PART II: 

THE STORY OF THE JUDGES (INCLUDING THAT OF SAMUEL, "THE LAST OF THE JUDGES") 

Lecture to the Teacher 

Let me earnestly advise the teacher, before beginning the teaching of this Book, to spend at least a week of his spare time in reading and re-reading it again and again, and, if possible, with the help of such books as Stanley's Jewish Church, until he has acquired a thorough grasp of its history, and entered, at least in some degree, into its spirit. It will well repay the trouble spent on it. It is not the most important or the most edifying, but it will be the teacher's fault if it is not the most fascinating part of the whole Jewish history. There is absolutely no excuse for a dull lesson in teaching this Book of Judges. 

I 

First of all, the heroes are so intensely human, and so much at our own level, that we cannot help being in sympathy with them. Moses and Joshua we had to admire from afar; they seemed immeasurably above us in the nobleness of their characters. But here we have a set of rough, impulsive, passionate men, not half civilized, not half sanctified, and yet used by God as the champions and saviours of His people. Perhaps it is that we are encouraged for ourselves by the fact of God's using such men--perhaps it is that we can the better understand them on account of their very faults and defects--perhaps it is that some of us have an innate liking for impulsiveness and adventure such as puts us in touch with the freaks of a wild, good- natured, mischievous schoolboy, even in things for which we blame him. Whatever the cause, there is a freshness and interest about these heroes of the Book of Judges that is bound to lay hold on us, if we only take the trouble of understanding them, and entering into their circumstances. And, besides this interest, arising from sympathy with the heroes, there is a deep source of interest in the story itself. It is as full of stirring romance as any story of chivalry in the middle ages. Stories of sore oppression--of brutal tyranny--of heroes rising to right the wrong--of stern patriot- soldiers dashing themselves against forces ten times their number, eager to sweep the oppressor from the earth. Think of a boy's delight in deeds of heroism and adventure; in the stories of Marryat, and Ballantyne, and Henty. Why, none of them have such magnificent opportunities as you have in this story of gratifying it to the full. Think of Gideon's night march, and the stratagem of the pitchers--think of the tragic pathos of Jephthah's meeting with his daughter--think of Deborah, like another Joan of Arc, rousing her people to wild enthusiasm for liberty--think of the big, mischievous giant with the gates of Gaza on his back, laughing to himself at the surprise of the thick-headed Philistines whom he had outwitted. 

No part of the Bible gives such scope for vivid word-pictures. The book is crammed full of them. There is no history in the world more full of colour, and romance, and stirring incident than this piece of old-world lore which you are teaching. Let no teacher say, "I have not the power of picturing." It is mainly a question of taking trouble about it. No doubt, some have keener sympathies and quicker imaginative powers than others; but there is no one who will take the trouble of entering into this history, and trying to put himself in the place of its heroes and its sufferers, who can fail altogether to impart some of its spirit. 

Perhaps it will be said that this seems rather a secular way to talk about the Bible. You must get rid of all such prejudice. The chief trouble with every teacher is the difficulty of keeping his class interested in the Bible. The chief object, of course, is the spiritual teaching; but the story is the medium through which that teaching is given. Rousing the interest is but a preliminary to your main object of moving the heart; but it is an important--almost indispensable--preliminary. Be very sure that it is not waste of time to spend days in preparing to excite to the utmost the interest of your class. Be very sure that the more closely they are in sympathy with the story that God has inspired for them, the more likely they are to get hold of the spiritual teaching for which God inspired it. 

II 

Try to get a clear view of the circumstances and surroundings as you find them stated in ch. i. to iii. v. 6, which we may call the "Introduction to the Book." 

The history proper begins at ch. iii. 7, and the Book would gain much in clearness by a division, or a broad, definite mark of some kind, just at that point. The introduction (i.e., ch. i.-iii. 6) states the position of things at the beginning of the history; and a very unsatisfactory position of things it is. 

Probably, in reading of the conquest by Joshua, the class may have been so impressed by his success as to fancy the conquest entirely complete. If so, they get rather startled to find now the old inhabitants holding many of the strongest positions. As we reach ch. i. vv. 19-34, we find almost every tribe, instead of having completed the conquest of its lands, dwelling in the very midst of the enemy, and leaving in its hands most important strongholds. Turn back to Joshua (ch. xvi. 10-xvii. 11-13, &c.). We find Joshua's campaign had given the tribes their allotted possessions, but it had left them to complete the conquest themselves by utterly driving out the defeated inhabitants. This they could have done, and they did not (see ch. i. 28-33--ch. ii. 2). Hence the whole trouble. After Joshua's death they became corrupted and weakened in the midst of the idolaters. There was no central authority when the old chief was gone; and a reign of anarchy and utter selfishness set in. It was a case of every tribe for itself, and every man doing that which was right in his own eyes; and the inevitable result followed, that in many cases the heathen grew strong, and regained the upper hand, and mightily oppressed Israel. 

III 

Now try to get right and sensible views about the heroes of the history. Do not try to show them up as faultless saints, or to ignore grave evil in their characters. But try to show God working in the midst of their evil, helping them to be better men, and strengthening them to do noble work. Show the good in them in so far as you can see it yourself, but no further. Above all things, be real in dealing with Scripture. Most certainly those rough, impulsive, passionate heroes did not possess all the virtues included in our high ideal of godliness. But perhaps their very imperfections bring out the more clearly the virtues which they did possess-- courage and self-sacrifice, and strong, deep faith in God. Show that God made allowances for the times in which they lived. Theirs was a dar and evil age. They had some teaching about religion, but very little as compared with us. They knew not of the higher teaching of Christ. They never heard or read the Sermon on the Mount; and, therefore, though we are quite right in condemning many of their actions, we must remember that they would have to be judged more gently than ourselves. "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them." 

IV 

Last of all and most important of all impress upon yourself the main lesson of the Book, repeated in every fresh episode of oppression or deliverance:-- 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SINNED AGAINST THE LORD, 
AND THE LORD DELIVERED THEM INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. 
THEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED UNTO THE LORD, 
AND THE LORD RAISED THEM UP A DELIVERER. 

Over and over again we go through that unvarying round of sinning, and punishment, and repenting, and deliverance, and sinning and punishment, and repenting and deliverance, till we can scare help seeing the double lesson which, by means of it, the Israelites were intended to learn--that while the Lord our God is a jealous God, unfailingly punishing the wrong, yet the Lord our God is a merciful God, unfailingly forgiving "all them that are penitent." I think it would be well, at the beginning of every Lesson, to make the class repeat and keep in mind this main lesson of the Book. What is necessary to be said as to the moral difficulties has been already said in the Introduction to Lessons on Joshua.

Lesson I 

SINNING AND PUNISHMENT, AND REPENTING AND DELIVERANCE 

Judges II. 

This is really a Lesson on the "Introduction of the Book" (ch. i.- iii. 6). It is more a preparation for the other Lessons than a Lesson itself; but the interest of the other Lessons will be considerably marred by any want of success in teaching this. Read carefully beforehand the "Lecture to the Teacher." It is mainly the substance of it that needs here to be taught. 

The reasons for taking ch. ii. 1-7, as a retrospect of the historian, going back to Joshua's lifetime, will be found in any good commentary. 

Read Chap. ii. We finished in last Lesson the story of Joshua and his wonderful conquest of western Palestine. All troubles seemed over. Victory, success, prosperity gained. Now, at beginning of this Book, what do you think of the position of the people-- prosperous? successful? victorious? happy? No. Why? What has happened? What had been the command, and how obeyed? (v. 2). (Explain. Joshua's conquest not entirely complete. The tribes had each to complete it by driving out the conquered remnant, lest they should be corrupted by them. They were ordered to do so, and able to do so, but did not, and so got corrupted, and finally the old races began to get the upper hand, and mightily oppressed Israel. Teacher read ch. i. 27-34. Emphasize the disobedience. Point out in v. 28 that they preferred getting tribute to obeying God. Examine and comment on the whole of Chap. ii.) Now, all repeat these four words: Sinning, Punishment, Repenting, Deliverance. Everyone know them by heart? What first? Sinning. And after Sinning? And after Punishment? And after Repenting? Now, the whole story of the Book of Judges is about these four words. Every story is a story of these four words. Begin to-day with--

* 1. Sinning.

The history does not really begin until ch. iii. 7. All this previous part (ch. i.--iii. 6) is introductory, telling of the condition of the land and the people. (Draw a pencil line in each pupil's Bible at end of iii. 6.) In ch. i. the historian tells how they allowed the heathen to remain. And here, ch. ii., he is going back to tell of warning by an angel, even in Joshua's lifetime. What was it? How did the people receive it? Remember Joshua's warning, too, before he died? How they received it? (Josh. xxiv.) Did they try to obey? How long? (v. 7). See the influence of a good man. Then what happened? (v. 10). How did evil begin? Not doing what God told them. What? Keep separate from and drive away the wicked natives. Throw down their altars and idols. Why? Why would a father tell his childen to keep from bad company? Same reason here. God wanted Israelites to be good and holy, to preserve His teaching for all the world. If they got bad, could they help others to be good? Could you? Now see result. They stayed in bad company, ate, and drank, and married with them, went to their idol feasts, worshipped idols, shared in their abominable sins, and forsook God (v. 12). Did God deserve to be forsaken? Be very careful about bad company. It may be pleasant at first; but it is grieving God, therefore you should keep clear of it. It will as surely defile you and make you bad as it did the Israelites.

* 2. Punishment.

Now, our second word--what always follows sin? Punishment, God's displeasure. He hates sin with awful hatred. He is so pure and holy. He knows the misery and shame it brings on men, and how it separates them from Him. He must, if it be possible, drive men from it. Why? For His own advantage? No. For their good. If a father cannot keep his child from wrongdoing by love, what must he do? Punish. Ought he to punish? For his own good? No. So God has attached certain punishments to sin. If a child has the habit of stealing or lying, what is God's punishment? No one will trust him. If he neglects to learn? Spoils his future. So other sins. Besides other punishment, there is always the pain of conscience, like God's rod, to make you smart for wrong. (Explain what conscience is--help them to realize. See Lesson on Achan, p. 44.) Why does God attach punishment to sin? How punished Israelites? Took away His help from them--left them to themselves. The Canaanites conquered them, and oppressed them--awful suffering. Do you think they deserved it? Why?

* 3. Repenting.

What after punishment? Then they were very wretched (v. 15). Greatly distressed. They were taxed, and robbed, and murdered. Farmer grew crops and reared cattle--then taken by force from him. No pity for them--they had to hide in caves and dens--utterly crushed, no friend, no helper. Whose fault? Yes. They had forsaken their great Friend and Helper, and He had to let them suffer for their own good.

At last, in their utter misery they cry out to Him. (See ch. iii. 9, 15, &c.) Sometimes only misery makes sinners do that, e.g., Prodigal Son. One reason of the world's misery, to make people cry to God. Israelites wretched: no one else to cry to. So they try in despair if God will hear. "O God, forgive us, we are ashamed to ask--we hve been very bad--we deserve nothing but punishment--but we have no one else to come to, and we are awfully miserable!" Did they deserve that God should hear? But, oh! He is good. There is no limit to the loving-kindness of God. What comes after repenting? Repeat the four words again.

* 4. Deliverance.

God cannot bear to let them suffer. "Like as a father pitieth" (Ps. ciii. 13). You know how father or mother would feel if child were in terrible pain. Even if it were child's own fault. God is better than any father or mother. His heart is sore for us even when He makes us suffer. And if we only turn and cry to Him, and ask Him to help us and make us good, He tells us what He will do. What? Remember Prodigal Son. Now, see v. 16. He delivered them, and, perhaps, He hoped they would keep their promise now, and try to be good. Did they? (v. 17). Oh, how many disappointments God gets. People say, "O God, help me, and I'll try to be good." Sometimes they do. Great pleasure to God. Often they do not. Great disappointment to Him. If people treated a man--a king on earth-- like that, would he not be very angry? Would he ever help them again? Oh! we never can understand how wonderfully good God is. Again they sinned, and He punished them, and again they cried out in sorrow and pain, and He delivered them. Over, and over, and over again, until anybody but God would have been utterly disgusted and enraged with them. But he never tired of waiting and helping. That is just like God always. That was why our Saviour died for us, though we deserved to die. He could not bear to let us.

"For the love of God is broader than the limits of man's mind And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind."

Now, learn this TWO-FOLD LESSON of the Book of Judges. We shall want to say it by heart before each of the Lessons following. It belongs to all of them.

TWO-FOLD LESSON.

The Children of Israel Sinned, and were Punished.
The Children of Israel Repented, and were Delivered.

