Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1908-08-14, Page 304.9*********************14 STUD ..a Y. SCHOOL • LESSON +445.454545454646445.45444663546.4644 LESSON VII. -AUG, x6, xgo8. Saul Tries to Kill David. -z Sam. x8: 6-x6. Commentary., I. Saul angry at David (vs. 6-9). 6. Was returned -There has evidently been adigression in `the narra- tive (vs. 1-5) "to relate the account of Davids' permanent reception into Soul's service, the commencement of the friend- ship between thin and Jonathan, and his ultimate promotion and success." The naera.'tive now goes baek to the welcome 'which David received when the army re- turned in tritimph from the successful completiian of the Philistine war. This verse ,should be rend in conneotian with ehap. 17, 54; though some time may have elapsed, during which the arrny was occupied in following up i'cs first Suc- cess. Women came out -This was in harmony with Oriental customs. It was the prineiple business of certain women to celebrate victories, sing at funerals, etc. Of all cities ---They ddame together • from all the neigbborifig cities. Singing and daneing--This is a ehaeackeristic trait of Oriental manners. On the re- turn of friends long absent, and particu- larly on the return of a victorious army, bands of women and children issue from the towns and villages to form a tri- umphal precession, to celebrate the vic- tory with dimming, music. and songs, in honor of 'the generals who have earned the highest distinction by feats of gal- lantry. The Hebrew women, therefore, were merely paying the customary coo gr tulations to David as the deliverer of their country. -J., 1'. & B. Tabrete-Or tircnbrels. A hand -drum, an ine'r,rument still used by the Arab;, and described as a hoop over which a piece of parchment is drawn. Sometimes pieces of brass are fixed in it to make a jingling. It is beaten with the fingers. -Cam. Bib. This must have been similar to the modern tambourine. 7. Sang one to another (It. V.) -They sang alternately, Some of the women began the song with, "Saul hath slain his thousands," and a.nother company an- swered, "And David his ten tboustends." "This wase a neat poetic parallelism. The enthusiastic throng intimate that David's triumph was of mare impo&'cauce than all of Sail's victories." -Terry. In this they committed a grave indiscretion; they praised a. subject at the expense of their king. 8. Very wrath-Sau1 centered his thoughts on himself. This, was the prin- cipal cause of his trouble. He was al- ways ready to seek the ruin of any roan by whom he imagined he might be injur- ' ed. But the kingdom -The prophet had distinctly told ltinr in the day of his sin, that the Lord had rent the kingdom from him, and had given it to a neighbor that was better than he (chap. 15, 28). In David Saul could read the marks of such a man. --Wilberforce. 9. Eyed David-\Vatched all his move - meets with stamacion and jealousy, which soon ripened into deadly hatred.. "Ile eyed David as one he was jealous of and sought advantages against; his counte-• ranee was not toward him as it had been. Proud men cannot endure to hear any praised but themselves. It is a sign that the Spirit of God has departed from men if they be peerdeh in their resentment of affronts, envious and stispi':tous of all about them, and ill-natured in their con- duct; for the wisdom from above makes us quire otherwise." -Henry. Jealousy and envy directed the gaze of 'that eye. Two things will inevitably follow e. man filled with the Holy Ghost and walking in the light. He will be filled with power, and true, simple -hearted Israel twill joyfully recognize it. -Smith. If Saul had been a good roan, he would have been horrified 'at 'rhe appearance of this evil passion in his heart; he would have said, "Get thee behind me, Satan." In- stead of stamping it out, Saul nourished it; instead of extinguishing the spark he heaped fuel on the flame.--Bla.ik]e. II. Saul attempts 'to kill David (vs. 10, 11). "Here eo n nenees the record of those penseeutions by which, during the rest of Souls' lifetime, the conqueror of Goliath was continually harassed. It forme a suggestive. period of Israelitish history, and presents in sariking contrast the development of Soul's great wicked- ness on the one hand, and David's many excellencies on the other. These persecu- tions, however, were a most useful discip- line for the psalmist king."