I. The conflict. The scene of the conflict was on the plain of Esdraelon at the base of the mountains of Gilboa. These rise out of the eastern portion of the plain, fifty miles north by east from Jerusalem. They attain to only moderate height, and extend some distance south-east toward the Jordan. Three miles off them is the plain of Little Hermon. These two heights mark the position of the two armies: Saul and his men on the western height of Gilboa, the Philistines on those of Hermon. Endor is beyond Hermon, on the northern slope. Saul in distress, abandoned of God, passed by night beyond the camp of the Philistines to consult the sorceress of Endor (Jerome and Eusebius). 1. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. They had fled from the valley of Jezreel, and great numbers of the Israelites were slain. 2. The Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons. They had marked them out as the leaders of the army of Israel, and pursued them. They pursued him so closely that he had no hope of escape. 3. And the archers hit him. Bows and arrows were ancient weapons of war, and in this conflict they were the principal weapons. It is evident that some of the Philistines were clever archers, for after that engagement David had the Israelites taught the use of the bow. 2 Samuel i. 18. Bochartus shows that David retained some of the Philistine archers, after peace had been made, as his personal attendants, and that they were afterwards spoken of as the Cherethites. 2 Samuel viii. 18; 1 Kings i. 38-44. 4. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. He dreaded the idea of being slain by the Philistines, so he fell upon a sword, and died. This was after a reign of forty years, and about one thousand and fifty-six years before Christ. The king's three eldest sons were left dead on the field. Hence,

II. The Victory. This victory caused consternation in Israel. Those who resided in the cities near the Jordan fled, and the cities were taken by the Philistines, and they dwelt in them. On the next day the Philistines gathered the spoil. It was contrary to military discipline presently to fall upon the spoil. They sent Saul's head and published their victory, 6. In the house of their idols, and among the people. It was a common custom in ancient times to render praise to the gods for victory over enemies. David had the sword of Goliath laid up in the tabernacle, and Saul's armour they laid up in the house of Ashtaroth; their conquests were attributed to the power of their gods. Homer in his descriptions of ancient war, represents Hector, one of his heroes, offering the spoils of war to Apollo. Thus he sings

'And of Apollo, in whose aid I trust,

Shall stretch your daring champion in the dust;
If mine the glory to despoil the foe,

On Phoebus' temple l'll his arms bestow.'

Thus Hector when he met Ajax, in single combat, as David met Goliath, trusted in Apollo, the god of the fine arts. So the Philistines trusted in their gods.

III. The result of that victory. By the death of Saul David's way to the throne was rendered less difficult. The death of Jonathan appears as a sad event. He was faithful to David to the last. Not long before his death he had met David for the last time in the forest of Ziph, and there they renewed their mutual compact and parted. Jonathan was a man of noble character, and of great courage, yet he was full of tenderness towards David. Probably, Jonathan's death was necessary, in order to prepare the way of God's chosen king. The love of the people for Jonathan might, by the influence of Abner, Saul's general, have increased the difficulties of David reigning as king. Even after Jonathan was slain Abner influenced Ish-bosheth to be king in his father's place, and he was made king over eleven of the tribes, at that time David only held the sceptre of the tribe of Judah. David reigned for seven

years and six months over the tribe of Judah only, but in the eighth year of his reign the eleven tribes unitedly submitted to him. Had Jonathan been spared Abner's power against David would have been greater. Many of the men of Israel were sadly discouraged by the great victory of the Philistines. Among the men of Jabesh-gelead there were men of valour, and. when they heard of the victory of the Philistines, and of the death of Saul, 12. All the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan. Beth-shan was a town in the tribe of Manasseh, near the Jordan, and four leagues from Tiberias. The men of Jabesh had profonnd respect for Saul, he had delivered them, in the early part of his reign from the cruelty of the Ammonites, when the people of Jabesh had only seven days' respite. See Samuel xi. 1–6. Hence they would show respect to the remains of Saul and his sons. And buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. Whether they burnt the flesh of the bodies and then buried the bones; or whether they poured upon their flesh hot aromatic spices, such as Joseph ordered for the embalming of his father, or whether they burnt spices over the bodies, it is not easy to decide. It was not a custom for the Jews to burn their dead.

