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JESSE’S SONS.

OVI.

JESSE'S PONS.

AMUEL never came to
4} Saul again; he could not
wm \) bear to see that wicked

- king ; for Saul was grow-

ing more and more rebel-
lious against God. Samuel remem-
bered the day when he first saw
Saul at Ramah; when he talked so
kindly to him, and anointed him
king, and kissed, and blessed him.
Then Saul was humble, and gentle,
and obedient; and Samuel hoped
he loved God, and wished to serve
Him. But now Saul was proud,
and rebellious, and disobedient. He
had forsaken God, and God had
forsaken him. Samuel was very
unhappy when he thought about
this. How sad it is to begin
rightly like Saul, and soon to grow
weary of well doing, and forget God,
and love the world, and Satan, and
sin, better than holy things! If we
grow tired of God, God will depart
from us. If we leave off praying,
God will not give us His grace; and
then we shall grow worse and worse,
and at last die without hope, and
without forgiveness.

One day, when Samuel was
mourning for Saul, God spoke to
him, and said, “Do not mourn any
longer for Saul. I will not have
him for king, because he has for-
saken me Take a horn of oul,
and go to the house of Jegse, in
Bethlehem. I have chosen a king
among his sons.” Then Samuel
obeyed God, and went to Bethle-
hem, and made a sacrifice there, as
God told him, and he called Jesse
and his sons to the sacrifice. Jegse

 

had eight sons. The seven eldest
were at home, but the youngest was
in the fields keeping sheep. When
Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son,
he was very much pleased with
him; and thought he must be the
new king God had chosen. But God
did not look at the face, He looked
at the heart; He wanted a king who
would love and serve him, not a
king who was tall and handsome.
He said, “I have not chosen this
man.” Samuel looked at the six
other sons also, but God had chosen
none of them. Then Samuel said
to Jesse, “Where is thy youngest
son? Call him, for we must have
him here.”

Then Jesse sent out to the field,
and broughtin his youngest son. His
name was David. David was young
He too was beautiful; but God
did not choose him for his beauty.
David loved God, and he wished and
prayed to love Him more. When
David was alone in the fields, keeping
his sheep, he liked to think of God.
And then, David used to pray, and
to play upon his harp, and sing
beautiful hymns of praise to God.
How pleasant it is when young peo-
ple begin to love and serve the Lord
early, as David did!

When David came into his father’s
house, God said to Samuel, “ Anoint
him; this is the king I have chosen.”
Then Samuel poured oil upon
David’s head, and anointed him;
and all his brothers looked on.
David wondered why God should
honor him so much, and give him
the kingdom ; but he was not proud