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النشر الإلكتروني

EIGHTH SUNDAY EVENING.

DEATH OF ELI.

M. WELL, Edward, you are ready early this evening. Are you very anxious to hear more about the prophet Samuel ?

E. Yes, mamma; I wish very much to hear more about him. Did he go on serving God as he grew older

M. Yes, my love ; Hannah had reason to rejoice in her child; for he grew on, and was in favour with the Lord and also with men ; unhurt by the evil example which he had continually before him in the sons of Eli, who were dreadfully wicked young men, and sinned before the Lord greatly. For they were not content with being guilty of great wickedness themselves, but did all they could to make the people of God, who came up unto the tabernacle to worship, to sin also.

From this part of the story, Edward, your parents learn that it is their duty to correct their children for their faults, and not to let them do wrong without punishing them for it.

Had Eli done so, we might not perhaps have read in the Bible of the great wickedness of his children. But though a very pious man himself, he was not careful to bring them up as he ought to have done. From a foolish fondness, he indulged them too much ; and when, as they grew up, they became guilty of great wickedness, Eli, their father and their superior, restrained them not. We shall see, as we go on with the story of Samuel, how God punished his ser

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thou didst call me.” Then Eli began to think that the Lord must have called the child, and he said unto Samuel,“ Go, lie down; and it shall be, that, if he call thee, thou shalt say, “ Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.”

So Samuel went and lay down in his place.“ And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times,

Samuel, Samuel."" Then Samuel knew, that that God who had called to Abraham, and who had called to Jacob, and who had so often spoken to his servant Moses, was now speaking to him, though he was but a little child : and Samuel answered,“ Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” Then the Lord made known to Samuel the great afflictions which he was about to bring on the house of Eli: sad tidings, no doubt, to Samuel, and sadder still to have to carry them to Eli: for Samuel must have dearly loved that good old man, who had taken care of him since he had been a very little child, and had taught him to serve God in his temple. How sad, then, to have to tell him words, which must fill his heart with such deep and bitter sorrow!

And Samuel lay still unto the morning, afraid to tell Eli what had happened. But in the morning, when he arose to open the doors of the house of the Lord, he heard the voice of Eli calling him and saying, “ Samuel, my son.” And he went to Eli; and when Eli asked him, saying, “ What is the thing that the Lord hath said to thee?" then Samuel told him all the words which the Lord had spoken, and hid nothing from him.

What beautiful conduct was this! showing at once

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there done, my son ?" And the messenger answered and said, “ Israel hath fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died.”

Surely this teaches us what God expects from parents. It teaches us also, Edward, what an ugly and dangerous thing sin is, when God punishes it so severely in some of his best servants.

We must not think that because we serve God in some things we may disobey him safely in others : but remember the history of the righteous Eli, and how bitterly he suffered for disobeying even one of God's commands.

E. But what, mamma, became of the ark of the Lord? I cannot bear to think that those wicked Phi. listines should keep it away from the tabernacle. Were the Israelites very unhappy when they lost the ark?

M. I think they must have been much grieved at the loss of it: for they showed what value they set upon having it among them, by carrying it with them when they fought against the Philistines.

E. Why did not God take care of the ark, mamma? and why did he let the Philistines take it?

M. Partly, it is thought, my love, because the Israelites had presumed to send for it without consulting God, as they had been used to do on all great occasions; and partly, because they had carried it into the field from the idea that the mere presence

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