Questions for Lesson I

Repeat the two-fold lesson which gives the central teaching of this book.
Show how this same thing is true nowadays.
Why, do you think, does God attach punishment to sin?
If Joshua had already conquered Palestine why all this fighting now?
What do you think of these heroes in the Book of Judges?
Point out the good and the evil in their characters.
What allowance should we make for them?
Could we Christians make such allowance for bad in ourselves? Why not?

Lesson II.

FOUR DELIVERANCES

Judges III. 7-15, and v. 31; IV. 1-15.

The main subject of Lesson is the Battle of Mount Tabor--Only rough outline here, but the teacher who is capable of enthusiasm over his subject could make it a most thrilling lesson. Use map. A rough pencilled plan of the battle, where possible, would add to the interest. Consult Stanley's Jewish Church, and Thomson's The Land and the Book. Show the river Kishon, and the mountain streams that led to the catastrophe.

The storm of rain is not directly mentioned. Josephus tells of it (Ant. v. 5, * 4). Deborah, in ch. v. 20-22, exults that the heavens and the stars had fought against Sisera; and her graphic picture of the swelling river and the plunging horses makes it a very probable explanation.

With senior classes teach more fully the closing thought in Lesson, God's gradual progressive REvelation. It will be a great help in the moral difficulting of Old Testament.

Remember last Lesson? What was state of the Israelites? Whose fault was it? How? Now each of the class repeat carefully the "Two-fold Lesson of the Book." (See end of last Lesson.) To-day we have four examples of this. (1) Othniel. (Teacher read iii. 7-11: notice how soon after Joshua's death, see ch. i. 13.) (2) Ehud. Read iii. 12- 16, then very briefly sketch the story: compare his raising the people, vv. 27, 28, with Alfred the Great raising the Saxons in time of Danish rule. (3) Shamgar. Know nothing of him except ch. v. 6. (4) Deborah, now to be discussed in ch. iv. -- Now whole class together repeat the "Two-fold Lesson," as above, and name these first four deliverers? From what nations did each deliver?

* 1. Deborah.

To-day story of Deborah. Remark that ch. iv. and v. are the same story in prose and poetry. (Read ch. iv.; try by a few passing comments to keep the connection clear, and keep up the interest while reading. Then go back to the beginning of chapter.) How often already the sinning and repenting? Now it is all beginning again. From whom had Ehud delivered? How long did they keep right? Who was new oppressor? Was he powerful? (v. 3). Ever hear of Jabin and of his famous chariots before? (Josh. xi. Chariots, vv. 4 and 9.) What Jabin's position then? and now? He mightily oppressed (v. 3); see ch. v. 6, 7, 8. People had to hide in the hills and forests, dared not go on public road--would be killed, robbed, ill-treated. (See last Lesson.) Terrible trouble again, had brought it all on themselves. What do? (v. 3). Yes, only when in trouble they cried to Him. How wonderful that He should listen, that He should not have been utterly wearied of them! See how He delivered them.

Ever hear in English history of King Charles' Oak? Here we have Denorah's Palm tree. A great, good woman, great influence. Cases brought to be tried by her. Think of her years of anxious thought-- of prayer--of advice and warning to the many who came to her--of comforting and encouraging them to trust in their God. She was a prophetess teaching them about Jehovah. At last she began to see that the time of deliverance was near. How? Perhaps God taught it to her. Perhaps she saw great sorrow and repentance, and crying to God everywhere, and knew that He would surely hear. At any rate, she began rousing the people. Very like Joan of Arc, in France.--France helpless, nearly conquered, King and generals had given up; but Joan, a poor, praying girl, roused them to high excitement of patriotism, and won many battles. The soldiers would do anything for her. Wonderful what earnestness and enthusiasm and faith can do. The people crowded to Deborah (ch. v. 9, 13, 14, 15). From Zebulun, from Naphtali, the warriors gathered in--the chiefs of Issachar, the bands of Ephraim and Manasseh, the crowding troops of Benjamin, rich and poor, high and low, "they that sat on rich carpets of state"--"they that humbly walked by the way," all crowding on to the great muster- place of Mount Tabor. High enthusiasm and courage and hope--a little before in their terror they dare not face a Canaanite, dare not walk on highway. But now Deborah was with them, and they knew God was with Deborah. She had sent for the great warrior Barak, to lead them, and eagerly they looked forward to battle with the foe.

* 2. The Battle of Mount Tabor.

Soon Sisera heard of the rising. He dwelt where? (v. 2). Harosheth of the Gentiles, which probably means the Factory or Forge-place of the Peoples, perhaps where the great iron chariots were made. He determined to crush rebellion at once. Out from Harosheth swept his mighty host, his prancing horses, his 900 chariots--a grand array, with banners and spears they swept along the plain. On the plain was the best place for chariots to fight. Therefore, Israel kept to the hills. Beside the river Kishon he pitched his camp. Israelites watching on the hills. They see the river running by the camp, and the mountain-streams running to the river, and the great host of warriors beside them. Dare they come down within reach of these terrible chariots? Suddenly the sky darkens, clouds break, rain pours. All day long the driving rain continues. Ha! in a moment Deborah sees it. The river is rising, the streams are swelling: soon the whole plain will be flooded and soft. "Up, up!" she cries to Barak; "sweep down on the foe. The Lord has delivered Sisera into thy hands!" And down he charged with his 10,000 warriors. No longer any dread of the terrible chariots; the horses were plunging madly; the chariots were sinking in the soft ground; the river was rising; the foe was defeated before ever the warriors of Barak got down. Listen to Deborah's shout of exultation (ch. v. 21, 22):--

"The torrent of Kishon swept them away,
The ancient torrent, the torrent of Kishon,
'Mid the stamping of the hoofs of their horses,
In the plungings and the plungings of their mighty ones."

An interesting illustration is the other battle of Mount Tabor, A.D. 1799, where many of the Turkish soldiers were drowned and swept off by the Kishon.

Awful and utter was the ruin of Canaanites. So complete that centuries afterwards it was remembered in the national hymns as the terrible destruction of Endor (see. Ps. lxxxiii. 9, 10).

Israel was completely delivered again. By whom? Deborah? Barak? The Israelite soldiers? No, by God, who used them. See Deborah's own opinion (ch. v. 2, 3). They did their part--that is how God usually works--by means of men. But they were weak and untrained-- without proper weapons (ch. v. 8)--cowed by long years of oppression-- dared not even walk on the highways openly (v. 6), much less attack their mighty Canaanite masters. But they had cried unto the Lord; and with Him on their side weakness did not matter. See Heb. xi. 34. Out of weakness made strong, &c. Remember it is not only in Bible history such things happen. The Reformation; the abolition of the slave-trade; the crusade against drunkenness, &c. A few weak men had to fight overwhelming odds; but the odds did not matter. God was with them. They could not fail to conquer. In your school life or business life there may be a mighty evil. Bad tone in school, lying and dishonourable conduct, &c. You feel it hopeless to try to put it right. Do not be hopeless. It is God's battle, not yours. Get one or two to be on your side. Let them get others. Pray--strive--be enthusiastic about it, like Deborah, and you, too, must win. Let that be your rule in all your life, and God will fight with you, and make the world purer, and brighter, and happier, by means of you.

* 3. Jael and Sisera.

Only just time to say a few words about Sisera. He fled out of his entangled chariot to the tent of Jael. She, too, hated the oppressor, and sympathized with the poor Israelites. And so, when he was fast asleep in her tent, she stole softly and drove the great tent pin through his skull. Was it a good act or evil? Try to get the honest judgment of the child's conscience. Well, it was partly good and greatly evil; and we must make much allowance for the evil because of the ignorance. It would be a very wicked thing for us to do, because we know God's will more perfectly. She was but a poor ignorant Arab woman. She knew no better. She had not the teaching of our Lord, as we have. And because she, in her ignorance, meant to do good for the oppressed Israelites, and risked her life to destroy the oppressors and because she did not see the wrong, all allowance must be made for her. If anybody, honestly intending to do God's will, does in mistake that which is not God's will, God will make a great deal of allowance for his ignorance. God's kind grace will disentangle the good from the evil in the mingled web of our service. If Jael had known the teaching of Christ, as we do, her act would have been a wicked, unpardonable treachery. If Deborah had known the teaching of Christ, she could never have blessed or approved of the deed. But they lived in dark times of imperfect knowledge of God. The world like a great school--God's teaching gradual, as men could bear it. Jael and Deborah were only in the lower classes of the great school of God, but were doing their best in their lower class. (See next Lesson for fuller treatment of the blessing on Jael.)

Questions for Lesson II

Repeat again the two-fold lesson.
Who were oppressing Israel now?
Name of the great battle in this lesson?
Who were: (1) Deborah, (2) Barak, (3) Sisera, (4) Jael?
Try to make word-picture of the battle of Mt. Tabor.
  (a) The rising of oppressed Israel.
  (b) The coming of Sisera.
  (c) The enemy's army on plains.
  (d) The storm.
  (e) Barak and his men charging down upon the foe.
Why did the enemy keep on the plains?
How did the great rainstorm destroy this advantage?
Who really delivered Israel?

Lesson III

DEBORAH'S SONG OF PRAISE

Judges V.

It is almost impossible for any teacher really to do justice to this splendid ode, so vividly dramatic--so full of passion, and fire, and high poetic genius. But if the teacher will study it deeply, and try to enter into its spirit, until it lays hold of him, and rouses him to feel--then, even if he cannot express the half of his feelings, he will, at least, make the class feel in some degree too. It seems best to divide the songs into sections for teaching, e.g.:--I. The Prelude of Thanksgiving to God, who has roused the leaders, and has delivered from such misery (vv. 1-8). II. The Gathering of the Heroes (vv. 8-19). III. The Recreants (vv. 16-18). IV. The Battle and the Flight (vv. 19-23). V. The Blessing of Jael (vv. 24-31).

Indicate this division as you read. I should advise that this chapter be read by the teacher for the class; otherwise there is danger that much of the spirit and vivid colouring of the poem will be lost. If possible, use the Revised Version, where it is printed as poetry. Tell the children your divisions and the titles of them as you read.

With regard to the Blessing of Jael, with all who are old enough to understand it, and to feel the recoil of conscience against it, teach it carefully and deliberately. Don't speak of any moral difficulty in it. Simply criticize the words of Jael and the blessing by Deborah as you would the acts and the words of Gideon, or Jephthah, or Samson. Be especially careful not to leave the impression that the Bible declares God's approval and blessing of an act from which the conscience of almost every child old enough to understand it will probably recoil.

The main lessons of the Song are--The duty of thanksgiving; the nobleness of self-sacrifice; and the meanness and wrong of selfish indifference. Especially be careful to close with the thought of Him who was the grandest example of self-sacrifice for others.

* 1. Thanksgiving.

Remind and question briefly about previous Lesson leading up to the thought of what God had accomplished.

Ask, who accomplished the deliverance? Deborah? Barak? What did they themselves think? (v. 2). And so they recognized duty of thanking God for it. They thanked Him for the avenging of Israel; for the willingness of the people; for the old deliverance of Israel from Egypt (vv. 4, 5); for the rescuing of the poor and oppressed now from their wretchedness (vv. 6-8). And their thankfulness so great that they wanted all to learn it. Made a stirring song--most effective way of teaching--sung before the army--all soon learnt it. Remember a similar thing before? (Exod. xv.) Deborah calls on the people to--what? (v. 2). Sets example herself (v. 3). She goes on praising the courage, the patriotism, the faithfulness of the people; but (see v. 9) it is all something to thank God for. God is everything to her. All good comes from Him. All the good in men was put in their hearts by Him. Praise the Lord, she sings; bless ye the Lord for it all. See that spirit through the psalms. What do we learn first from Deborah's song? Thanksgiving. We have all so many things to thank God for. Tell me some? Health, home, father, mother, food, clothes, play, friends. Remember all are God's gifts-- e.g. harvest. Ten seeds put in the ground and covered. Farmer goes away. Finds 100 when he comes to harvest time. Where did the other ninety come from? Point out our utter dependence. Every harvest the world within a few months of starvation; could not live six months if God kept back His gift one year. What would it be if God forgot it all, or kept it all back for one year? But He does not. He never forgets us. "Oh, that men would therefore praise the Lord for His goodness, and declare the wonders that He doeth for the children of men" (Ps. cvii 15). Health, and strength, and happiness, and home, and friends, and all the blessings of this life, are God's gifts, and, above all His inestimable love, in the redemption of the world. Yet we seldom thank Him. We can thank anybody else but God, and love anybody else when good to us. We don't trouble to thank God. It would pain us to be so treated. Does it not pain God? Deborah will not pain Him thus. With glad heart she leads the people to offer their earnest thanks to Him.

