his r~~o~mlH'.ll in the ]?lace of ~l_i. _Th~1s t!iree elements enter into th,i rp-adual ocqms1twn o.f a reputatwn. 1. .Fidelity III discharge of known duty. This gives !'°''·er ~o the son] for any further duty, however unpleasant. 'l'emptat.ions overcomo m on~ mstance lose_ force afterwa!·ds. s~nse o~ rigl~t g:ains energy in action by each <'XC'rc1se. The has1s of substantial cl1aracter 1s laid 111 acts of righteousness 2 Conti'.11uo11s help from God. \\'e _cannot go on to new conquests by the mere fore~ <>f what _we h;i:·e bc~orne_ hy_ prev10us deeds. As Samuel needed and enjoyed aid fron'. Goa for Ins P?S1l10n m h_fe, so every one can only acquire a solid reputation by l,,okmg- for ;in~ usmg snrl, :'.1d as God may see fit to bestow dity by day. 3. Con- 'n111ed v~r~fication of profession by _deeds corresponding t!tereto. A character attained tu hy faithft~l deeds m the past, a_1dc_d by Divine grace, becomes practically a pro- foss10n. It 1s the exponent of prmc1ples supposed to be dominant in the life and !ncn gi.-e a ce~tain _va~ue ~o it. But if reputation is to grow and become broaa'er in its base '!:;d wider m its mfluence, the profession of principles of conduct must be ,criS.en constantly by actions appropriate to them . . J!ractical lessons :-1. It i~ of ex~reme importance for young and old to cultivate a l'lg1d '.egard for tr~th, combmed '':'1th_ a te11der consideration of human feeling. 2. The discharge of disagreeable duties 1s greatly helped by the remembrance that they arise out of the circumstances in which God himself h'ls placed us. 3. We should distinguish between wise submission to what God lays on us for discipline and indo- lent acquiescence in circumstances self-created, and largely removable by ~ur efforts.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-18.-Th.e old priest and the cliild~prophet. Every imagination must be -struck by the contrast between the old man and the child. The more so, that the natural order of things is reversed. Instead of admonition to the child coming through the lips of age, admonition to the aged came through the lips of childhood. 1. THE CHARACTER OF ELI ILLUSTRATED. 1. His gooci points. The Lord had ceased to speak to or by Eli ; but when the old priest perceived that the Lord had spoken to the child, he showed no personal or official jealousy. On the contrary, he kindly encouraged Samuel, and directed him how to receive the heavenly message. He did not attempt to interpose on the ground that he, as the chief priest, was the official organ of Divine communications, but bade the child lie still and hearken to the voice. Nor did he claim any preference on the ground of his venerable age. It is not easy to look with complacency on one much younger than ourselves who is evidently on the way to excel us in our own special province. But Eli did so, and threw no hindrance whatever in the way of the young child. Let God use as his seer or prophet whom be would. Eli was anxious to know the truth, and the whole truth, from the mouth of the child. He had been previously warned by a man of God of the ,disaster which his own weakness and Lis sons' wickedness would bring on the priestly line (eh. ii. 27-36). But the evil of the time was too strong for him; and having effected no reform in consequence of that previous warning, the old man must have foreboded some message of reproof and judgment when the voice in the night came not to himself, but to the child. Yet he was not false to God, and would not shrink from hearing truth, bowev€r painful. "I pray thee hide it not from me." He meekly acauiesced in the condemnation of his house. Eli had no sufficient force of character or vigour of purpose to put away the evil which had grown to such enormity under his indulgent rule, but he was ready with a sort of plaintive ~urrender to Divine justice. It was not a high style of character, but at all events 1t was vastly better than a self-justifying, God-resisting mood of mind. 2. His faults. No meek lan- guage, no pious acquiescence in his sentence, can extenuate the grievous injury which, through indecision and infirmity, Eli had brougl1t on Israel at large, and on the ,priestly order in particular. His virtues may almost be said to have sprung out of J,is faults. He was benevolent, submissive, and free from jealousy because he hud 110 force, no intensity. He could lament and suffer well ~ecaus~ he had no ene~gy. :Su he commanded little respect because, instead of check1!1g ~vil 1 he had conm_ved at it for a quiet life. ·' There are persona who go through life smmng and sorrowmg, ~arrowing a11d sinning. No experience teacl,es them. Torrents of tears flow from en. m. 1-21.] TUE FIHS'l' BOOK OF SAMUEL. 77