Saul outlives Samuel. For God often removes his faithful servants, and leaves those on earth whom He less values. Samuel's work was done-the work which his heavenly Master had given him to do. And why should he stay longer here? Why should he not join those, who, through faith and patience, already inherited the promises?

Some of them die

The prophet's death is told us in three short words," And Samuel died." We are not told how he died. But "blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours." God's people all die, as well as others. triumphantly: many of them die peacefully all of them die safely. The Saviour calls them to Himself. He has prepared a place for them. "Enter thou," he says, "into the joy of thy Lord."

Reader, are you young? Samuel began early to serve God, and his after years were blest. Happy is it for you, if you are giving your youngest, freshest, best days to the Lord. Happy for you, if you can look

at the world and sin, and say, "I can turn away from all, and gladly give up earthly pleasures and earthly gains, that I may yield myself to His service who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Reader, are you old? Look at Samuel when upwards of a hundred years had passed over his head. Did he then regret having given so much of his life to God? Did he grudge those many hours which he had passed in the Lord's sanctuary? Oh, no; to serve God was his highest happiness on earth. It was what he lived for. It was the comfort and joy of his heart. And day by day, as he ran his earthly course, he was looking forward to that time, when he should serve God in His House above, and dwell in His presence for ever.

SAUL;

OR, MISERY IN THE MIDST OF

GREATNESS.

SAUL'S is a very sad history.. He began well, and for a while showed a desire to obey God, and to serve Him. But there was no root of real piety in him; and in his latter days he threw off all appearance of godliness. It is to be feared, there are many whose case is not unlike his-they "begin in the Spirit," but "end in the flesh" -there are promising buds upon the tree; but the fruit cankers, and falls off, before it is ripe.

The first event that brought Saul into notice was a very important one. The Israelites had for some time been dissatisfied with the manner in which they were governed. They were anxious to have a king like other nations, though they had the best, and wisest, and most powerful of Kings, even God himself.

The Lord was angry with them for this; but still He granted their request, and His choice fell upon Saul. He was at that time a young man, and felt himself unworthy of so high an honour. When Samuel came to anoint him as king, he spoke with much modesty of his own unfitness for so important a post; "Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?" And presently "when they sought him, he could not be found," for "Behold, he had hid himself among the stuff." He actually got out of the way, to avoid the honour which they wished to pay him.

After this it is said, that "God gave him another heart." This merely means, I think, that God fitted him for the great work to which he was called. But it does not mean that his heart was inwardly changed by grace. And are there not many, who have gifts given them to make them fit for some arduous post which they fill, and yet they may be destitute all the while of that grace,

which can alone make them great in God's sight? Judas and Balaam had gifts, no doubt; but they lacked the grace to use them to God's glory.

When Saul came to the throne, there was a division among the people about him. Some "despised him, and brought him no presents," as tokens of their respect. But others, "whose hearts God had touched," cast in their lot with him, and became his faithful subjects.

Saul soon had an opportunity of showing his people that he was quite willing heartily to take up their cause. Having heard that some of them, who lived at Jabesh-gilead, had been much insulted and harassed by their neighbours the Ammonites, he comes forward as their protector, gathers together an army, and at once delivers them from their cruel oppressors.

Shortly after this, he led his army against another enemy, the Philistines-a neighbouring people who were for years a continual thorn in the side of the Israelites. And now he commits a sin, which greatly offends the Lord. Feeling that