HOMILETICAL REMARKS.-Notice,

13.

The mysterious workings of Divine providence in the case of David. I. There was no hurry. After David was anointed he waited patiently for God's time. He was often in danger, aud had to hide himself in first one place and then another. And even after Saul's death, he had to wait seven years before he was the king of the twelve tribes.

II. There was certainty. Circumstances and events all worked one way. Abner was slain. Difficulties were removed and David was made king. Good men can afford to wait, truth, and time, and God will work for them. Trust in God.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Retribution in this life.-About fifty years ago there lived a gentleman, owner of a small property on the Welsh coast. Though a landowner, he was the leader of a band of wreckers, and had been the means of bringing many a vessel to destruction in order to enrich himself with the spoils cast on the shore. One evening he heard that a Spanish trader was in sight and in distress. Immediately the false beacon fires were lit, and the poor seamen thinking they were friendly guides, steered for them, and came in right among the breakers, where she was soon dashed to pieces. The wicked wrecker went down to the sea-side, and the first body he saw on the shore, his face turned up and the moon shining full upon him, was his only son, to whom he was deeply attached. Unknown to the father he had embarked on board this ship for home, little thinking that his own father would be his murderer; who indeed would rather, if he had the choice, have perished himself Certainty of Judgment.-There was a man who committed a foul murder upon a young bridegroom, at whose marriage festivities he had hypocritically assisted. The assassin took horse in the dead of night, and fled for his life through wood and winding path. When the sun dawned, he slackened his pace, and behold; he was emerging from a thicket in front of the very castle whence he had fled, and to which, by torturous paths he had returned. Horror seized him; he was discovered, and condemned to death. So, however far and fast we may fly, we shall find ourselves, when light returns, ever in the presence of our sin and of our Judge.

A writer in the Sunday-school Workman, relates an incident occurring in her immediate neighbourhood, which illustrates the wonderful providence of God in the preservation of human life. Our maid,' she says, 'was busy hanging clothes on the line, when, chancing to raise her eyes, she saw a female form suspended from one of the windows of a house, so situated that it could not easily be seen from any of the adjoining houses. In an instant, the alarm was given, and the poor woman, who, in a moment of delirium

sought to destroy her life, was released from her perilous position. Only a little hook had held her clothes, and prevented her death.' The man who forged that hook, and he who set it in its place, little thought of the importance of their work; but God saw it all the time. Had the hook been slighted in the making, or had it been fastened carelessly, and insecurely, it might have cost a life. But the hook was strong and firm, and right side up, and it saved that woman from death. God uses many hooks, not only putting them in the jaws of the ungodly to turn them back, but also to pluck His tempted saints out of many dangerous nets. A word, a deed, a smile, a prayer, a tear, may prove the salvation of some bewildered soul.

TALK WITH THE LITTLE ONES.

A sad end came to Saul and his sons at last. A great battle was fought with the Philistines upon Mount Gilboa. The men of Israel were beaten and many were slain. The brave and noble Jonathan was killed and with him two other sons of Saul, and Saul himself was wounded by the enemy. As Saul lay wounded on the battle-field he asked a young man to kill him. As the young man refused to do so, Saul killed himself with his own sword. The next day the Philistines found the dead bodies of Saul and his sons. They took off his armour and cut off his head. His armour they hung up in one of their idol temples, and the bodies of Saul and his sons they fastened upon the wall of a city named Bethshan. When David heard that Saul and Jonathan were dead he wept for them, for he loved them both, though Saul had been his greatest enemy. We should learn from this sad story that if we turn from God we shall meet with disappointment, with defeat, with death. If we love and serve Him, He will give us a contented heart, a peaceful life, a heavenly home.

CATECHISM ON THE LESSON.

Where was Saul's last battle-field? On Mount Gilboa. Who were there slain? Saul and his three sons. How did Saul die? He killed himself with a sword. By whom was his body rescued from the Philistines? By the men of Jabesh-Gilead. Who became king after Saul's death? David..

December 30.

REVIEW OF THE QUARTER'S LESSONS.

GOLDEN TEXT.