* 2. The Gathering of the Heroes (vv. 8-16).

But she is glad and thankful also for the heroes who left their homes and farms to fight for their nation. Who? (vv. 14, 15, 18). There are always brave, unselfish men who will risk much for God and for their neighbours. These came with their lives in their hands. Who puts in us the thoughts and impulses of courage and self-sacrifice? The Holy Spirit. So Deborah thanks God, but also is full of admiration for the men who "jeoparded their lives to the death." Does God care much whether we are brave and unselfish? Can you follow example of Dehorah's heroes? How? Battle? Perhaps so, by- and-by. But now? He who does things unpleasant to him for others' sake. Who bears being laughed at when he could escape it. Teacher can easily explain and illustrate, keeping in mind that self- sacrifice is the quality that gives nobleness to such cats. Tell of the heroism and self-sacrifice in the terrible fight with Germany. Especially try to help to manly thoughts of religion--that daring and self-sacrifice are grand in God's sight.

*3. The Recreants (vv. 16, 17, 23).

But all are not heroes. The warrior prophetess has no words too strong to express her indignant contempt for the selfish, cowardly, sneaking creatures who "came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty." Name them? Why not come? Cared more for their own wretched little selves. Reuben, after doubting and hesitating, stayed where he was, and left his brethren to fight and die without him. Gilead thought about their flocks and their pastures; Dan and Asher about their ships, and fishing, and merchandise. There are always the selfish and indifferent, to whom gain and worldly interest are higher things than duty and nobleness. There are always boys and girls who will not help another or share with another. Always men and women who care only for pleasure and money, and let the heathen abroad, and the poor destitute at home, shift for themselves as they can. The Lord wants all their help against the mighty sins and sorrows of life; but they care only for self. They "come not to the
help of the Lord," &c. (v. 23). Repeat Deborah's awful words about them (v. 23). How utterly God hates that sin of selfish indifference. There are few sins worse than that.

*4. The Blessing of Jael.

Even Jael, with her brave, cruel deed, seems grand in comparison with these selfish cowards. Cursed shall they be (v. 23); but blessed shall she be who, alone and unaided, with her weak woman's hand, accomplished that in which they so shamefully failed. She ran terrible risk for herself, and her family. She dared much for no gain to herself, but to deliver Israel from the tyrant's yoke; and there was much in that to praise her for. Even in recent times, in the terrible days of the French Revolution, when a fierce, brutal tyrant was sending hundreds of innocent people to the scaffold, a brave woman, Charlotte Corday, determined to rid her country of his presence, and at the cost of her life crept stealthily into his house and stabbed him in his bath. No one blames her. Many praise her. But are we bound to give our approval to Jael's act? No. Does the Bible say that God blessed her for it? No. What does it say? That Deborah, a great warrior queen, like Boadicea of old, blessed her for
her courage and self-sacrifice. Deborah was a great and noble woman, and even a prophetess who taught the people. God used her and helped her like the other Judges, and delivered Israel by means of her; but she lived in dark times, of imperfect knowledge of God; and in her enthusiastic admiration of Jael's courage and self-sacrifice she did not see the evil in Jael's deed.

Try to close by briefly recalling the main lessons of the chapter: I.  The duty of thanksgiving. II. The grandeur of self-sacrifice for the sake of others. Close with this question:--For what is our greatest thanksgiving due? and Who is the grandest example of self-sacrifice for other? Ah! He did no think about Himself or His own comfort. He never thought of that from cradle to cross. He laid down His beautiful, self-forgetting life for the sake of the very people who pursued Him to His death.

Questions for Lesson III

Is this chapter prose or poetry?

Who composed it?

Who did she think had delivered Israel?

How do you know? (v. 2)

How does she praise the heroes who fought for God and their country?

Did all fight who ought? Why?

What does the song say of them?

Repeat the verse, "Curse ye Meroz," etc.

What does it teach in our day?

What did Jael do? Was it right or wrong or both? Explain.

Lesson IV

GIDEON--CALLED OF GOD

Judges VI.

This chapter is too long for the class to read. Teacher should read it pretty rapidly for them, dividing it for easier comprehension into sections--1. The Oppressors (vv. 1-7). 2. The Prophet (vv. 7-11). 3. The Angel's Message (vv. 11-25). 4. The Reformer (vv. 25-33). 5. The Deliverer (vv. 33-40). Explanation about Midian (vv. 1-7) should be brief, but forcible and clear.

*1. The Oppression.

Repeat again the "Two-fold Lesson." Exemplified again (v. 1). Who oppressors now? Yes. These Arabian tribes, with two kings, Zebah and Zalmunna (ch. viii. 5), two chiefs, Oreb and Zeeb--i.e., Raven and Wolf (ch. vii. 25). Illustrate from names in Indian tribes.  Fine opportunity of vivid word-pictures. Arab tribes of the desert, fleet Arab horses and camels, countless host, like locusts in the valley (ch. vii. 12). Great splendour of robes and gold ornaments (ch. viii. 26). Awful tyranny, not only wanted the plunder, but hated Israel with deadly hatred. Why? Ever hear of them before? (Numbers xxii. 7, ch. xxv., especially vv. 17, 18; xxxi, 7, 8). Yes, Balaam could not curse Israel for them; but he showed them how to make Israel do wrong, and God punished Israel awfully for it; and then they in return warred against Midian, and nearly destroyed them. So Midian hated them greatly, and oppressed them terribly. How long? (v. 1). What did they do? Every year at harvest-time crowded in to seize the harvests and the cattle, and the wretched Israelites were starving. Did they resist? What did they do? (v. 2). Yes, hid themselves like rats in their holes. Why so afraid? Were they not as many as in Deborah's time, when they conquered the Canaanites? Why so afraid now? Because they had sinned against God till they had lost His approval and His help. That is what makes cowards. That is what takes the heart and enthusiasm out of men. What is the only hope in such a case? (v. 6). Year after year passed. Seven harvests were plundered. And then at last cried unto the Lord. How could they presume to do it after treating God so? They had learned one thing, at least--that though God hated sin, and had to punish terribly, yet He was always longing to see them repent and be forgiven.

*2. The Prophet.

Repeat again the "Two-fold Lesson." What always came after the "crying unto the Lord"? A deliverer. Was it so now? Who was sent? Why not deliverer at once sent? Because God sends not always what we wish, but what we need. Perhaps people not yet ready--not sorry enough for their sin. Not see their sin at al, only their misery. What was the message? "Look how good God has been to you, and how often you have disappointed Him." Just what everyone should say who is not living for God. "How good God has been to me, made me, preserved me, loved me, died for me, invited me to be His child, and enter into His heaven. And yet I have been disappointing Him continually. What a shame!"

*3. God's Plan.

But God was preparing deliverer, too. Amongst the poor, trampled Israelites was one man, a brave soldier (v. 12), whose heart was very sore for the troubles of his people. His name? He had to flee like the rest, and try to hide what he could of his harvest. Down hidden in the wine-press he was threshing his father's wheat, and brooding over his people's misery and raging in his heart against the tyranny of their oppressors (see v. 13). Suddenly he is conscious of a mysterious presence under the oak before him. The Bible keeps always before us the great kindly spirit-world interested in our world and surrounding it as the ocean surrounds the land. And messages from that world come with messages to this world as so evidently shown in the life of our Lord. Gideon hears the strange salutation. "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." "Oh, how can the Lord be with us? He has cast us off." Poor, hopeless, despondent Gideon, with the black, miserable outlook for his nation before him. And then comes thrilling through him the rousing word from the Lord: "Go in this thy might. Thou shalt save Israel. Have not I sent thee?" In his wonder and humility he pleads: "How shall I save?" Like Moses (Ex. iii. 11). And in reply gets the word which was such a source of courage to Moses, to Joshua, to all who have ever done great things for God: "Certainly I will be with thee." You remember what great things Joshua did in the strength of that promise. A man can do almost anything if he feels that God is with him--that he is on the side of God and right.

*4. The Reformer.

Soon Gideon had need of this help and encouragement. Was he commissioned at once to go out and deliver his nation? No. What then? (v. 25). Why? The trouble had come on Israel by reason of their Idolatry. "You must be a Reformer first," said God. "And you must begin at home. Your own town has an altar of Baal, the filthy god of the Canaanites. It is in the high rock in your own father's grounds. Your own family worship it. That must be dashed down at once." Think of the daring needed for that in a town full of idolaters. Why, they would tear a man in pieces if he dared to touch it. Did Gideon hesitate? Did he know the danger of it? What gave this courage to the man who had to hide in a wine-press a few days before? Repeat again God's promise to him. Ah, that was the secret. And so cautiously, but fearlessly, he laid his plans. The people, as usual, went to their beds that night without a suspicion. Next morning a startling sight on the hill. The whole town gaze in
horror. Then wild uproar, shouts, and yells of rage in the streets. "Our altar is thrown down, our idol is broken and burned in the fire. Who has dared to commit this awful thing in our town?" Like the day when Luther burned the Papal Bull. Like the night of the Placards in French Huguenot story. In the morning through every town in France every man as he went out saw a staring placard attacking the corruption of the Church. Fierce indignation and stern search for the perpetrators. So in Abiezer. Backward and forward surged the gathering crowd. Who hath done this thing? Then with a shout they rush towards the house of Joash. "Gideon, thy son, hath broken down the altar of our god. Bring him out, bring him out, that
he may die for his crime." You remember the clever, quiet reply of Joash? (v. 31). Yes, just the argument against all idolatry to-day.  If he be a god, let him plead for himself. He who could not save himself from Gideon, how can he save anybody else? What do we learn from this order to Gideon? That none of us is fit to help on God's work in the world till we have first set ourselves right with Him. If we are allowing any sins in our own life they must be first attacked.

*5. The Deliverer.

Gideon nearly paid with his life for his boldness in reform. But he dared it all for the sake of God and righteousness. And now here is a still more daring deed to be done. It is just the harvest time, when the fierce Midianites crowd in like locusts to carry off the poor farmes' crops. As usual, they come in their insolent pride, expecting the people to run off to their hiding-holes. Ah, but there is a change! The power of God's strength, the enthusiasm for heroic deeds, has come strongly upon Gideon. Already he has startled the whole country around by his daring attack on the altar. Now they hear strange, almost incredible, rumours. A brave stand is to be made. The trumpet of Gideon is ringing out through the hills, and all Abiezer is gathering after him! The bravery of one man raised the bravery of many. And, as in the days of Deborah, the enthusiasm spread. Through all the country round sped the messengers of the chief, through Manasseh, through Asher, through Zebulun, and Naphtali. Oh, the delight and eagerness of the people. God with us again! A deliverer again! Every day his numbers increased, until at last, with an army of 32,000 men at his back, he set out to deliver his country from the foe. We shall see in next Lesson the extraordinary way in which nearly all that great army melted away without striking a blow.

We have now to close our Lesson by reminding ourselves again of the secret of the wonderful power that had come to Gideon. Why could he dare to risk his life in destroying the idol? Because he knew God was with him. Why did his heart swell with courage and enthusiasm and willingness to sacrifice all for the sake of his people? Because of the conviction that God was with him. Remember that is the one great secret of strength. That conviction is the secret of power in every man who has accomplished wonders for God. Can we have that conviction too? How can we get it? How shall we use that strength when we do get it? In living brave, true lives for God. In being in very deed Christ's faithful soldiers and servants to our lives' end. By always getting on to the side of right. Whenever we are choosing the right as far as we know it, we can feel sure that we have God at our back to help us.

Questions for Lesson IV

Repeat again the two-fold lesson.

Who were the oppressors now?

Israel had a terrible experience of that nation in Balaam's time.
What was it?

Who was the new deliverer raised up by God?

Tell of his first appearance as a reformer.

Tell of his first appearance as deliverer.

Repeat his battle cry.

Lesson V

GIDEON-THE SWORD OF THE LORD

Judges VII.

Recapitulate briefly last Lesson. Try to get feelings roused in pity for the down-trodden Israelites, in sympathy with the heroic purpose of Gideon. (In all cases of battle or slaughter where God's approval is indicated, try to find and show the reason. Either some oppression to be hindered or some great cause of righteousness to be furthered).  Gideon's heart is beating high with hope. "God is with me. His Angel has been sent to me. The signs I prayed for have been granted me. Now I am going to do great things for God and for my people- break down all altars, reform religion, crush the pride of the cruel chiefs of Midian. I am, by the help of God, to bring great blessing to my native land!"