-Whed. Coin. 10. Evil spirit. --A clenion like those mentioned so frequently in the New 'Tes- tament. "The very next day after he conceived malice against David the evil spilt, seized him. Those that indugle themselves in envy and uncharitableness give 'place to the devil and prepare for the re-entry of the unclean spirit, with seven others more wicked." -Henry. From God. ---Sent by permission of God, as Sat- an in Job 2, i. Caane upon Saul. -He re- lapsed into e state of demoniate posses- sion. See chap. 16, 14. Prophesied -Ra- ther,. "raved." -R. V., margin. "The word `prophesy' describes an ecstatic condi- tion clue to supernatural influence, good. or evil; the result in the one case being prophetic inslriration or religions enthus- iasm, in the other raving madness." - O4111. Bib. Saul was at first inspired by the Holy Spirit, but nor' that Spirit has left hien and a foul demon occupies his place, and accordingly, instead of hallow- ed ecstasy, his religious exercises resem- ble the frantic ravings of a madman, He utters impassioned eriee, and perhaps falls prostrate on the floor and bt•ea.thes forth his inner ravings like one holding communion with anunseen world,- Ter-ry., As at other times --See ehap,'18, 2.4, There is a wonderful power in music to soothe a. troubled sold. A javelin -Tho javelin or spear was the emblem of regal authority. In ancient times kings used a spear instead of a diadem.-- Clarke. They always had it at hand, and in an- cient montnn eats they are always repre- senced with it. 11. Cast the javelin -Saul, now thor- oughly infuriated, determined to make an end of the shepherd boy. Some think that at this tame Saul did not actually east the spear as be did later (chap. 19. 10), but that he merely brandished tl,e weapon and that David escaped before it was actually east. The origins,1 w ,t d rendered "cast" may be translated here "lifted," or "brandished." After this, Saul. never lost the idea that David was the God -ordained kiiag. This purpose he resolved to defeat, and, accordingly, made several attempts on his life, Vs. 12.16. 12. Was afraid of David Saul became sensible that he was fig'h: ing against God; this caused terror aid continued to disturb him more and mare. Because the Lord, etc. -When God is with us we are certain to succeed, hut when the Ford forsakes a person he is equally certain to be defeated. Tae Christian is mighty only "through Go':' (2 Cor. 2. 10). 13. Removed him -Ile was afraid to retain David longer as an im- mediate attendant. Captain -It is 12•31; certain that this was the same ap- pointment referred to in vs. 5, but it is quite likely that it was. "Saul probably made David chief of one of the principal towns of Judah, each containing, rough- ly, a thousand men. Saul did this partly to get David out of bis sight, and para ly (vs. 17, 25) in the hope that lair; dangerous rival might be killed in bat- tle, The people who loved David would consider this an honor paid to the na- tienal hero; otherwise they would have been angered by Saul's action." Went out enemata in -"God being with hint in all that he does, he is not only kept from retaliating on Saul, not only kept from all devices of getting rid of one who was so unjust and unkind to him, but he is remarkably obedient, remark- ably faithful, and by God's grace re- markably successful in the work given lin ►etc; do. at is a beautiful period of David's life -the most blameless and beautiful of any. The object of unmerit- ed hatred, the victim of atrocious plots, the helpless object of a despot's mad and ungoverned fury, yet cherishing no trace of bitter feeling, dreaming of no violent project of relief, but going out and in with perfect loyalty, and strain- ing every nerve to prove himself a lab- orious. faithful and useful servant of the roaster who loathed him." 14. -David behaved.. wisely - David conducted himself with great discretion. "His whole course was marked by wis- dom, by which is meant both piety and prudence. And in this he is an object lesson to us in proof of the point much to be insisted upon, that the Lord's in- tervention, in our behalf do not sus- pend our obligations to be both prayer. ful and careful." The Lord was with him -In every darkness which cast its shadow around him the light of the open heavens penetrated; and after every storm that raged against hind there fol- lowed the gentle breathings of divine ccnsolation. To this day wherever Ile melody of his psalms sounds and echoes in the heart, the shadows of sorrow and sadness are scattered, and courage and peace and joy return and take posses cion of the soul.