Romans ix. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

THIS passage shows that human efforts to be successful must be crowned by the blessing of God. The history of the Hebrew commonwealth afforda many instances to illustrate the truth of that passage. Saul had a will and

he had energy, but he failed to secure the Divine blessing. The history of nations is closely associated with the history of men. In the present day, in every nation, there are leading men who exert a great influence among the nations.

I. Samuel had great power in Israel. During the last days of Eli the country had been much depressed. The Hebrews had carried into the field of battle the ark of the covenant, and they had allowed the Philistines to carry it away, and that ark was placed in the temple of Dagon. Twenty years after that battle, a general assembly was held, in which idolatry was renounced, and Samuel elected regent. Soon after this the Hebrews defeated the Philistines and handled them so roughly, that they had peace for a long period. Though conquered the Philistines hated the Israelites. The Ammonites continued formidable enemies. Samuel governed the nation forty years. Paul assigns four hundred and fifty years to the period between Joshua and Saul. During that period the Hebrews were under foreign oppression for one hundred and eleven years. But it must be understood that the whole nation

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was not generally oppressed at the same period. Separate tribes suffered most. There were points of weakness even in the times of the Judges. They were jealous of each other, and their jealousies sometimes caused civil war, but the union of the State. was never entirely destroyed. The country prospered greatly under the wise administration of Samuel. He exercised his power with evident advantage to all classes of the community, and by annual circuits took upon himself the inspection and regulation of civil affairs. He erected an altar for public worship, and founded the schools of the prophets. Such a ruler must have felt annoyed when Israel became dissatisfied with him, and demanded a king. But he applied to God for direction, and was instructed to grant the people's request.

II. Samuel introduced Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was really a hero and a man of war. He soon increased his army with able soldiers, and carried on successful wars with the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Amalekites, and the Nomadic tribes of the Arabian desert. He also fought with the Hagarites, Itureans, and Nodabeans, whose pasture grounds he overran as far as the Euphrates. He also attended to the internal concerns of his kingdom. He tolerated no instance of rebellion against God, and punished idolaters. His arms were successful. His great failing was that he carried out his own will instead of doing the will of God. As king of Israel he did not act as a vassal of Jehovah. He dreaded a rival, and when David by deeds of heroism became great in Israel, Saul became jealous, and manifested his hatred to the son of Jesse. His persecution of David directed the eyes of the Israelites to the pious hero. Saul was determined to secure the crown to his posterity, and he, at last, fought with bitterness of soul against the purposes of God. But during all that period, forty years, Samuel continued faithful to God, and faithful to Israel. Samuel died about four years before Saul.

III. Samuel annointed David. See Samuel xvi. 1-14. David, as a king, was a faithful servant of God, and in his sentiments and conduct, he was a true Israelite. The Psalms, in which he pours forth his whole heart, show him to have been a devoted worshipper of God. He believed in keeping God's precepts. He viewed himself as one who was dependent upon God. He faced Goliath in the name of God. He dedicated to the sanctuary the spoils for which he was indebted to the providence of God. The theocratical nature of the Hebrew constitution was fully recognised in the days of David. In the personal character of David there were some marked defects; which we have not space to discuss. We gather from this review,

1. That youthful piety is a great blessing. David loved God, and he was wonderfully preserved. By the Divine favour he was made great in Israel. Have you devoted your early days to God? Do you meet your foes in the Spirit of God?

2. Youthful piety is a great honour. The Lord greatly honoured David, He raised him, in society, from the sheepfold to the throne of Israel. Many methods were adopted to keep David down; Saul sought his life and dashed his spear at him; three thousand soldiers were sent to seek him, and to destroy him, but the Lord preserved him. The Lord had raised him up, and it was not in the power of men to put him down. Has God made you His child? Pardoned your sins? If so, you are greatly honoured, and the day will come when God will raise you up to a throne of eternal honour and

life.

3. Youthful piety is a great power. There is comfort in it. A man needs comfort in the hour of persecution and trial. David suffered much persecution, yet his soul trusted in the Lord. Was he rash? Did he pretend to be mad? Was he untruthful? Was he guilty of great sins? No one felt the pain and guilt of sin more than David did. He had great failings, and deep sorrows, and bitter repentance. His life was marked by Divine power, and he laboured to fight down sin. Have you felt the bitterness of sin? You must feel its bitterness before you can enjoy the power of piety.