Then read the chapter quickly through, dividing it into sections. Section 1. First testing (vv. 1-4). Section 2. Second testing (vv. 4-9). Section 3. Gideon's sign (vv. 9-15). Section 4. The battle of Jezreel (v. 15 to end). Name the sections, and watch carefully to keep up the interest by a passing remark as they read.

§ I. God's Choosing.

Read Sections 1 and 2 taken together. Picture Gideon- proud, glad, enthusiastic: a few months ago so insignificant- hiding from Midian, and now a great leader with 32,000 behind him, and the army of the oppressor on the valley before him. Think of a man at such a time being told, Your great army must disband without striking a blow. Surely it must have startled him. Yet he felt that God must be right.

Why was army reduced? (v. 2). Yes, they must be made to feel that they were only God's instruments- this is what must rouse awe, and wonder, and trust, and thanksgiving in the heart of the nation. What was first test? How many went? How many remained? Seemed a very small army now to meet the countless hosts of Midian. How is their vast number described? (v. 12). Yet even 10,000 to many. What was the next test? How would this test them so as to keep the best? Picture the host of Midian watching the strange manoeuvres. See 22,000 throw down arms and go home. See 10,000 drawn up on bank of stream.  Suddenly 9,700 throw themselves on their faces, completely off guard-no self-control, no watchfulness- exposing themselves perhaps to a quick charge of Midian from behind. But here and there along the lines a man stood, steady, restrained, on his guard, stooping quickly to dip his hand for water, and rising alert in his place again. How many
such? Yes. In the whole army there were but 300 heroes of courage, and self-denial, and watchfulness fit for God's great work. What heroes they were! They had to stand still before the countless hosts of the enemy, and see 9,700 march away. And these 300 had to dare all for God. (Read Tennyson's Charge of Light Brigade.) By these 300 choice men God said He would deliver Israel? Why were these special men chosen for God's work? Was it chance? Was there any reason? They were the best, choicest, fittest, most heroic, and therefore, God used them. Which will do best work for God- 100 careless, half-hearted, or ten enthusiastic, out-and-out Christians, eager to sacrifice everything for God and right?

That is where Israelite history differs from all other history. They never claim any victory or achievement as their own. God must teach Israel in order that Israel should teach to all mankind man's utter dependence on God for all good.

§ 2. The Battle of the Pitchers.

Now let us see what these chosen men had to do. How anxious Gideon and they when they stood alone, only 300 against many thousands. What was their comfort? They had obeyed God, and, therefore, they could trust Him to take care of him. Did God give further encouragement? Picture the sleeping hosts, the active Israelite chief creeping cautiously from rock to rock into their midst. The dream about the cake of barley bread rolling on and overthrowing the tent. Meaning? Barley bread, the cheap bread of the poor, meant Gideon and his 300; they seemed such a contemptible thing, like a loaf of the common brown bread, scorned by the proud Arabs. How glad Gideon was. It was God's sign to him. What did he do at once? (v. 15). Worshipped and thanked God, and went back full of hope to the soldiers.

Now see the clever stratagem. The 300 are prepared. Torches covered by a little jar in one hand, and in the other a trumpet. Watch them stealthily surrounding the sleeping army- all perfectly still- all perfectly dark. Now intense excitement- wait for signal. Suddenly Gideon's trumpet rings out, and with one blow his pitcher is smashed In an instant 300 blows smash 300 pitchers, and 300 trumpets ring out in the night, and 300 voices in every direction shout in fierce excitement the war-cry of their leader-"For the Lord, and for Gideon!" What next? Did the 300 fight? (v. 21). No. They stood still. They had trusted God. They had risked their lives. And now God justified their trust. In frenzied panic the sleepers sprang up. The darkness all around them was full of sounding trumpets and flashing lights, and ringing war-cries. There was a terrified stampede. Every man slashed all around him. Friends fought with friends, and all that could flee fled for their lives. And so the terrible misery of Israel was removed, and the fierce, cruel oppressor had his power broken for ever. And all this was done by God. But done by means of the 300 heroes whom He had specially tested and chosen to accomplish this great deliverance.

§ 3 God's Work in the World.

Does God want any great work done in the world to-day? Does any testing like that of Gideon's men take place in the world to-day? Yes, always. Every day. Are you surprised at this? Think of any great work for God in the world. Just look at beginning of Christianity. How many followed Christ to hear Him? He had twice to feed them- how many? Yes,
many thousands followed him. What did He want followers to do? To make the world better. Were all these fit? No, large numbers got tired and went away, like Gideon's 22,000. Were all the rest earnest enough to do much good? No, He had still to sift them. He picked out seventy disciples to go teaching, and twelve apostles to rouse workers and teachers everywhere. Why were these seventy and twelve especially chosen? Because, like Gideon's 300, they were the fittest, the most earnest.

Look on the world to-day. Christ is still wanting great work to be done- wanting hero soldiers to fight His enemies of drunkenness, and dishonesty, and lying, and sin of every kind. He wants people to give up friends and home for sake of His poor heathen children. How many in this school and parish are pledged to be His soldiers? All of us in Baptism were pledged, "to be Christ's faithful soldier and servant to his life's end." But are all earnest and loyal and fit to do God's work, to conquer sin in the world, and make the world better purer and happier? No. First, the large number who don't care at all about God's work, like Gideon's 22,000. Then there remain those who do care, but very earnestly. They say their prayers each day, and come to church and Sunday-school, but do not think much about the brave true life that God looks for. The are not loving God and right very much. They are not fighting hard for Chris's sake against temper and laziness, &c. They are like the 10,000 remaining to Gideon.

Do they do anything to make world better? Yes, a little. But they are fit to do much? Suppose carelessness and lying and bad words go on. God wants it put right. Can He use them? Not much. Whom does He use? The few who are earnest, who are longing to do right, and to serve and please God- the few who are willing to bear being unpopular and being laughed at by companions for the sake of God. They are like Gideon's 30 whom God chose to do great things for Him. E.g., one boy who has courage to kneel at his prayers has shamed a whole roomful into doing it. One man or woman who has the courage to stand alone against evil companions or evil customs. Pray to God to make you fit to do great things for Him, not by talking or boasting or faultfinding, but by living a brave, true, faithful life yourself, and thus helping others in the path to right. And thus you will be training yourself to do great, good work in the world for God.

Questions for Lesson V

Gideon's great army had to be reduced. Why?

Tell of first testing of the men.

Tell of the second testing.

Anything like this happening in God's work in the world to-day?

Picture in words the Battle of the Pitchers.

What was the secret of Gideon's courage and power?

Lesson VI

JEPHTHAH – IGNORANCE OF GOD

Judges XI.

Divide the chapter for better comprehension into three sections: 1. The coming of Jephthah (vv. 1-12). 2. The Controversy with Ammon (vv. 13-39). 3. Jephthah's Vow (vv. 29-40). Some people shrink from the view taken in this Lesson that Jephthah actually offered up his daughter as a human sacrifice. But human sacrifice would not at all revolt the people at that time. In v. 31 he says, I will offer it for a burnt offering, and in v.39 he did with her according to his vow.

§ I. Jephthah.

Here is another story of another deliverance in some other time and place.

Read Section 1. In order to keep up the connection with the "TWO-FOLD LESSON," look back to ch. x., and read vv. 6, 7, 15. Here we have same old story- Sinning, Punishment, Repenting, Deliverance. Who were oppressors? Who the new deliverer? What do you think of him? Was he as good as Gideon? See ch. viii. 23. Now read xi. 9. One thought only of his country's good; the other thought much of his own position and advantage. But Jephthah had had a hard life: not as easy for him to be good and unselfish. Driven out of his home when young, a fugitive, an exile, a leader of a band of robbers. Ought he to be judged as sharply as we? God makes allowances for men's disadvantages. So, we see, his tribe, who had turned him out, came pleading to him again. And he came back to lead Israel. And God accepted him, and helped him to conquer. (See v. 29.)

Read Section 2, vv. 12-29. Did he at once begin to fight? What did he do? Do you think it was a good plan to begin by remonstrating? Do you remember our Lord's advice, "Tell him his fault between thee and him alone"? Did you ever know of a quarrel between two boys or two girls, or two families? Do you think if they had talked it over together in a friendly way, and tried to find out each other's feelings, it would have been better? In disagreement with another, we should always try to be fair with him. Try to "put yourself in his place." Try to understand him. Say to him, "I don't want to be unfair and unkind; please tell me exactly where you think I am wrong; let us try to understand each other." One very good rule is: always try to look for
the faults in yourself, and to look for excuses for the other. If both would do that, God would be pleased, and the quarrel would soon be ended. However, in Jephthah's case, the two parties could not agree, and so had to fight, and Jephthah and his men conquered by the help of God.

§ 2. Jephthah's Vow.

Read vv. 29-40. We saw that Jephthah was not a very good man. Is not v. 29 a strange one, then? Explain here that the Spirit of the Lord bestows various gifts, according to men's natural differences, and according to the needs of the men or of their times. The spirit of holiness, of love, of understanding, and of common-sense. Here the gift seems especially the gift of energy and power for his great work. See this more fully in Samson afterwards. True, every help from God's Spirit makes men better and nobler. But every help from Him does not make them absolutely good and noble at once. A man may be rash or foolish or mistaken, or even weak in yielding to temptation, and yet may be receiving help from the Spirit of the Lord. No doubt, Jephthah was made a braver and a stronger chieftain, and a better man, by the help of God's Spirit; but many faults still remained in him. What a strange ignorance of God in his famous vow!

What is a vow? What was his vow? (vv. 30-31). What did it mean? That he would offer up a human sacrifice to God. Was it right to do that? Would God like it? No! it would be horrible to God. But poor Jephthah did not know that. He had been an exile in Syria- a robber chief- and had the usual superstition of Syria about human sacrifices. The people about him offered up their children to Moloch, their god, when they wanted victory. The Carthaginians sacrificed a boy yearly. See 2 Kings iii. 27, when King of Moab did it. See Balak's cry, Micah vi. 7. They thought like the poor heathen in India to-day. That is the worst of living amongst people who do not know or worship God. Take care of being much with godless people, else you will grow like them.

Would it be right for you to make such a vow? If you had made it, would it be right to keep it? No. It is a sin to break a vow; but it would be a worse sin to keep it after seeing that it was very wrong. But Jephthah did not see that it was very wrong. Only that it was very terrible and very painful to fulfil. He thought that God would approve of it. What do you think he should be blamed for? For his ignorance of God's character, in thinking that would please Him. He should have known better, and perhaps he could have known if he had not neglected God's teaching. But we do not know.

§ 3. Jephthah's Daughter.

Now after the vow he goes to battle. Does he conquer? You know what happens after a great victory. Illuminations, rejoicing, crowds, and shouting and music, to welcome the conquerors. What delight and pride in the general's home, that all the nation were praising and thanking him. Only one young girl there, his only daughter--so glad, so proud--so fond of her father! She was watching for him, all unconscious of evil. The moment she saw him, out she rushed, dancing with joy, and sounding her song of triumph and of welcome. Oh, the pity of it! Can't you imagine the look of horror and agony in his eyes, as he started back from her? "Oh, alas, alas! my daughter. I have vowed to the Lord, and I cannot go back!" What a grand, heroic girl she was! Did she cry or scream, or beg to be let off? Not she! Poor ignorant girl, she, too, thought that God would require the vow to be kept. "Father," she said, "if you have vowed to the Lord, and the Lord has saved our people from the oppressor, keep your vow. I am willing to die for my country, and my father, and my God." Read Byron's poem:--

"If my country, my God, oh, my sire,
Demand that thy daughter expire."

And so she went out to die, this poor ignorant, loving, loyal Jewish girl. Was she right in thinking that God desired it? No. Human sacrifice was hateful to God. But, poor girl, she meant to do God's will. Do you think God was pleased with her? I am sure He was. It was horrible, but it was grand. It was heroic self-sacrifice. And self-sacrifice with a righteous motive is very dear to the heart of God, however ignorant or mistaken it may be. It is the very essence of God's own nature, unselfishness--bearing and suffering for the sake of others. What was the grandest example of it in the whole world? Yes, when the blessed Saviour "for us men and for our salvation" came down from heaven and died on Calvary. Be thankful
that you know more about God than this poor ignorant maiden; but be very sure that you can do no higher thing in His sight than to be utterly unselfish, to be willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of God and your brethren.

Questions for Lesson VI

Repeat the two-fold lesson and show it working out here.

Who were the new oppressors and the new deliverer?

Tell of Jephthah's awful vow.

Was it right?

Is there excuse for him?

Tell the touching story of Jephthah and his daughter meeting after
the battle.