-Krummacher. 16. All,,, . loved. David -That is, the large majority, all who carne to know him. Because, era. -That is. ,they loved him because he was discreet and wise in all of his move- ments among them. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. David persecuted by Saul typifies those of whom it is written, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suf- fer ,persecution" (2 'Tim. 3; 12.) .David was. ' 1. Faithful. "David went out whither- soever Saul sent him" (v. 5.) The true disciple will be faithful to those over him not as unto men, but as unto God (Fah. 6; 5.8). • II. Favored. `Accepted" (v. 5.)Da- vid was beloved both by Israel ad by the servants of Saul. His wisdom in his walk brought him prosperity (v. 14, margin.) His name was "precious" (v. 30, margin). III. "The women .. , . said, Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands .. and Saul was very wroth" (v. 8.) By killing Goliath, David had really won the battle. They only told the truth, but it rnade Saul jealous. Bad men cannot bear to hear good men praised. But those who envy others only lrttrt themselves. "'1Vr•ath is cruel and stager is outrageous, but who is able to stand for envy?" (Prov. 27; 4.) "Envy is as rottenness to the bone" (Prov. 14; 30.) "What rust is to iron and mildew to corn, and moth to cloth, that envy is to the heart where it hides." Envy threw re javelin at David (vs. 8, II), and Soul died a miserable suicide (1 Chron. 10; 4.) Envy sold Joseph to the Ish- maellites, for twenty pieces of silver (Acts 7; 9, 28), and Joseph's brethren suffered years of remorse (Gen. 50; 15- 18.) Envy killed the righteous Abel (1 John.3; '12), and Cain, a fugitive and a vagabond, cried, "My punishment is greater than I can bear' (Gen. 4; 12, 13.) Envy crucified C;brist, and the Jews perished miserably in the siege at .Tera- salem, Envy shuts out from the king - dont of God (Gal, 5; 21.) The remedy o far the sin of envy is the blood of Jesus. lthe ipower to keep li'wti erivy is the love of Lod. IY. elated. "Saul ; . said, 1 will smite David" (v. IL) '1'ne world rvrll Batu the Christian woo is true,. Jesus was hated because in the syzu gegue at ilaczaretu he spoke true, faithful worde (Luke 4; 28, ;4U.) 'Tiro world cannot hate you," Jesus said to his brethren who didnot believe in hive," "but me it bateth, be- cause I testify of it that the works therof are evil" (John 7;, 47.) Christ's 'promise to us is, "131essed are ye, when men shall hate you" (Luke 6; 22). V. Kept. "Saul east the javelin .. David avoided" (v. 11.) He could not fight the king, but he could flee from his ,presence. God kept the javelin from injuring him. They are safe whom God keeps (Psa. 91 • 5, 14.10). VI. Feared. "And Saul was afraid of David, because the ted was. with him", ,(v. 12), .If wr would have ie foss of thoee ahoui us and influence them we must live in the presence of God, A faithful Lord is always recognized by the good as being with those who like David behave them- selves wisely. ]:fere are seven rules to copy in. your Bible to help you to live os in the presence of God: 1. 'Say nothing you would not like God to hear. 2. Du nothing you would not like God to see. 3. Write nothing you tf ould not like God to read. 4. Ue. to no place where you would not like God to find you, 5. Read no book of which you would not. like God to say, "Show it to roe." 6. Dever spend your time so that you would not like God to sea, "What art thou doing?" 7. Of every doubtful thing always ask, "What would Jesus do??" VI1. Wise. "David bebaved himself wisely. in all his ways" (v. 14). He was circumspect in his walk and careful to do nothing to inflame Sail's jealousy. 1. He was patient. He dill not insist that Sau1's daughter should be given to him as `his right, though she had been promised to the one who should slay Goliath (1 Sam. 17:25). He waited. 2. He was' modest. Very humbly he replied to Saul's proffer of his daughter (v. 17). II:e did not reproach the king when he demanded another display of valor. 3. He was generous. 