THE Israelites' rejection of samuel reproved.
1 Sam. xii. 16 — 23. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to-day ? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain ; that ye may perceive and see that your tuickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the Lord ; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day : and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not : for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. And Samuel said unto the people. Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness : yet turn not aside from following the Lord, hut serve the Lord tvifh all your heart ; and turn ye not aside : for then should ye go after vain things, lohich cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the Lord tvill not forsake his people for his great names sake: because it
hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you.
THERE is scarcely any more curious part of sacred history than that which relates to the appoint- ment of Saul to the throne of Israel. He was a man of noble stature, but of a low family. His father's asses had strayed, and he went with a servant three days in search of them. His provisions were ex- hausted ; and he thought of returning home, lest his father should begin to be anxious about him. His servant understanding that they were not far from the abode of Samuel, whom they supposed to be a kind of magician, and capable of informing them where the asses were, proposed that they should call upon him, and seek that information at his hands : but having no money left to pay this magician for his trouble, they were discouraged ; having no idea that he would give his advice without a fee. The servant however said he had the fourth part of a shekel (about seven-pence of our money) left, and that they would offer him that. Accordingly they went; and were informed that the asses were found. But Saul had further information, that quite asto- nished him. The people of Israel had requested Samuel to appoint a king over them ; and God, on being applied to by Samuel, directed him to comply with their request ; and told him moreover, that this very Saul was the person whom he should appoint. Accordingly he told Saul what God had ordained; and gave him several signs whereby he should know infallibly that the matter was of God : and then con- voked the people, and drew lots before the Lord ; and Saul was the person on whom the lot fell. Saul, through modesty, hid himself; but God disclosed to Samuel the place where he was hid : and Samuel sent for him, and committed to him the charge of the kingdom, for which God then fitted him by some special gifts.
Were we to judge only from that part of the history to which we have already alluded, we should suppose