A KING DESIRED.

AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen ; and some shall run before his chariots.

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

And he will take your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

He will take the tenth of your sheep and ye shall be his servants.

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king

over us;

That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.I SAMUEL viii.

THE GOLDEN TEXT.

"O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea!"-Isa. xlviii. 18.

Subject.-" A King Desired."-1 Sam. viii.
OUTLINE LESSON.

In this lesson, three questions to be answered:

1. Was it a good thing Israel wished for? All the time of the Judges, "every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Under Samuel's rule, a settled government, an united nation. Which best? Israel found order and unity best-wanted to keep them always-thought a king the best way. And a king was God's way too, see Deut. xvii. 14-20, and remember David, Hezekiah, Josiah—no judges so good as they.

2. Was the request a right one? No: because made in a wrong spirit. Israel forgot that whoever might be their ruler, God was their real King, and if they kept His favour, He could bless any form of government. They should have left it to Him.

3. What came of the request? Look at chap. vii. 13, 14, and xiii. 5-7 what a contrast! In Samuel's time, liberty and peace; in Saul's, war and bondage. Why? Not because Saul was a king, but because neither Saul nor Israel obeyed and trusted God. What is it that will give us peace, full and flowing like a river? See G. Text. Thus we see

(a) It is not always right to wish for even good things—at least to wish so as (1) to be discontented without them, (2) to take wrong or doubtful ways of getting them. You may wish to get on in life: that is a good thing; but it may not be good for you. Leave it to God: He knows best. See Matt. vi. 24-34.

(b) We can often get what we make up our minds to get; but it may bring sorrow or suffering. See Ps. cvi. 15 (referring to Numb. xi.)-"He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul." Look at Heb. xiii. 5—let that be our motto.

FOR HOME STUDY. ABOUT DESIRES, GOOD AND BAD :

Things not to be desired. Eph. ii. 3; Gal. i. 10, v. 26; Deut.

THE words which Jesus spoke in person while He was on earth, He now speaks by His Spirit; and He addresses them unto all men, saying, "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel." And the voice of the Saviour is a voice to which you ought to give earnest attention. Every consideration of duty and of gratitude and of love should persuade you to hearken to His invitation, and not to harden your hearts. Let every other voice be silent while Jesus speaks. Be dumb, ye voices of pleasure and of business and of ambition, and let the voice of God be heard. Yea, be even hushed, ye voices of our family and of our country, and give place to the voice of the Eternal. We would hear what God the Lord will speak. "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel." Listen to that voice, while yet its sound is the sound of mercy and peace. Give heed to it, while it is the voice of reconciliation and offered pardon. Oh, wait not till its silvery tones are changed to the harsh accents of wrath :

"Now God invites: how blest the day!

How sweet the Gospel's charming sound!
Come, sinners, haste: oh, haste away,

While yet a pardoning God is found."

W. C. D.

A WISE SAYING.

KING SOLOMON said:-" "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right."

EXAMPLES OF EARLY PIETY. WHAT blessed examples do I find,

Writ in the word of truth,
Of children that began to mind
Religion in their youth!

Jesus, who reigns above the sky, And keeps the world in awe, Was once a child as young as I, And kept His father's law.

At twelve years old He talked with men,
The Jews all wondering stand,
Yet he obeyed His mother then,
And came at her command.

Children a sweet hosanna sung,

And blessed their Saviour's name; They gave Him honour with their tongue,

While scribes and priests blaspheme.

Samuel the child was weaned and brought
To wait upon the Lord;
Young Timothy betimes was taught
To know His holy word.

Then why should I so long delay What others learned so soon? I would not pass another day Without this work begun.

DR. WATTS.

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