'Be brought a duuble measure of the dowry exacted from him, thus proving his love for her acid his generosity toward the nien who sought his life, the genuinen.css of his victory over the Philistines and the greatness of his character (vs. 25-27). "A worldly man wilLscore a margin for himself, but a spiritual man can always afford to do more than is exacted of him.' 4. ile was respectful. \Vi en Saul's servants spoke lightly of the offer made to him he replied, "Seemeth it a light thing to be the king's son-in-law?" (v, 23). ;iaul was not the king he should have been; he had treated David most unkindly, but he eras the king and as such David would respect him.. The true Christian is always courteous and reverential to the aged and to those in authority. VIII. Beloved. •'911 Imam! and .Judah loved David" (v. 10). Ma. like David are sure to have the lova of the people. .A nation can but look u f -a at: ? admire such men as Washington, l i'. 'oln and Garfield. God will see that they receive a crown who have borne the cross for him. Saul's history affords an example of the downward tendency of sin. It is like virulent poison that, commencing at one small spot, rapidly eats its way in .and in until it consumes the whole body. His first act is one of negative disobedience, his second one of positive disobedience, his third one of rebellion. He begins his animosity against David with a jealous thought; then follows a jealous habit; next an impulsive effort to kill; afterward a deliberate plot to kill. The longer he pursues his purpose the more devilish it becomes. "Jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance" (Prov. 6:34). "A sin is always attended by infinite peril. It cannot, become so encysted as to becomeh armless. Sins hunt in packs. Admit the first and a second comes prowling behind it, and then a third and a fourth, snarling and pushing, until the whole soul, filled by them, has become a veritable wild beast's den." • Joseph Parker says: "We are apt to think that Saul did all the mischief and David suffered for it. This is an incom- plete view of the ease. Saul was the victim of the cruelest torment, All his peace was destroyed. There was bitter- ness in his wine; the charm of sleep perished; the bloom of summer had fad- ed; there was a cruel serpent gnawing at his heart. 'The way of transgres- sors is hard' (Prov. 13:15). Better be a martyr than the persecutor, the op- pressed than the oppressor. Read Saul's inner life, anger, envy, madness, murder, evil scheming, chagrin, .hell." HONEYMOON ADVENTURE. Motor Car Plunged Over Steep Preci- pice, But Caught by .a Tree. New York, Aug. 10. -District At- torney Baker of Washington who suc- cessfully prosecuted the Government land frauds in the northwest; his bride of two months, and several friends who were accompanying them on their honeymoon, had an almost miraculous escape from death to -day. 'While the automobile in which they were travelling was running down a sharp hill on Wal- nut Mountain near Liberty, N. Y., the machine got out of control and plunged over a preeipiee nearly 300 feet high. The machine, a big covered car, turned three complete somersaults and lodged in the boughs of a tree. thirty feet be- low the brink of the precipice. There it hung, suspended, tap downward, with the frightened occupants held prisoners in the enclosed machine. All were badly bruised and frightened, but no one was fatally hurt, with the exception of tate chauffeur, •.a- Lots of folk have much to say about their individuali];,e being crushed ut. A better thing could never hap - von. for some font -. MUST GET $500 OR SUICIDE. FATHER OF EIGHT WANTS LOAN TO REPAY SUM LOST. Now in Hands of Sharks -Fears Prose- cution as Embezzler if Sureties Learn of His Mishap. Chicago, Aug.10.-Five hundred dollars is all that is needed to .save the life of a despairing man ---the father of eight children. Unless the sum is forthcom- ing, and he premises to repay it at the rate of aZ a week, he threatens to take his life. Seemingly he is in deadly earn. est. The money is needed to repay hie em- pluyers a sum that he, says he lost four months ago. He hes not told them of the loss, and in Inc simple Italian way - for he is apparently in many ways un- sophistieateu--he has reached the con- clusion that a suicide's fate is the only thing that remains to him. The money that he lost amounted to less than $300, but iv his desperate ef- forts to keep the -knowledge et his care- lessness from his employers he has bor- rowed money at extortionate rates of interest until now there is a debt of $u00 -which is eonatautly increasing. "It is useless," he said yesterday in great agitation. "1 can no longer keep up the deception. I