The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1952-08-23

strong and successful king; and If
there was evil in him, It was more
in the older man than in the young
one. The story Of how he be-
came king is too long even to re-
view here. Let us concentrate on
that eloquent little one-sentence por.
trait of him drawn for a description
of him by one of his friends when
they both were young. 1t is found in
/ Sam. 1918.
His Family and His run
THE BIG ARGUMENT for strong
d. David by his friend who was
recommending him to the king, is
that he was son of Jesse of Bethle.
hem.
"A mans family Is not an inpor-
tant fact. Men do not often reach
high places merely on the reputa-
ton Of their ancestors; but having
the right parents will make a good
start.
This Is seriously true; for q
mans heredity Is what goes
into the making of his bone and
muscle, brain and nerves. The
kind of place where q man lived
as boy, the kind Of father he
had, spells volumes about the
man, even years later.
Can we forget that David was the
son Of sheep-rancher. boy who
grew up working out of doors?
That his parents were God-fearing
people?
David's friend also mentioned his
playing the harp. No doubt David
did this as recreation; he was no
professional musician. But his avo-
cation, his spare-time enjoyment,
turned out to be the first rung on his
climb to fame. II is important to
know about any man: How does he
spend his spare time?
His Rrawn and His Brains
DAvID'S FRIEND. recommending
- him for position in the royal
court, spoke Of him as a mighty
man Of valor, and man of war"
This was an exasgeration, fer David
at that time had never seen mill
tary service, as the story In Samuel
shows.
However. 1t was a good prophecy;
and so far as the valor went. 1t had
well been proved. A man who can
take bear by the board and kill
him, may be bit rash but he Is
certainly no coward. And what
muscles that young man must have
hadl Never think Of David as little
boy when he killed Goliath the
giant; he was an athlete better than
most.
But David, unlike some ath-
letes, did not need q manager.
He was imam Of war;" or at
least the young friend who was
describing him thought he was;
and time proved him right.
Now 1t takes more than muscle to
be a successful general. Almost
anybody can be private; and a
man can rise somewhat In the ranks
on sheer brute power. But when 1t
comes to staff work, planning cam
paigns, handling large numbers OF
men and supplies, fitting everything
together like gigantic chess game
with nations at stake, that calls
organizing ability. farsightedness,
mental powers of high order.
His Face, His FIuency, His Faith
THE UNKNOWN young man whoss
4 word-picture of David we are
following, was like many young
people in mixing together items
that an older person would take up
separately. Almost in one breath
he reported that David was a good
speaker, good-looking and godly.
But the best thing about him,
his friend saved to the last,
the Lord Is with him. We make
q mistake n we think that high
Iy gifted, fortunate people can
afford to get on without God. 1t
is Just these who need God
most, n we can say that any
one person needs God more than
others.
Let US rather sag that 1t is more
important for the rest Of US that the
superior men and women among Us
be God-fearing, God-loving, God.
obeying men and women, than that
less important persons should be
so.
tCopyrfgh. 1881 By the. Division o.
Christian Eduestienl Nauopai Council
States % AmsTics Released by WNU
Features1
Office, Closes at / 100 Sat
NOTICE 80 The TRfBUNI