THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S love, before her departure for a long journey. One brought a marble tablet with her name inscribed thereon; an other presented her with a rich gar land of fragrant flowers. The third en tered her presence and said, “ Mother, I have neither marble tablet nor frag rant flowers, but I have a heart; here your name is forever engraved.” C. H. Spurgeon replied to an invita tion to preach to an exceptionally large audience, “ I have no ambition to preach to ten thousand people, but to do the will of God”— and he declined. Every one should seek to do “ the will of God from the heart.” Eph. 6:6. I I ‘ ■ ! § , v. 15. Lord told Samuel. How inti mate this- expression is. In the 103d Psalm it is written that God made known His ways unto Moses and here He is honoring COMMENTS FROM Samuel in the MANY SOURCES same way. To Keith L. Brooks them that fear Him such secrets (1 Cor. 2:9-12).— Gray. In his ear. Literally “ opened the ear of Samuel.”— Comp. Bible. Covet before all thihgs that habitual nearness to God in which God may speak as a man to his friend.-jp-Devo. Com. Before Saul came. There was no accident. God was behind the loss of the animals. He made use of the loss to send Saul searching till he found not the beasts but Samuel whom He had ordained to meet and anoint him.—-Haldeman. , v. 16. I will send thee a man. That Saul and his servant should be present with Samuel at that feast was a fixed decree of heaven, yet it was brought about quite naturally with no con straint anywhere. The relation of the infinite will to the wills of finite crea tures is a mystery we cannot fathom, but the effect on us should be to impel us to seek that our will may ever be in harmony with God’s.— Blaikie. Thou shalt anoint him. It is impossible not to be struck with the beauty and purity of Samuel’s character in his action. HoW many a good man takes offense when slighted or superceded by some committee. “ If they won’t have me,” he says, “ I will have nothing more to are still given.
501 do with them.” Not so Samuel. His love for the people is too deep to allow of such a course.— Dods. v. 17. When Samuel saw Saul. The prophet did not meet the young man as a rival. The life which is lived in God’s presence is so filled with His light and love that it is not disturbed by the fickle fancies of the crowd. Samuel was ready to be abased and to see an other exalted if God willed it.p-Meyer. Of whom I spake. The true way to choose a ruler in state or church is to let the Lord choose him.-—Torrey. v. 18. Where is the seer’s house? The difference between a seer and a prophet is an interesting •one. A prophet is one who speaks as the mouth piece of the Lord. The term seer sug gests the knowledge the prophet had. Saul does not seek God nor the prophet as the mouthpiece of God but only the seer.—-Anno. Bible. v. 19. Ye shall eat with me. The toil worn but noble looking traveler found himself suddenly seated amongst the principal men of the place and treated as the most distinguished guest. — J. F. & B. v. 20. The asses that were lost. Lit tle did Saul know how the search would end and that he would soon become the head of a nation which had gone more astray than the lost asses. (Is. 1 :3 ).— Gaebelein. There are no accidents in God’s purpose. The slightest incident may be its prime factor.— Cook. Set not thy mind on them. A few asses were of little account to one who had come into a kingdom. Much less ought we who are heirs of the heavenly king dom to set our affections on the poor possessions of earth. (Col. 3:T, 2; 2 Cor. 4:18).— Torrey. The desire of Israel. It may be that Saul viewed the remark as a mere expression of polite ness savoring of the customary exagger ation of the east. At all events, his answer was couched in those terms of extravagant humility which was like wise a matter of eastern custom.— Bible Exp. v. 21. Smallest of the tribes of Israel. A humble disposition is a good presage of preferment.S-Henry. Cf. 15:23. When Saul became puffed up he lost his job. Humility not only is necessary to exaltation (Luke 14:11) but also to keeping it.-—Sel. My family the least. A word of caution is needed here. Inquiry into our antecedents and resources should never be made with a
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