am driven so dis- tracted that I am losing my mind. I no longer can do my work." The identity of this man is not dis- closed fur obvious reasons, but it be- came known through an advertisement that lie inserted in the Sunday Tribune, as follows: Personal -Father of eight children to be no obliged to kill himself needs $500, giving it beck $5 weekly. Sure: Ad- dress W553, Tribune. When the man's son came for the mail he divulged the name of his father. Ile did not understand the advertisement, and the father, who was seen later, dis- closed its purpose in confidence. The Italian is a mon of 35 or 36 years of age. Be came here from Florence five years ago and, being well educated in his evil language, did not have great difficulty in acquiring English. IIe ob- tained employment with it firm as sales- man and acquired a profitable list of customers among his countrymen. "I am drawing $113 a week and had good prospects," said W 553, for that is the only name by which he can be known, for the present. "My employers trust me implicitly. I handle the col- lections and thousands of dollars pass through my hands. Sometimes I have considerable money on my person. One day, four months ago, I add a roll of bills containing $'275 in my.inside pocket. When I reached home at night I was terror-stricken to find that the money had disappeared. Some one had picked my pocket or I had lost the money - how I cannot imagine. "With a family of eight children and my old another to support it has been impossible for me to save much. Even my furniture is not paid for. Perhaps I should have told my employers at once, but I feared that the bonding company, which is my surety for $2,000, would send me to prison. For the loss of my situation I would not care. I could get another -but the disgrace of prison- -ah, that would kill me and nay fancily. "If you will put yourself in my place perhaps you can understand how I felt. For days I was like one in a dream. As I am ebllecting money for the firm daily, I thought I could keep it secret until I could replace the money. With that purpose in view I said nothing, but went to an Italian banker, explained the situation, and asked for a loan suffi- cient to repay the loss, and offered to pay him at the rate of $5 a week. Un- fortunately I could offer no security, and the banker was businesslike and cold. "Since then, by borrowing small sums at a high rate of interest, I have man- aged to keep the knowledge of the loss from my employers, but I am nearing the end. In one month I have paid $78 interest and the debt is growing larger every day. 13y the most rigid economy I ani unable to make my payments. Even the loan agents will not let me have more than $30 at a time on account of my small salary, so I km compelled to borrow from my countrymen at even a higher rate. I have exhausted every resource and I no longer care to live." The replies to the advertisement were sympathetic and bade him be courage- ous, telling him that something would turn up, but they afforded little or no encouragement that he would be aided in a financial Way. An investigation developed that the man spoke the truth about his children. They are all young, except a 15 -year-old boy, who adds his salary of $4 a week to the support of the fancily. They live in a neat flat in a poor quarter of the west side. The wife, in ignorance of the cause of her husband's trouble, but knowing that he is in desperate need of money, goes out to work by the day. o•o STOVE BROKE HIS SPINE. Young Coteau Landing Boy Acci- dentally Killed. A Montreal despatch: Almanzai Cherie- bois, five years old, was instantly kill- ed at his father's hone at Coteau Land- ing yesterday. His father bought a. stove at Coteau village and took it to his house in a two -wheeled cart. Ile unhitch- ed the horse and took it to the stable and labile he WAS away his two little sons essayed to climb up the back of the vehicle. Their combined weight was sufficient to tilt up the cart and the t fell 11 breaking I' TORONTO MARKETS. Farmers' 1Vtarkets. Grain receipts were nil, and prices nominal. Hay quiet and unchanged, with receipts of only IO loads; old sold at $14 to $15 a ton, and new at $10 to $11.50 a ton. Straw sold at a12 a ton for one load. Dreused hogs are steady. Choice lightwiughi,s sold at $9.50 to $9.75, and Leavy at $9.2u. Wheat, old, bushel ..$ 0 84 $ 0 85 i)o., red, bushel .... . 0 83 0 84 Oats,, tmshe] .... 0 6'2 0 53 Barley', bushel . ..... .. 