What do you think of Jephthah's daughter?

What do you mean by self-sacrifice?

What is the greatest instance of it in history?

Lesson VII

SAMSON -- RESPONSIBILITY

Judges XIII. vv. 1-8, 24, 25, and XIV.

* 1. Samson's Dedication.

Repeat main lesson of Book of Judges.

Here is another story of another place and time. This chapter begins by telling of? What as usual followed the sin? Punishment. What nations already used for punishing? What nation now? Describe Philistines, big, heavy, slow-witted, the butt of Israelites, &c.  Try to make them stand out distinct and interesting. Things again in bad state. Again God pities. How shown? A godly mother receives warning that son shall be born to play a great part in his people's history. What? (v. 5). Tell me of any other promise like this. (Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, Elisabeth, Virgin Mary.) He must be trained for this great future? How? What is a Nazarite? (Numb. vi. 2. One separated or dedicated unto the Lord). What were his vows? Distinguish from Nazarene. Is not it a lovely thought of the boy's life (v. 24). The child grew, and the Lord blessed him. Poor Samson; what a pity that he should waste the blessing of God!

Is it not a solemn thing to be dedicated like Samson to a great work? Has anything like it been done to you? (Impress very solemnly the importance of Baptism.) That is your dedication. What are your vows? Has God any great work for you as for Samson? Any enemies to fight? Temper, lying, disobedience, &c. Anyone to be helped or delivered by you? Weak comrades tempted to carelessness, lying, drunkenness, &c. You to be God's Samson. Careless people sometimes excuse themselves, saying, "Not done any harm in the world." Is that a fair excuse? Why? Because we are vowed to do good--to be Christ's soldiers--to fight His battles--to make the world better and happier. He who is not doing that is an idler, a deserter.


* 2. Samson's Home.

Do you think those parents religious people? Were they anxious to rear up the boy aright? (v. 8). Their great aim for the boy, not that he should be rich and comfortable, and have an easy situation, but that he should be good and brave, and able to do God's work, to fight and, if necessary, die for his country and his God. What do you think should be the chief aim of parents for children? What should be the chief aim of boys and girls? What would you like to be? What business or profession? And you? And you? (Don't be too solemn over this. Don't mind making them laugh. Tell perhaps of own childish aims and ideals. A little lightness may make following thought more impressive.) In this future of yours should you like to be rich, happy? Is it wrong to wish this? But what is the highest aim of all about one's future life? To do God's work in the world. To fight God's enemies. To deliver God's tempted children. To make this poor world brighter, and happier, and better for your being in it. (In suitable classes the teacher might here speak of the great work of missions. So dear to Christ's heart--so undermanned. Parents straining and striving for every petty post of comfort and gain for their children and fretting--What to do with our boys? What
to do with our girls? And the noblest work on earth waiting for helpers. Ask the class to pray that this Lesson, taught to-day in so many classes, may result in many resolves to offer themselves for this work.) All work may and ought to be holy work. Therefore, pray about your future: "Lord, not so much that I may be rich, or great, or prosperous, but, above all, that I may be good. May do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me."


* 3. Disappointing God.

Now picture that home, the awe-struck mother brooding over the mysterious future of her boy. Like what other? (Luke ii. 51). How she would pray for him! How proud she would be of his magnificent strength, and his daring deeds in camp of Dan (v. 25). What glorious hopes she would cherish for his future. Ah, you don't know how mothers' hearts are bound up in their children's future! What lovely, hopeful day-dreams they have for them! What a shame to disappoint them!

Here is this boy growing up--big boy now, moody, wilful, keeping his outward Nazarite vow, yielding to his impulses in all else--self- will, disobedience. What was first great disappointment to parents? (xiv. 3). Now a man--going to marry. Not care if pleased God or parents. See his reply (v. 3). What a sad disappointment. The man who was to deliver Israel from brutal Philistines now going to marry into them. There will be no religion now; no godly family life like his father's. His wife would worship Dagon, and rejoice in Dagon's conquests over people of Jehovah. Her sympathies would be all with
her own people, the conquerors. She would scorn the poor subject race. What a shame to disappoint his parents so bitterly! What a shame to disappoint God!

Is it possible to disappoint God? Ah, yes, God had designed great things for Samson's future if Samson had not spoiled it. God's plan about the Philistines was not overthrown. Even Samson's marriage over-ruled to further it. How? Wedding feast? Riddle--repeat it, and explain. A great wager on the riddle. Did they guess it? How? Was Samson angry? What did he do? So the Philistines more his enemies than ever. God's purpose not overthrown.

But how sorely Samson suffered all his life for that marriage. Look at the result in one week--a betrayed husband, a deserted wife, discord, strife, bloodshed; afterwards, a lonely, misguided, sinful life, captivity, blindness, violent death. No good, religious wife beside him to help and encourage him to better things. Don't you think when God sent hiim into the world and blessed him (xiii. 24) He designed something nobler and better for him than this poor wrecked life? Whose fault was it that he failed? God has good designs for you and me, too. Let us not disappoint Him.

There are other stories of him that we have not time for now. Tell me some briefly--how he killed the lion--set fire to the corn--how he carried off the gates of Gaza on his back; but they seem chiefly done to show off his strength or gratify his resentment. The great gift of strength was not used much for God, or for doing much good to Israel. He was very brave, and merry, and good-natured; but he seems to have quite wasted his opportunities and his gifts.


* 4. Lessons.

(1) To be attractive and a favourite is not always a mark of goodness or of being pleasing to God. Look at Samson--daring, merry-hearted, generous, attractive--a fine, big, good-natured fellow; full of fun; full of courage; dashing into the enemy without stopping to count them; playing mischievous tricks on the thick-headed Philistines; one of these men so attractive to others, who so easily becomes a leader of others. And yet no real character; no deep sense of duty or religion; no earnest struggle to put the Right before the Pleasant.

Is it a good thing for a boy to be a strong, brave, pleasant, good- natured fellow? (or, in a girl's class--a girl to be bright, merry,
handsome, good-natured?) Yes. Makes him a favourite--a leader amongst others. These things are God's good gift to some boys. But he may have all these gifts, and not be a high character. What makes the high character that is pleasing to God? The effort to do the, right even when it is unpleasant--putting God, and Right, and Duty first of all. Sometimes a poor, weak, puny, insignificant boy is a higher character than the other. Why? What makes his character higher? He is trying to fight down his temper or his cowardice, and to do what God wants, however hard it be. Yes, what God cares for most of all things in the world is the true, loyal struggle after the Right.

(2) Responsibility for God's good gifts. What gifts had God given to Samson? Size and strength, and influence amongst his companions. Why were they given? To make him fit to do the great work for which he was dedicated. Did he use them for this? No, we shall see in next lesson the sad result. Had he a right to use them as he liked himself? Why? Because they are God's, and given for a special purpose. If a man gave you money to use for him, would you have a right to use it as you liked for yourself? Is our case at all like Samson? Gifts of health, and brains, and perhaps pleasant, attractive disposition, and influence amongst our companions. They make us happier, and God likes that. But may we use them as we like? To do wrong things? To lead weaker ones astray? He who does that will be acting dishonourably, and grieving and disappointing God.

Questions for Lesson VII

Repeat the two-fold lesson.

Who were the new oppressors?

Tell of the dedication to God of the boy Samson.

What is like that in your life?

To whom are you dedicated?

Tell of Samson's marriage and his riddle.

Tell of the attractive things in Samson that made people admire him.

Who gave him these attractive gifts?

What was his fault that spoiled them all?

What is the lesson for us?

Lesson VIII

SAMSON--FAILURE

Judges XVI, 4 to end.

This should be a most interesting and exciting subject if well handled. Read Milton's Samson Agonistes. Few writers have entered so thoroughly into the spirit of this story, and his vivid picturing will add much to the interest.

Pass over the first four verses of the chapter, merely mentioning the incident of the gates. Begin story at v. 4. There need be no hesitation about teaching very briefly the story of Delilah's treachery. She is described as a Philistine woman whom Samson loved in the same way perhaps as her whom he had married many years before. Don't tire the class with the application at the close. Try to carry the thought of it all through the Lesson. But if you have roused and excited them, as you should have done, over the story, there will be need of making the application very short and direct, lest you lose their interest and spoil the lesson.

Recapitulate main lesson of last Sunday, i.e., Responsibility for God's gifts--remind of Samson's waste of them. When a man wastes God's gifts, he will lose them some day. See Parable of the Talents. See in Samson's case. We have seen several incidents of his life--the lion--the blazing corn--the gates of Gaza. We passed over a very generous act of self-sacrifice. (Tell briefly xv. 9-15.)


*1. The Traitress.

To-day we are drawing toward the close of his brave, careless, wasted life. It is a dark, miserable story. As before his marriage, he is again deceived by a Philistine woman whom he loved. Poor foolish Samson trusted her. But she was a traitor, paid by the Philistines to entrap him (v. 5). Why not come and attack him openly? Ah! no-- they had had enough of that already. Terribly afraid of him. So they bribed her to find out the secret of his strength, and had men hiding in another room to seize him at the fit time. Did he tell her at once? No, told her untruths. What? Bind me with green withes-- with new ropes--weave my long hair into the cloth with the shuttle.  And at each time when he was tied she cried out what? What happened? Surely he should have known her treachery now. He should have gone away at once. But his will was very weak, though body was strong. He stayed on till at last, in a weak, foolish moment, she coaxed his secret from him. What was it? Yes. Then she waited till he was asleep, and then a man, who was hidden, stole softly out and shaved his head. Soon he awoke. What then? (v. 20). What an awful, horrible humiliation! What pain and misery and remorse! What delight to the Philistines to have him in their power! What did they do? They put out his eyes, and carried him off to dungeon in Gaza. Were they still afraid of his strength? Fetters of brass (v. 21).

What do you think was Samson's sin through which "the Lord departed from him"? Why should it matter that he let his head be shaved? I think it was because that was the sign of his Nazarite vow--the sign that he was dedicated to the Lord. The shaving of his head would indicate that his vow of dedication was over. He knew well the danger of this, but he could not bring himself to break away from the danger. He knew that his strength came through his Nazarite dedication to God, and that he had no right to risk it by such company as he was keeping. What is our dedication vow? (see Baptismal vow). Take care lest we drop it as Samson did, not of deliberate intent, but by tampering with sin and keeping evil company. Like Samson we should lose all the God-given strength to be Christ's faithful soldiers and servants to our lives' end.


*2. The Prison.

A great holiday in Gaza--shouting, rejoicing, chants of praise, bursts of barbaric music in the streets. A poor captive, blind and chained and miserable, listening in his dungeon. Oh, the agony and disgrace of it all as he thinks about the past--as he listens to the triumph song: "Praise unto Dagon, our god, who hath delivered our enemy into our hands" (v. 23). Imagine the wretched thoughts in his mind--of the old home--of the prayerful parents--of the Nazarite vow and the great gift of God, and the great plans God had for him. Israel's deliverer! And now the promised deliverer lies blind and chained and grinding all day long at the wretched work of slaves. And God's great work is undone--and Israel is still oppressed. Poor wretched Samson! Don't you think they were bitter thoughts? And the bitterest thought of all would be, what? Try and think. Yes. "It is all my own fault! Oh, what a mad, wicked fool I have been!" Is it a good thing to think that it was his own fault--that he had been a wicked fool? Yes; when a poor sinner has found out that about himself, he is very near to finding out something very good about God. Perhaps poor Samson, in his lonely sorrow and pain, turned to God in real repentance. If so, would God cast him out? Did he ever cast a penitent out?

Did you ever know or hear of people in Samson's state? Sometimes poor old drunkard--or old sinner in the workhouse, once a healthy and prosperous man, but sinned away God's gifts, like Samson. Perhaps, in his misery, cried to God for forgiveness.

See Samson still grinding hard with his hands, and thinking and fretting hard in his soul. Suddenly the door opens--the shouts outside grow louder--a Philistine gaoler enters. "Samson, the lords and chiefs and people have sent for you: they want to see your strength; you are to come out and make sport for them." Fancy his fierce indignation. Those stupid Philistines, that used to fly before him in terror, now want to mock him, and make sport of him for their amusement. And he must go. He is blind and chained and weak. They could drag him with chains if he refused. Oh, the depth of shame and misery!


*3. The Catastrophe.

