Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1907 — THE BOY SAMUEL [ARTICLE]

THE BOY SAMUEL

Sunday School Unm lor Dae. 15.1967 SpadaUr Arrant ferTUa Papar -0.

LEBSON TEXT,—I Samuel 1:1-ZL Memory Verse*. 8-lfl. _ ___ GOLDEN TEXT.—"Speak, Lord; for thy servant haareth."—l Samuel 1:9. TlME.—Samuel was born B. C. 1146, according to the common chronology; not far from the time of Ruth and Samson la our last lessons. PLACE.—Samual waa born at Ramah (bill), called also Ramathmim (tha double hill), four miles northwest of Jerusalem and 12 miles south of Shiloh. The house of worship was at Shiloh, the religious capital of Israel, IT miles north of Jerusalem, sad halfway between Bethel and Shschem, nine or ten miles from each. BAMUEL.—TweIve years old. ELl.—About T* years old, high priest and judge. JESSE, the grandson of Ruth and father of King David, was bora during the boyhood of Samuel. Comment and Suggestive Thought. Samuel’s Inheritance. —Samuel was the son of Elkanah and Hannah of the tribe Of Levi, the religious and educational custodians of Israel. His parents were religious people, attending the great religious festivals. He was the child of many prayers. Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 1 gives us a good impression of her talent and spiritualpower. He belonged to a religious home, which, like . the quality of mercy “is twice blessed; It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.” His Consecration. —He was dedicated to God from his birth, and he knew It He lived under the Nazlrite’s vow (Num. 6:1-12; 1 Sam. 1: 11). The power of devoting our children In their earliest years to the service of God, is well illustrated by the atory told by Merivale, In his “History of Rome,” of the famous Carthaginian general, Hannibal. When he was nine years of age, his father, Ham 11 car, proposed to take him oa one of his militagr expeditions, which Offer the young Hannibal eagerly accepted. His father then bade him devote himself once for all to the service of his country—-Carthage—and with his hand upon the altar to swear eternal enmity to Rome. This dedication in youth determined the course es his whole life. His Temple Work. —“Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Ell." "To minister” means to serve; a minister is a servant. Samuel performed various services in the house of vrorshlp, such as lighting the lamps (v. 8), opening the doors (▼. 15), running of errands, and other duties required for the sacrifices and worship. He was also the personal attendant and aid to the aged and dlm-slghted Ell, as is Implied In his sleeping near him and his readiness to respond to his call. So the young Mark and Timothy ministered unto Paul. The Call of God Awakening Hla Higher Nature.—According to Josephus, Samuel was 12 years old, the same age as Jesus when he first ,xvent to the temple at Jerusalem. V. 10. "And the Lord came and stood.” The Hebrew Is emphatic, “presented himself.” In a vision, or in personal presence as the angel of the Lord (compare (|en. 18:17, 20, 21, *33; Judg. 6:11-14; Rev. 1:1; 22:16). God Calling the Young.—God Is calling every child as he called Samuel. It is an individual call, by name, for “he calleth his own sheep by name.” God calls (1) by his word; (2) by his own loving, attractive character; (3) by wh&t he has done for us in Jesus Christ; (4) by the influences of the holy spirit; (5) by various providences; {6) by conscience; (7) by Sabbath and religious services; (8) by the invitations and influence of friends; (9) by the living water which satisfies every thirst of the soul; (16) by the attractions of goodness and of heaven; (11) by warning and the fruit of a life of sin. Early Piety. Like Samuel, we should answer God’s call by “Here am I.” (1) It is easier to be a Christian in youth. (2) Then it gives us a much longer time in which to serve God. (3) We may not live to be old, and thus by putting off our duty we may fall altogether. (4) We escape many evils and dangers. No one can sow wild oats in youth and not reap a harvest of evil. There are some spiritual blessings which can come only to those who have grown upjn the Christian life. It is universally recognized by students of the child that most men decide their future characters

very early in life. Samuel’s Hard Duty.—A very heavy burden was laid upon Samuel, the first of many yet to come. It was both a test and a training for his life work. V. 15. “Samuel feared to shew Ell the vision." It was a very hard thing for Samuel to make known to the aged Ell the message God had to him. He was so young to seem to reprove one so old. He would have to give great pain to one who loved him and had done much for him. But Ell pressed and even adjnred Samuel to tell him all, and Samuel “‘told him every whit” 2 ». ■ Practical Points. One of the best things in those most useful of later institutions, the Christian Endeavor, Epworth league, and other kindred societies, consists in their training of children and young people In work for Christ ajnd the church. Dr. Haslett in his "Pedagogical Bible School" sums up the age of conversion, as given by a number of authorities, with this conclusion: Out of 6,04 J cases 5,054 occurred between the ages of 12-20, 3,183 occurred between the ages of 16 20 and •nly 187 occurred at 25 and over.