his master.
The second great need of David that
day was a weapon, for he had left
without sword or spear. Appealing
once more to Abimelech he inquired
whether any weapon were in or about
the holy place, giving as an excuse
for his lack of equipment that the
kings business required haste. Truly
it did! The priest came once more
to the rescue, this time with the sword
of Goliath of Gath, whom David had
slain in the Valley of Elath. Since that
day it had hung, wrapped in cloth,
behind the Ephod.
Said Abimelech, eff thou wilt take
that, take it, for there is no other save
that here" And David said: "There
is none like that; give it me-"
Thus provided with bread from off
the altar, and a sword from behind
the Ephod, the noble young warrior
went on his way a fugitive from Saul.
He found sanctuary with Achish,
the king of Gath. But the followers of
Achish knew him, and recalled his
proves in battle with their armies,
and the foolish song of victory which
the women of Israel sang upon the
occasion of Goliath's overthrow. They
were ready to demand his life, when
he adopted a trick common in mod
ern times as method used by crimi-
nails to avoid punishment for their
crimes. David pretended to be insane,
as he was sore afraid of Achish. He
cunningly changed his behavior be-
fore the people, feigned himself mad
and scrubbed on the doors of the
gate, and let his spittle run down
upon his beard. There were no alien
lists in the Court of Achish, and the
king was convinced that his SER
wants had brought an insane person
before him for judgment. He there
fore addressed David's accusers: "Lo,
we see the man is mad: wherefore
then have We brought him to me? Have
1 need of mad men, that ye have
brought this fellow to play the mad
man in my presence? Shall this fell
low come into my house,"
Even savages have shown much con-
sideration for the demented. So it
happened that when the King of the
Philistines accepted as bona fide this
strange behavior on the part of Da-
vid, and declared him to be a mad
man, he was permitted to go his way,
protected by his supposed affection.
He lost no time in making good his
escape, fastening to the cave Of Adult
lam, where he was shortly joined by
his brethren and other close relatives,
all full of sympathy for his sad plight.