rds and
laws and grape-shot, William Lloyd Garrison and Abraham Lincoln and
Ulysses S. Grant are ready. Back of every emergency God waits. He has
His great right hand full of men and when the fullness of time is come
He brings upon the scene His own appointed man.

Here in a very old book is the story of the greatest king that Israel
ever had! The House of Tudor in England, the House of Hohenzollern in
Germany or the late House of the Romanoffs in Russia, never had such a
hold upon the popular imagination and affection as did "the house and
lineage of David" upon the hearts of the Hebrews. The One who was to
be born "King of kings and Lord of lords" to reign forever and ever was
to come from "the house and lineage of David."

But how was this country boy with rough hands and all the marks of toil
upon him to become king? He was no Crown Prince--Jonathan was the
eldest son of the reigning monarch. He was neither the eldest nor the
favourite son of any man. He was the youngest son of a farmer named
Jesse and because he seemed less promising than his older brothers he
had been given the care of the sheep. Anybody with eyes in his head
and feet to walk about can watch sheep. The boy did not seem at first
glance to have his foot on the ladder nor to possess the elements of
royalty.

He became king because he had these five qualities: First of all he
showed fidelity in the ordinary duties of every-day life. Here is the
summing up of his method--"And David behaved himself wisely in all his
ways and the Lord was with him." If a bunch of sheep became his field
of opportunity he would do his work in such fashion that no one could
do it better. He would lead them in green pastures and by still waters
so that they should not want. His rod and his staff would protect
them. He would learn the use of sling and stone so that "he could
sling," as the record says, "at a hair's breadth and not miss." If a
wolf or a bear should attack his flock, he would be able to drive them
off.

The simple ordinary duties which belong to keeping sheep or to getting
one's lessons at school, to meeting one's obligations in some modest
position in office or store, or in doing one's best in a factory or on
a farm, become a kind of dress rehearsal for the larger duties which
lie ahead. If a man knows his lines and can take his part effectively
upon the narrower stage of action he is in line for promotion to a more
important role. You wi