Try to picture the scene. Great Temple of Dagon on the hillside, thousands of people shouting in triumph as the poor blind giant comes stumbling along with the brass chains on his mighty limbs. What fools those Philistines were to bring him out! They were probably too drunk to think about it. Hearts were merry (v. 25). And they did not know or think of what had happened in the prison. What? His strength was not in hair or muscles, but in his relation to God: his Nazarite vow broken when hair shaved. Perhaps, in sorrow for his sin and folly, he had now remembered his Nazarite vow to the Lord,
and thus his strength returned. Now see great semicircle of seats like an enormous circus, and over it a roof resting on two front pillars, and on the top of it an enormous crowd too. How many? (v. 27). All cheering and laughing as Samson was tormented to make sport for them. You have seen a "strong man" performing, lifting weights in his teeth, bending iron bars, &c. Think of Samson like that before Philistines. It was a great triumph for Dagon, their god. They thought that they had now conquered God as well as Samson. And poor Samson had to feel that he had brought shame on God as well as on himself. Don't you think he would be very miserable? Do you think God cared for or pitied him in his misery? What! even after all his wrong-doing? Samson seems tired. He is thinking. Ah! he is doing more; he is praying--very humbly, very earnestly. "Oh! Lord God, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me only this once. I was sent to deliver Israel from these cruel Philistines, and I have shamefully failed. Oh! God, strengthen me only this once more. I don't want to escape; I am willing to die; but give me back my strength this once." And he turns to the boy that led him. "Lead me to the front pillars to rest myself." Carelessly the crowd watched him. But in a moment their old terror of Samson was roused. See that powerful grasp of the two big pillars. Hear the wild cry, "Let me die with the Philistines!" and then, with a mighty wrench, he has bowed himself forward, and tugged, and rocked, and shaken the huge pillars till they burst from their sockets. One awful crash--mad yells of terror--and Samson and the thousands of his enemies are lying dead together beneath the ruins. "The dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life."

Poor Samson! Are you sorry for him? Whose fault was all the poor spoiled life? God's? Delilah's? No. All his own. What a grand career his might have been with the powers God gave him! What a poor, aimless, wretched, disappointing thing it was. And yet we are sorry for him. Do you think God was sorry? Do you think He forgave him? Certainly, if he repented, and asked to be forgiven. And I think he did. He is mentioned in Heb. xi. as one of the heroes of faith. I like to think of that. We are inclined to dwell much on his faults. God saw his faults much more clearly than we do. But God was looking for the good that was there in spite of the faults, and taking hold of it, and by means of it lifting him to Himself. Is it not like a little epitaph on his grave this reference of inspired writer in Heb. xi.: "By faith Samson"? Oh! God is so good and loving. He intended such good things for Samson, and he disappointed Him. Yet God did not cast him out. When He has intended grand things for you, and you sinfully fail of them, He tries not to cast you out. You can never then get the best thing which He intended. But He offers the second best, and if you fail of that, He offers the third best, and so on, as long as there is any hope for one at all. Is it not a shame to disappoint Him when He cares so much for our good? How can you escape failing and disappointing Him?

Questions for Lesson VIII

Tell some of Samson's great deeds.

Who was Delilah? Of what nation?

Tell of her treacherous attempts to entrap Samson.

Tell of poor blind Samson in the mill.

Why was he a failure?

Do you think he was sorry?

Picture the great scene of his death.

What does his life teach us?

Lesson IX

SAMUEL--LENT UNTO THE LORD

1 Sam. I., II. to v. 11.

*1. The Last of the Judges.

What book of Bible just finished by us? What Judge last Lesson? (Briefly recapitulate.) Are we done with the judges now? No. Don't know how long this after Samson's time. But still in "the days of the Judges." Reading to-day of birth of "the last of the Judges," and the greatest of them all. Name? Yes. He was last of Judges. After him came the Kings. He was the "King-maker." Remember Earl of Warwick, the "King-maker" in English history? Samuel--like him-- raised up Saul, and deposed him, and put David in his place. Both Saul and David reverenced and feared him. What made him so great and so much reverenced? Because noble, and unselfish, and good--utterly devoted to God's service, therefore greatly used by God.

Can you see any reason in this chapter why he was so good? The reason that, above all others, has made good men always? Ah! yes--his mother. The greatest blessing in the whole wide world is a mother like Hannah. Sweet, and gentle, and unselfish--willing to give up all that she loves best in the world for the sake of seeing her boy a true servant of God.


*2. At Shiloh.

Our story begins at the tabernacle at Shiloh. (See map.) There, after all the wanderings of Israel, the Ark of God at last rested in Joshua's days (Josh. xviii. 1) and there it remained up to the time of our story. It contained what? Therefore Shiloh was the great holy place--the great centre for the Church of Israel. Picture to yourselves this holy place on one of the great festival days of the year, like our Easter or Christmas. A vast pilgrimage from all over the land--crowds and crowds gathering in for the great yearly feast-day, to worship before the Lord in Shiloh. Watch them crowding through the gates, men and women, old and young. One family especially. How many? Who? There they go with their holiday clothes in the holiday crowd. But do they look very happy? All? What was Hannah fretting about? Lonely home. No boys and girls running to her to make her glad. Something else? (v. 7). Yes, Peninnah, a jealous, spiteful woman, mocking at her in her loneliness and sorrow. Evidently not a very happy home. Not God's will to have two wives in a home. But the nations around had them, and the Israelites in those days did not know any better. You remember we have seen already how gradually people learned about God's will, and
how patiently God waited and bore with them. (See Joshua, Lesson VIII).

But Hannah has learned where to go in her trouble. All through the time of the sacrificial banquet she had to listen to the cruel gibes and mockery of Peninnah. They were torture to her; but she seems to have borne them meekly and gently. No doubt, God was training her by such struggles to be a true, noble woman--a mother worthy of bringing up so great a son. That is the good of all trouble, and vexation, and irritation, when borne nobly for sake of God and right. But she can bear it no longer. Her husband tries to comfort her. How? (v. 8). But in vain. She rises from the table and hurries out. Where to? Somebody sitting on the high priest's seat by a pillar as she passes on. Who? Yes. He was the judge and the high priest together. He had to rule the nation and rule the Church; but he could not rule his own family. And the poor old man sat with heavy heart watching the people as they came in, and feeling what sin and discredit to religion were caused by those wicked sons of his, whom he had made clergy of the Church. He could hear them greedily demanding gifts; he could see that there was less reverence for God, and more drunkenness and sin of every kind in those yearly pilgrimages to Shiloh. And he knew the cause. Poor old father, like many another father, breaking his heart about his wicked sons.

Even as he watches he sees a woman hurry in with flushed face and flashing eyes. What does he think? (v. 13). He sees her throw herself down, sobbing before the altar, and raising her eyes to heaven, and moving her lips. "Surely she is drunk," said the old man, and he turns to her angrily. "Get away with your drunkenness; put away thy wine from thee." What a cruel wrong to the heart-broken woman, who had cast herself down in the very passion of her sorrow and her longing for God's comfort: "O Lord, remember me, and pity me, and send me a little son, and I will give him up to Thy service all the days of his life." Must not blame the poor high priest for his mistake. The poor old man had a sore heart himself--therefore he spoke hastily and sharply--and he was sorry for his mistake in a moment. "Nay, my lord, I am not drunk," she said, "but have been pouring out my soul before the Lord." Did he keep on being angry? (v. 17). No; he blessed her, and prayed that God would grant her petition. And with comfort in her heart--the comfort that always comes from true communion with God--she went her way, and did eat, and was no more sad (v. 18).


*3. The Child's Training.

A year has passed. It is again the day of the great pilgrimage to the Feast of Tabernacles, and Eli is again watching the people. There is Elkanah--perhaps he remembers him--but where is Hannah? Away in her mountain home at Arimathea, minding her baby boy! Oh, what a glad, thankful heart she has as she holds him in her arms and plays with him, and thinks, like all the mothers in the world, that there never, never was a brighter, cleverer, lovelier baby since the world began. Poor fond little mother. They are nearly all the same as that. Thank God for the big, loving hearts that He has given them.

But many a fond mother is a very foolish one, and has very low notions of what makes the highest good for her child. Many a mother thinks only of her boy getting on, and being rich, and by-and-by having a nice house and a pretty good business, or a high name in the world. Are they good things? Yes; but you may have all these and be very miserable, and be a poor, contemptible creature, too. What is the real treasure of life to seek for one's child? What will make him noble, and good, and happy beyond all things else? You remember how our Lord puts it: "Seek ye first"--what? (Matt. vi. 33).

That is what Hannah did. All the time she was playing with her little boy she was thinking of her high hopes for him, and lifting up her heart to God for him. She was remembering the vow she had made that day in the tabernacle that her boy should be God's servant as long as he lived. Oh! it is good to think of that sweet, stainless boyhood lived so close to God, and of the earnest, loving mother, whose highest ambition for her child was that he should be a noble, God-like man, given up unto the Lord. What is the most powerful thing in God's world? I think the prayers and tears of a mother for a child. I don't think God can leave them unanswered, so deeply do they touch Him. In this world or in the world to come they must be somehow answered. It is a very blessed thing, but it is a very solemn thing, to have a holy, praying mother!


*4. Lent Unto the Lord.

Three years more have passed and Elkanah and Hannah are at Shiloh again with the crowds of people. But who is with them now? A tiny boy, about four years old, just beginning to speak distinctly. Poor little chap, he is to be left in Shiloh, to live in the tabernacle, and learn to attend on Eli. So very young to be without his mother? Was it not hard for him? But, oh! think what it was to his mother to leave him! How simply it reads in the story that she brought up her boy to Shiloh, and presented him to God, and that she made a little coat, and brought it up every year at her annual visit. But just think what it meant--to bring up her little boy, and leave him--to go back to the little mountain home to cry about him, and think about him every day and night for a year--to make a little coat for him, and work into that little coat all her love, and pain, and anxiety, and hopes--to look forward for twelve long months to her coming up again to take him in her arms once more, to try to quiet for one brief day the hungry craving of her heart. But her heart was full of love and thankfulness to God, who had so loved and blessed her and her little son. Nothing less would satisfy her than the complete consecrating of her boy to God.

"I give thee to thy God--the God that gave thee--
To be a spring of gladness to my heart!
And precious as thou art,
And pure as dew of Hermon, He shall have thee,
My own--my beautiful--my undefiled,
And thou shalt be His child!"

And so blessed was this self-sacrifice for God, that she actually sang a beautiful song of thanksgiving in the midst of her pain. Look at it (ch. ii., vv. 1-11), like the song of the Blessed Virgin, as we find it in the Magnificat. God always gives gladness to great self-sacrifice like that.

Your parents, too, have consecrated you to God. When? Baptism. "To be Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end." Some parents have forgotten it. Some, like Hannah, remember it always, and pray to God always to make use of their boy and girl. Sometimes, as with Hannah, it means a great wrench. I know of boys and girls called out to God's work to teach the heathen, and it was hard to let them go, perhaps to see them no more. But it has been done; it may be what God will want done for some of you--the blessedest life in the whole world for you. Sometimes it may be but to serve God faithfully at home. Pray to God earnestly that, whether at home or abroad, He will keep you consecrated to Himself--granted unto the Lord.

Questions for Lesson IX

Who was "the last of the Judges"?

Picture in words his mother's visit to the church.

Who was Eli?

How did he mistake her?

Tell of her next visit three years later. What for?

How can a mother to-day follow her example?

Lesson X

THE CALL OF SAMUEL

1 Sam. II. 26-30, and III.

*1. The Child at Shiloh.

Remember last Lesson--last heard of Samuel? Little boy left by his mother to attend upon Eli, to ministser in the temple. God had great purposes for that little boy. He was to be what? A Judge, a Prophet, a Leader, a King-maker. But it is not as any of these we usually think of him. Ever see picture of him? What like? Little boy kneeling in white robe beside his cot in prayer to God, or listening to God. "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth" (v. 10). Hear of this to-day.

Bigger boy now; perhaps ten or twelve (Josephus, Antiq. x. 4). Has been for years doing little deeds of service, lighting the sanctuary lamps, opening the doors, tending the priests, joining perhaps with little choir-boys, in his white surplice or ephod, singing the praises of God, doing little humble, childlike things in God's service; and then at night, when he had trimmed the lamps, going off to his little chamber beside the church to sleep. Evidently priest's rooms off the tabernacle. His room near to Eli.

What is said about God's word, or message? (v. 1). It was precious, or rare--no prophet vision--perhaps because the men who should have received God's teaching for the people were too wicked to be trusted with it. People could not hear God's will. But God was preparing a prophet for them now.


*2. God's Call.

