December 8

I Samuel xxviii.—7. Then said Saul unto his servants. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

8. And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.

11. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12. And, when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid; for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

14. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel; and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul an-

swered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16. Then said Samuel, Wherefore, then, dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17. And the Lord hath done to him as he spake by me; for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David:

18. Because thou obeyedest not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amslek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

19. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shall thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

For the third time Saul was to meet the Philistines, whose hosts he had twice put to the rout; but his follies and excesses had so weakened his hold upon the people, that he had little of the spirit or hope of earlier years. The popularity of David so stirred the envy of Saul, that he sought to take his life; and David, avoiding a conflict, had been for years a fugitive in the thudyl-settled districts of Judea, or in border countries. Samuel was dead; and Saul tried in vain to obtain from the Lord some token of the issue of the battle. In his despair, he had recourse to witchcraft. The armies were drawn up in the Plain of Jezreel; Saul's camp being at the south-eastern fork, along the base of Gilboa. Just behind the hills, on the opposite side of the plain, lay the village of Endor, where was a famous witch; and to her Saul went under cover of the night. The woman intended to humor his fancy by some conquer's art, and was as much startled as he when a supernatural power, to her unknown, caused the form of Samuel to appear. Thus Saul's superstitious fears were turned by the Lord into a means of warning. Next day, both Saul and Jonathan perished. David poured forth this ex-

quisite lament over his worst enemy and his dearest friend: "The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, no dew, neither rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings! for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, amounted with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with delights: who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan! slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

APPROPRIATE HYMES.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 117, 163.

Thou only, O Lord! makest us to dwell in safety. We thank thee for another night of rest and comfort; for another day of life, health, and hope. O Lord! may we be found faithful to thee in the duties of this day! and, amid its temptations and its trials, do thou sustain us, comfort us, keep us, and grant us grace in all we do to seek thy glory. May this household, which thou hast so blessed, serve thee, not at this altar only, but in all the walks of life! As we engage in the business of the world, as we go into society, wherever we are,

and whatever we do, may we remember thee, and do thy will! Bless all dear to us who are absent from us. We supplicate thy mercy for the needy, the afflicted, the bereaved, and the sorrowing.

Build up thy Church, O Lord! Fill our land with pure religion. May our rulers be faithful and just, walking in thy fear! And we beseech thee to bring all lands under the power and glory of thy kingdom. O Lord! forgive our sins, and bring us unto thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.