0 53 0 55 Peas, bushel 0 75 0 0U ]lay, tad, ton .........14 00 15 00 Do., new, ton --- .... 10 00 12 00 Straw, per ton .... 11 00 12 00 Dressed hogs ........9 25 9 75 Butter, dairy .. .... 0 22 0 25 Do., creamery 0 25 0 28 Eggs, dozen . 0 23 0 25 ('luekens, spring, dressed, pound . ... ..j.. Fowl, per ib. .. .. .... Ducks, spring, lb. .... .. Onions, .per bag .. Cabbage, per dozen . -. Potatoes, new, bushel ._ Beef, hindquarters .. .. Do., forequarters .. .. Po., choice, carcase ... D'o., medium, carcase .. Mutton, per cwt . Seal. prime, per cwt. ... Lomb, serum, per lb. .... Live Stock. Receipts of live stock, as reported by the railways, were 03 carloads, composed. of 828 cattle, 808 hogs, 717 sheep and lambs and 145 calves. There was a light run of cattle, which was -fortunate, as most of the dealer's had got a full supply at the Jtmction. market on Monday. Few cattle of good quality were offer- ed, as the bulk were of the eommon to medium clan•-, which were slow of sale at lower prieeu, if anything, than at the 'Union Yards on Monday.. Exporters -There were no exporters - that is, there were no choice heavy weights -on sale. The only exporters mentioned by any of the dealers were those mentioned by Geo. Rowntree, and only two loads of steers, which weighed about 1,200 pounds, and sold at $4,75, to $5.05 per cwt. Bulls sold at $3.75 to $4.50. 13utehers-George Rowntree bought 18U fat cattle for the Harris Abattoir Company, as follows: Butchers, $4.25 to $4.05; cows, $125 to $4.25; bulls, $3 to $4.1.2 per cwt. Feeders and Stoekers-H. & W. M-ur- by report only, a few stockers and f ere offering, weighing from 700 to pounds each. There is practically no out- side demand, but they are taking all of- fered to them to fill orders at 3.123a to $3.00 per cwt. Milkers and Springers -About 30 milk- eres and springers were offered, which sold at $25 to $60 each. Veal Calves -Veal calves sold at un- changed quotations, at $3 to $5.75 per cwt. Sileep and Lambs -The run being moderate was fortunate for the drovers having sheep and lambs, and prices re- mained about steady. Export ewes, $3.75 to $4.10 per cwt.; rams, $3 to $3.25; lambs, $5 to $0 per cwt. Hogs -Mr. Harris reports a drop of 15c per cwt., or $6.75 for selects and $6.50 for lights. Toronto Sugar Market. St. Lawrence sugars are quoted as fol- lows: Granulated, $5 in barrels., and No. 1 golden, $4.60 in barrels. These prices are for delivery; car lots 5c less . OTHER MARKETS. Winnipeg Wheat Market. Following are the closing quotations on Winnipeg grain•futures Wheat -August $1.05 3-4 bid, Octo- ber 97 5-8c bid. December 96 5-8c bid. Oats -July 44 5-8c bid, October 39 3.4c bid. 0 18 0. 11 0 11 1 25 0 35 1 00 9 50 5 50 8 00 6 50 700 7 50 0 11 0 0 0 1 0 1 11 6 9 `20 12 13 40 40 15 00 50 00' 7.50 9 00 9 00 0 12 New York Sugar Market. Sugar -Raw, quiet; fair refining, 3.- 70e; centrifuged, 90 test, 4.20; molasses sugar, 3.40 to 3.45e. Montreal Market. Montreal. -Grain --There is little little change in the local grain situation, busi- nese being quiet. The market for oats is steady. Manitoba No. 2 white at 48c. No. 3 at, 47e, and rejected at 46e per bushel in car lots, ex store. Flour -The market for flour is firm, and prices ere unchanged. Choice spring wheat patents, $6.10; seconds, $5.50; winter wheat patents, $5; straight rollers, $4.30 to $4.50; do., in bags, $1.90 to $2.10; extras, $1.05 to $1.75. Teed -The market for millfeed is steady under a fairly good demand. Manitoba bran, $22 to $23; shorts, $25; Ontario bran. $20 to $20.50; middlings, $24 to $25; shorts, $24.50 to $25 per ton, including bags; pure grain mouillie, $30 to $32, and milled grades, $25 to $28 per ton: Cheese -The market was quiet, but firm to -day, with west- erns quoted at 123 to 1O14 e, and east- ern at 12 to 12z1;c. Butter -The market- is arket is easy in tone, with finest creamery quoted at 2$aja to 24c in round lots, and 24.1/ e in a jobbing way. Eggs -The mar- ket is firm under a good demand. Salto of selected stock were made et 23e. No. 1 at 20e, and No. 2 at 16e. per dozen, British Cattle Markets. London. -London cables for cattle etre steady, at 11% to 14aac per lb., dressed: Weight; refrigerator beef is quoted at 10',4oto101/2perlb. Glasgow. Edward Watson & Ritchie report 239 cattle on offer at noon. No prime steers were shown, Ranehers and stove across a nuinzat, res tog us y were111x, to 1' e per. ib.: ht,]td secondar spine and