Eli getting very old--shown in v. 2? Poor Eli! getting old, and with big sorrow in his heart. Why? Sons can give great pain to a
father. These were very bad sons. Contrast with Samuel ii. 26, vv. 27-30. Partly father's fault--should not have let them be priests.  And so God had had to warn him long before (v. 27). But no use--sons too wicked--old father too weak and cowardly. Think of him lying in bed, with his poor dim eyes wakeful in the darkness, and his poor sad heart thinking about his misery, wishing perhaps that his boys had been like that gentle, lovable boy who was sleeping in the little room so near. Suddenly hears curtain moving, child's footsteps, and in a moment the boy in his night-dress is beside him. "Here I am, sir; you called me." He had been wakened by a voice, and thought the poor old man wanted something. "No, my son, I did not call you; lie down again." Again silence; the wakeful old priest fretting over the pain and fear in his conscience; the innocent boy lying peacefully in his bed. What next? Yes--rushes in again. "Here I am, sir; you surely called me this time." Had he? No. Do you think Eli wondered? Do you think his conscience frightened him? He remembered the warning of God (ii. 27). What could be this strange call to the child that nobody else heard? And then in a few minutes the boy rushes in again, this time startled and excited. "No mistake this time; I certainly was called."--And then Eli perceived--what? Think of his wonder--prophets had ceased--no one for years had had revelation from God. What did he tell Samuel to do?

Think of the awfully solemn feeling of the boy. Would you have been frightened? Probably Samuel was, too, a little. But he was a true-hearted, innocent boy, with a clear conscience, and, therefore, probably not very much afraid. But think of him going back where the mysterious Voice was, and getting into bed. Do you think he would feel sleepy? Too excited, wondering. What a terrible message! What was it? Do you think he slept much after it? No; pain of telling his kind old friend, and the wonder and awe of thinking--"God has spoken to me. Am I to be a prophet, or what is the meaning of it all?" Picture the boy at daylight lying in his bed, pale, strained, excited, trying to delay meeting with Eli.

At last Eli heard him opening the doors, and he called him. See how he calls him, "My son." I think he was very fond of that boy. I wonder why he did not call him earlier. Must have been curious to know what God said. Why, do you think? Perhaps afraid; had not clear, innocent conscience like Samuel; perhaps remembered God's warning (ii. 27), and feared this might be announcing the punishment. (See Josephus, Antiq. x. 4). Was it? Are you sorry for poor old man? How sore to hear! How touchingly resigned he was (v.18).


*3. Lesson.

"Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." See a boy honouring God, putting duty and religion foremost as the chief things in life. Same in his manhood. All through his beautiful life he honoured God, and never was there a judge in Israel more honoured than he. Religion always makes an honoured life.

See Eli's sons, despised God, grew up bad, godless boys, bad, godless men. Ever see such men respected and honoured? They that despise God are lightly esteemed.

Questions for Lesson X

What was old Eli's family sorrow?

Are there such sorrows to-day? Whose fault?

Tell of God's call to the child Samuel.

Did he like meeting Eli in the morning? Why?

Which would be happier--Hannah or the mother of Eli's boys?

What do you think is the chief happiness or sorrow of any mother?

Lesson XI

THE GLORY DEPARTED

1 Sam. IV.

§ I. The Battle of Ebenezer.

Remember the old prophet's warning from God to Eli? (ch. ii. 33, 34). Message by Samuel? (iii. 12-15). Poor Eli! What a troubled heart he must have had as he thought of God's displeasure and threatenings!

This chapter tells of a terrible battle- with whom? When heard of last? Evidently recovered their strength again, to oppress Israel, but Israel strong enough to fight. So the two armies met at Ebenezer. What had always been source of Israel's success? Had they God's favour now? Why? Very corrupt and wicked Evil priests' example made them still worse. God's favour cannot go with willful sin. The important thing with God is not what we say or what we do, but what we ARE. Righteousness is the most important thing in our life. Nothing else can make up for it. God would not help these wicked Israelites. What was result of battle? (.2).  A similar case before? (Josh. vii. 4-6). What did Joshua do? (v.6). God's reply? (v.11). So again now this same cause. Did the elders inquire about their sins? What would be the right way to win back God's favour? Inquiry and penitent sorrow. What way did they try? (vv. 3-5). No permission from God to do such a thing; but they remember the presence of the Ark, when Jordan divided, and Jericho fell. Superstitiously they think God's presence must go with Ark. If take Ark into battle, God is bound to save it and them. They were, therefore, very anxious to get this outward sign of God's presence, while very careless as to the righteousness of character which would really win God's presence for them. So Hophni and Phinehas brought them the Ark, perhaps against old Eli's will. And when the beaten Israelites saw it come, they shouted with a great shout, and frightened the Philistines. What did these say? (vv. 7, 8). Had they reason to be frightened? No; God's favour and help had been driven away from Israel by sin. The Ark a mere empty, useless thing without that; an "outward sign" without the "inward grace." Result? (v. 11).

§ 2. The Death of Eli.

Scene changes to Shiloh. Eli sitting in his chair of office at the gate, watching the road for tidings; his heart trembling for his
sons, but still more for the safety of the Ark. All the people remaining in Shiloh anxious and excited. But Eli's trouble was the worst, conscience reproving him for these wicked sons whom he had reared; perhaps, too, for the Ark let out of his keeping. Messengers like Joshua's (Lesson X.), like the messenger of Roderick Dhu in Lady of the Lake. Like those in 1 Sam. viii. 11; 2 Sam. xv. 1; xviii 19, &c. Swift, panting runner dashes breathless through the gate, in deep mourning, clothes rent, and ashes on his head. Surely bad news. Hear the wild cries, and questionings, and lamentations; "all the city cried out."

Two people to whom this bad news was to be fatal? Imagine the poor trembling old man as he listens. How old? Could he see messenger? Think of him as the messenger is being brought to him; the swift thoughts rushing through his mind of the old prophet's message (ii. 32-35), and Samuel's vision (ch. iii.). He can't see the rent clothes or the ashes on head; but he knows by the "noise of the crying" (the word signifies any confused noise, like the splashing of rain, or the din made by a multitude of people) that it was bad news. "Tell me what is done, my son;" and he tells him four things, each worse than the previous one. What? Which of the four killed him? Why? The sign of God's presence was gone from the Church and the nation. I it had gone because of Israel's sin, and he and his sons were largely to blame for it. Poor old man! Though he was so greatly to blame, we must pity and respect him for his love to the Ark, the sign of God's presence. This loss was to him worse than the death of his sons.

Another heart, too, was broken by the news. A pious young mother with her new-born babe. Who? Wicked husband had brought sorrow upon her by his evil life. Worse sorrow, now that she was a lonely widow. But, like her old father-in-law, she also felt that the worst was God's displeasure. The glory departed. The sign of the Divine Presence gone for ever. What did she call her child? Meaning? What a very dark, sad ending to the glory of Eli and his family.

§ 3. Lessons.

I.- Against Superstition. It was God's presence and favour- not the Ark, the mere symbol of it- that was of importance. So with Church and Sacraments. The Church is as God's Ark in the world. But if it ever became so utterly corrupt that God had to leave it, there would be no help in it. The Sacraments are God's means of bestowing grace and strength on us; but it is possible by our sin to destroy their effect. It is possible to have been baptized, and afterwards to lose all the grace of Baptism. And it is possible for a careless, godless person to receive of the Holy Communion, and be none the better of it, but rather worse. Like the Israelites with the Ark in the battle of Aphek, it is possible to think superstitiously of the Church and the Sacraments as if they were mere charms, by which we can force God to be present with us.

II.- The worst trouble on earth is to be abandoned by God. Whether with nation or Church, or with individual man. No other trouble as terrible as that. What would be the greatest affliction that could come on any Church? Poverty? Loss of position? No. If it were only money and position was lost- if they did not lose or forsake God- if the Ark, the presence of God remained- the rest would not matter very much. A Church faithful to God would weather the storm, weakened and impoverished, indeed, in outward appearance, but probably purer, more loyal, more faithful to God, through the trouble that had come upon her, and rejoicing more in the devotion of her children than at any time before. Suppose all her riches and position had remained, and her clergy and people had grown corrupt like Israel, there would be the real trouble- the Ichabod- the glory departed. So also in the individual life. Boy, girl, man, woman, the only hopeless calamity is the driving away God by our sinful, disobedient lives. If God's favour be with us, if we are still trusting and following Him, it is possible to bear calmly even great earthly troubles. But all the wealth of the world would not compensate for the loss to an evil, selfish, Christless life, that has driven out God. Its glory has departed. Take care of your lives. You have been consecrated to God as children. Learn that the worst of all dangers is the danger of slipping away from Him. Pray Ps. li. 11: "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me."

Questions for Lesson XI

Who were now Israel's oppressors?

When before?

Tell of the battle of Ebenezer.

What was the Ark of God?

Why did they carry it into battle?

Did it save them? What happened?

Will Church or Sacraments help us if our hearts are wrong?

Illustrate, e.g., in Holy Communion.

Tell the touching story of Eli's death.

Lesson XII

THE HAND OF GOD

1 Sam. V and VI.

Last lesson about terrible defeat, capture of the Ark, the slaughter of 30,000 men. Even worse things we learn from other parts of Scripture- Shiloh sacked and burned, and its people massacred by the victorious Philistine: (see Psalm lxxviii. 60-64; Jer. vii. 12, and xxvi. 9). Probably some of the "lost books" kept at Shiloh, then destroyed- Book of Jasher (Josh. x. 13): Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers xxi. 14). A terrible trouble, indeed, had Israel brought on itself by its sin.

§ I. Dagon.

Now the scene changes. We turn away from burnt town and weeping people and desolate sanctuary. We see in the land of the Philistines a great festivity- a grand religious procession. Great is the rejoicing at the gates of Ashdod, great the shouts and praises of Dagon, their god. Dagon has conquered Jehovah. He has taken Him captive. Into his temple shall the mysterious Ark be brought. Do you remember a former religious rejoicing before Dagon? (Lesson VIII.). Dagon and the Philistines did not come off best that time- should have remembered it. But no; they were so proud of carrying off "the Israelite God," they would put the Ark at the feet of Dagon, to celebrate Dagon's power. Poor ignorant idolators: how little they knew when they could think thus of the Almighty God, the Father of all men.

Ever see picture of mermaid? Dagon like that- human body, ending in a fish. Imagine people actually worshipping and praying to an ugly, silly-looking image such as that, like the poor ignorant heathen inmIndia and Africa to-day. You have seen pictures of the ugly brass and wooden idols which they worship, not in love, but in fear. They pray to them and do them honour chiefly because they believe them to be evil, and to have evil power, and to be able to do great mischief if vexed. What a miserable, horrible religion: all dread, all darkness. None of the comfort, and love, and happiness that come from the knowledge of God and of the story of our Blessed Lord. Does God feel more of anger or of pity for them? Remember our Lord's pity
for them, and His command to all Christians (Matt. xxviii. 19). God taught these idolators a lesson about their idols? (v. 3). And
again? (v. 4). Yes; head and hands off, nothing but the fish-stump left, lying, a dead, ugly lump of wood or brass, on the floor. How could they think that poor, degraded thing to be a god? (see v. 5). Curious trace of this story in Zeph. i. 9-"those that leap on," or, more correctly, "leap over the threshold." How terrified the priests and people of Ashdod! They had heard of this Ark at the crossing of Jordan and the fall of Jericho and the smiting of Egypt (ch. iv. 8; vi. 6). Now Dagon lay smashed- perhaps they could bear that- but horrible sores came on them, and perhaps swarms of field-mice in their corn (ch. vi. 5). Must get rid of this awful Ark. But not like to lose such a proof of their victory: perhaps it would be quiet at Gath or at Ekron. What happened? Surely they should have learned God's power now, and turned to pray to Him. But they thought perhaps that He was only the Jews' God, and would not receive Philistines. Were they right?


§ 2. The tragedy of Bethshemesh.

Scene changes again. A harvest day at Bethshemesh- thousands of reapers working amid the golden cornfields. Suddenly a shout of surprise, of rejoicing- a wild, glad rush from the harvest-field out on the southern road. What did they see? Tell me the story of the cart and the two cows who had come without guide or driver all the way to Bethshemesh? Was it a strange thing for cows to do? Not really so, for all animals are constantly doing God's will- their powers, instincts, passions, desires, all given by God- their acts are the doing of what God wants done on earth. It was very easy, therefore, to make these two cows do God's special will here. And the five Philistine lords who had followed the cart- why? (v. 9)- they now learned that all was of God, and not of chance.

See the rejoicing at Bethshemesh, the great stone (v. 14) turned into an altar, cart broken up, the sacrifice offered of praise to Jehovah; and after the sacrifice of course, there would be a feast. And then an awful thing happened. Heated perhaps with wine and feasting, they lost all sense of reverence, and encouraged each other to look into the Ark and examine its contents. The priests and Levites of the town (v. 9) knew the duty of reverence, and the danger of contempt for religion; but the whole nations seems to have been degraded, and unfit for God's Ark or God's presence amongst them. What a number of them must have sinned! It seems that seventy men were struck dead for irreverence. Of course, the number in the text must be a mistake. (Explain that numbers were denoted, as with us, by letters of alphabet, and that dots over letters greatly increased the number meant, so that mistakes in numbers could very easily take place. The Hebrew reads, "seventy men, fifty thousand
men," which does not make sense, and must be a mistake. In a country village such as Bethshemesh, the whole population would not be very many, and probably those who looked into the Ark were a very small portion of them. Josephus in his History, says "seventy men;" and some Hebrew manuscripts have same number.


*3. Lessons.

I.--The danger of irreverent conduct towards the All Holy, Almighty God.

II.--The misery and degradation of Idolatry. Think of the poor ignorant Philistines, and the mutilated fish-stump of Dagon. Think of the horrible worship in India and Africa, and the sad, hopeless lives, with no knowledge of God--of heaven--of resurrection. Think of a funeral--heart-broken mother and her dead child and nothing to give comfort or hope. Think of the desire of our Lord (Matt. xxviii.19), and the blessedness of going out to do His will, and comfort and gladden those wretched lives. Perhaps the high privilege from God will come to some of you that you may go. Would you like to go? Would the Lord like you to go?

Questions for Lesson XII

Tell of Philistines rejoicing in their idol temple. What for?

Name of the idol?

They thought it had conquered Israel's God. Why?

Where are idols still worshipped? Tell anything you know about them.

Which would God be--angry or sorry about it?

What does He wish His church to do?

How can you be of any help?

Lesson XIII

THE REFORMATION

1 Sam. VIII.

The last three Lessons told of sad decline in religion--God forgotten--idols worshipped--people irreligious--even the priests of Shiloh so utterly vile that they but contaminated the people. So God's favour lost, and punishment incurred. Remember defeat at Aphek--destruction of Shiloh--capture of Ark--glory departed, Israel degraded, hopeless, crushed--oppressed--courage, and righteousness, and hope vanished together. Repeat "Two-fold Lesson" of Book of Judges. We have come again to the same old circle--Sinning: Punishment; but now the other two things--Repenting: Deliverance--are soon to follow.

*1. Repentance.

Wretched state of Israel. All religious services probably ceased after destruction of Shiloh and capture of Ark. Like the days of
Papal interdict in England in time of King John. Saddened and troubled, the people began to long again for God's favour. Conscience began to stir; there arose a wistful, sorrowful desire for the God of their fathers; they felt "the time long" (v. 2); remembered God's goodness in former repentances--the return of Ark (v. 1) fanned the flickering flame of hope. Perhaps God would forgive them! Then, like John Baptist, Samuel appears, preaching repentance, bidding them destroy the idols, promising them God's favour and deliverance from their oppressors (v. 3). Like Moses and Joshua. All true prophets must teach that God will not take our part while disloyal to Him.

Long since we have heard of Samuel--when last? Evidently he had escaped when Shiloh destroyed. Now many years passed; he is a grown man, but still a faithful servant of God. Not every religious child grows to be a religious man. It was still Samuel's cry, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." See what a power for good he was.  Men who put God and righteousness first are always of powerful influence for good. People must respect and attend to them.

Like the Huguenot pastors in France, he had probably to move secretly, through fear of Philistines, hiding in the caverns--showing himself now in one place, now in another; gradually rousing Israel to see the greatness of their sins and the goodness of God. And so repentance, and fresh, new spiritual life, began amongst them, and with it the patriotic resolve to be free from Philistine yoke.

How did they show reality of repentance? (v. 4). Talking about religion, and saying, "We have sinned," is not enough. It is by acts that real earnestness is shown. Was God willing to forgive? Glad to forgive?


*2. The National Assembly.

Now, at last, Samuel thinks they may venture on a National Assembly to meet openly and declare for God, and discard Philistine idols. It was a great risk. It would certainly bring down the Philistines on them. Defeat would be terrible in their defenceless state. And Samuel was no warrior, like Gideon or Jephthah. He was but a righteous man--a holy prophet. All he could do was, "I will pray to Jehovah" (v. 5). This meeting at Mizpeh would terribly test their faith.

The day of assembly has come. From town and village, from mountain and valley, see the poor scattered people gathering timidly to Mizpeh. They knew the danger, but their trust in God was returning. And Samuel promised what? (v. 5). What was there besides prayer?  Fasting and public confession to God: "We have sinned against the Lord." And then the pouring out of water--perhaps an expression of humiliation--perhaps a form of swearing loyalty to God henceforth. A touching sight, yet a stirring, inspiriting sight--these bands of Israel sorrowing for their sin, and pledging themselves for the future to a righteous life--"to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God." Surely a glad sight for God. Surely there was joy in the presence of angels of God, &c. (Luke xv. 10).

Ah! soon came the testing time of their faith. What? (v. 7). Did they trust themselves? Did they trust God? (v. 8). Tell me their request. Was it heard? Yes, and new power and courage came to these poor frightened men. They saw the powerful army coming to destroy them. But they heard the thunder of heaven rolling overhead. Like many children amongst ourselves, thunder seemed to them the voice of God (ch. ii. 10). Jehovah thundered with a great voice (so Hebrew) and roused to joyful enthusiasm by that voice, they dashed down headlong upon the coming foe. What matter the poor armour, the
smallness of numbers? What matters anything now, if God is on their side again? The force of the wild rush breaks the lines of the Philistines. A panic seizes them. They turn and flee for their lives to the shelter of Bethcar. What glad hearts they were that raised the Ebenezer (v. 12). What thankfulness to the kind and merciful God. What happiness that they had now returned to His service.


*3. Lessons.

I.--The courage, and peace, and hopefulness, that come of repentance and forgiveness. Illustrate, child forgiven by mother, and received back to favour. In turning to the Lord, and seeking His forgiveness, every man in Israel was conscious of right-doing, and conscious of God's restored friendship. The moral support of such consciousness is great to everyone. We saw in previous Lessons how misery, and weakness, and cowardice came of forsaking God. We see here how courage and happiness came of return to Him. That is what gave the courage to charge upon the enemy. Remember, no real peace or courage away from God. All peace and courage by keeping close to Him.

II.--The way to victory. What was the result of this turning to God? Not only victory at Mizpeh? (vv. 13, 14). So with us. If have sinned and lost heart, and find it hard to be good, turn like Israelites in penitence and prayer. Evil will attack again, and fight hard for the mastery. Like the Philistines, who did not want to let Israel go. But let there be prayer, and faith, and honest desire for consecration to God, and victory is sure. It must be so, since He is more desirous of our victory than are we ourselves. "They that trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved."

Questions for Lesson XIII

What was the state of Israel in Samuel's early days?

Did he try to deliver them by fighting like the other judges?

What did he think most important?

How did he begin his reformation?

Tell of great national religious gathering. What did they promise?

What happened in next battle?

Do you think their repentance had anything to do with this?

What is the secret of real confidence and courage in troubles?

Lesson XIV

SELF-WILL AND GOD'S WILL

1 Sam. VIII.

*1. Wanting to Be Like Others.

Samuel at Ramah, at the old home of his infancy, where erected altar unto the Lord (ch. vii. 16, 17). In that home Elkanah and Hannah had lived and worshipped God. In that place Joseph of Arimathea lived in the years long afterwards. Probably after ruin of Shiloh (previous Lesson) Samuel had retired there, and probably for years remained, like Paul at Damascus, in quiet, lonely preparation by God for his great life work. During this time of his retreat probably took place Samson's wild actions and fitful victories and tragic death. Then Samuel began to move secretly amongst the down-trodden people, and to rouse their spirit to religion and to patriotism (previous Lesson). And now, as judge and chief of the nation, he still lived in the old home, taking his journeys "on circuit," like our own judges to-day, to judge Israel.

One day a deputation of chiefs to Ramah to see the old leader, now probably sixty or seventy years old. What did they want? (v. 5).  What two reasons had they? Ever before wanted king, and what answer did they get? (Judges viii. 22, 23). Gideon's answer must be remembered--God was their King. That was the magnificent thought that always raised them high above level of all other nations, and gave such grandeur and nobleness to their history. Righteousness and holiness, not mere earthly pomp, was to be their ideal. Now they were anxious not so much for God and holy leaders who should be God's servants, God's Lieutenants, but a king who should be a soldier to fight for them, and to rule them in pomp, like whom? (v. 5, v. 20)-- "like all the nations," i.e., the heathen, Canaanites, Philistines, &c. Their glory used to be that they were unlike these nations.

Show here that many sins come amongst young people from wanting to be "like other people." Boys want to be like comrades, who are often very bad examples--girls who would like to be religious, are ashamed because not "like others." Remember, you are members of the Kingdom of God--"the Lord your God is your King." Dare to be singular, to stand alone; never mind what anyone says.

Had these people any right on their side? Yes. Samuel old. His sons not good men. Philistines still a danger. Besides, God had almost promised king (Deut. xvii. 15-20). What then was wrong? They had determined to have a king when they themselves thought fit, without consulting God's will. They did not value their religious privileges; thought more of pomp and fighting than of religion and God. They were dissatisfied with God's arrangement for them-- impatient and presumptuous and self-willed. We know from vv. 7, 8, that in his own good time God would probably have given king, but not just yet. What should they have done? Come in prayer to God, seeking His will, and saying, "Thy will be done"; "We should like a king, but God knows best."


*2. Samuel's Religion.

You see that was what Samuel did. Was he pleased at their demand? (v. 6); vexed, irritated. It was a slight on him who had been so true and faithful; but worse, it was a slight on God. He could not understand anyone questioning God's decisions. But, angry as he was, did he refuse them at once or turn them away? What? (v. 6). Prayed; leaves all decision to God. See the effect on him. Vexed and irritated, he went to God. He came forth a different man after communion with God; calm, quiet, restful. God had given him relief and sympathy, for He shared in his disappointment--submission to the Divine will--strength to bear the insult to himself. Wonderful what prayer can do. "Habitual prayer constantly confers decision on the wavering, energy on the listless, calmness on the excitable, disinterestedness on the selfish." Learn to live much in prayer and communion with God, to come to Him with every trouble and vexation. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."

See here the sweet, innocent religion of the child had developed into the noble, unselfish religion of the man. Now that he knew God's will about it, he was satisfied. No thought for himself or for his sons. He was possessed of almost kingly power; his sons were in high and prosperous positions. But a man who lives much in God's presence thinks not of such considerations in the face of duty. In his high- souled patriotism and generosity, and his desire to do the will of God, he at once put himself and his sons aside. What matter about self, if only good comes to others, if only the will of God be done on earth as it is done in heaven? Remember a great New Testament example of this disinterestedness? John Baptist. "He must increase, I must decrease: this my joy therefore is fulfilled."

Sadly he warned them of what they are bringing on themselves. Firmly he showed them of God's disapproval. But then he left them to choose. Did they ask that God should decide for them? (See vv. 19, 20). "No," they said, "we will have a king. We want to have our own way." When grown men capable of deciding say such things, God often lets them have their way. It is often the only way to teach them their mistake. See parable of prodigal demanding, "Give me the portion of goods," &c. Poor fellow, how bitterly he learned in the far country that it would have been better to stay with his father. So nowadays, too. It is a terribly dangerous thing to set up your will against God. "I must have my own way about choice of life-work, or about this or that smaller decision." Oh, you may force God to teach you your mistake by a very bitter lesson. Pray, "Thy will, not mine, O Lord!"

Here we have to say good-bye to Samuel. In next course of lessons he comes in again, and we shall see how nobly he acted towards the new king, who had displaced him. Free from every trace of jealousy, he exalted Saul to the uttermost, and loved him, and took him to his heart as a son. He pleaded with him, and advised him, and strove to save him from his evil dispositions. And when at last, with a sore heart, he had to pronounce the sentence of God's rejection on him, he went home to his lonely house at Ramah to mourn for that young king who had so spoiled his life. The story of the kings and the kingdom begins in next course of lessons, for Samuel the prophet was

"THE LAST OF THE JUDGES."

Questions for Lesson XIV

Now Samuel is an old man ruling Israel. What did the people demand
of him?

Who did Samuel say was their real King?

Did Samuel like their demand?

How would it affect him personally?

Was that what he most cared about?

To whom did he go for guidance?

What lesson here for us?

Now we are done with the Judges. Next lessons begin the story of the Kings.

Next book in this series is the story of THE PROPHETS AND KINGS.