The opening chapter of the first book of Samuel presents to my mind some most beautiful thoughts in reference to God's grace in the hearts of His children as well as the opposition of the enemy to hinder if possible that grace shining forth.

"Hannah" is said to mean grace, and that only adds the more to its beauty, as it would lead to the thought that in this case "grace" is personified.

We have it recorded that Elkanah had two wives ; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. The marked difference between the two outwardly was that Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. It is not said how many children Peninnah had, because if we look at her here as typifying the flesh, we know the evil principle in us is always ready to act, and there is no end to its fruitfulness for evil-while utterly barren in the things of God, as the apostle says, "What fruit had ye, then, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ?" It is to be noted, not only here, but in other cases recorded in the Word, that it is when one is led to take the ground of being a worshiper that the flesh is brought out in all its hatefulness and shows its opposition to the worshiper. This is clearly to be seen where it is recorded of David in the sixth chapter of the second book of Samuel:"And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart; " and further on in the chapter it is recorded, "Then David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered himself in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself." And then follows David's most beautiful reply.

Here too we find the flesh showing itself. For it was as they were going to worship at Shiloh that "her adversary provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut her womb. . . Therefore she wept and did not eat." But all the efforts of the enemy were useless. Grace, I may say, like its handmaid Charity, "is not easily provoked."

Now let us look at the next attempt of the enemy, as it were, to swallow her up. In this case it would seem more trying, for while one may be able to judge that which comes from the flesh, it would seem that in this case at least it might be a more difficult thing to resist ; for here it is her own beloved husband, one who truly loves her, who throws himself in her pathway, saying, "Am I not better to thee than ten sons ? " Surely, we need not wonder if that husband occupied a large space in Hannah's heart, but after all, he little knew the heavenly aspirations and desires of that one with whom he was so closely connected. And has not the Scripture said," Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." But where could this dear child of God get a more full presentation of the world to her heart's affections than in this instance when he says, "Am I not
better to thee than ten sons ?" However, she goes on neither listening to the entreaties of the one, nor giving heed to the frowns of the other; for she had heard the words of that One who spake in later days (for like Mary in John's gospel, love can see in the distance), saying, "There is no man who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, but he shall receive a hundred fold now, and in the world to come life everlasting."
But still further, Peninnah had children (it doesn't say how many) whilst Hannah had no children. Just so ; and in the fifth chapter of Galatians the apostle says, " The works of the flesh are these," and then goes on to enumerate seventeen of them and ends by saying, "and such like," showing that there were others, doubtless too numerous to mention. Surely all this is practical, and we may well lay it to heart.

The work of grace is deepening in the heart of this dear child of God. And we read she was "in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give Thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."

This is really touching. She prays not only for a child, but for a man child, and, mark it well, not that it might be a home comfort and a mother's joy to her, as we might naturally think, but that she might give it to the Lord. Oh, think of that, ye handmaids of the Lord,-ye mothers in Israel! Where, did grace before or since, I may say (except in one case), have such a worthy representative ? The poor widow woman in later days threw her two mites into the treasury, and yet the Lord could say she had given more than they all. Yes, the Lord remembers and will remember just such acts as these throughout eternity. James says," Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." But I ask who can find any trace of lust in our Hannah ? No; " the hand that struck the chord found all in tune," as was said by a dear departed saint.

But what I would notice particularly is that up to this moment no word has she been heard to utter. There was the weeping and the fasting and broken-ness of heart-("why is thy heart grieved ? ") Did the psalmist have this in his mind when he said, '' A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" ?

But now we have Eli the high-priest brought into view, one who, as Hebrews tells us, was supposed to " have compassion on the ignorant, and on them who are out of the way." He greets her while praying, by saying, "How long wilt thou be drunken, put away thy wine from thee." But who was the "ignorant" one here ? who was the one who was "out of the way " ? Not Hannah surely, she was " filled " not with wine wherein is excess, but with the Holy Spirit. She was not at that time seeking any of natures remedies ; no, her "joy was in God," and so filled with that wondrous grace from on high, she meekly and simply said, "No, my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto."

How sweet, how heavenly are these words ! How they remind us of that One of whom it was said, "Grace is poured into thy lips." By way of contrast let us compare this dear disciple with Paul the great apostle of the Gentiles, as he stands before the high-priest in his day who, when, Paul said, " I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day," commanded those that stood by to smite him on the mouth," was it not an ebullition of nature that led Paul to say "God shall smite thee, thou whited wall," etc.? for he immediately on being informed who it was, judged himself by the Word saying, "Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." And who will say that Paul's provocation was greater than the one whose ways we are meditating upon ? And so we sometimes sing-

" God's grace will to the end
Clearer and brighter shine."

But what about Eli's sad mistake ? for it was sad indeed, inasmuch as we see no signs of real self-judgment in the matter. It was not much for him to say what perhaps he had said many times before, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition which thou hast asked of Him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight." I realize that one needs to be careful in one's interpretation of Scripture, and to learn to walk in His presence with unshod feet, lest one in anyway tarnish that glory. If we look at Samson as being in anyway a type of Christ, a very unworthy man we may say, still Scripture calls him a Nazarite from his birth. It would seem that God acts according to His own mind in choosing such representatives perhaps because He couldn't do any better.

Let us look at another case :that of Peter, where in the gospel the Lord had been speaking to His disciples in reference to His betrayal, Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee." The Lord's answer was," Get thee behind me:Satan," etc., looking, no doubt, at the inward motive or principle that was governing him. It was a sad mistake in Peter's case, was it not also in the case of Eli ? Was not the enemy of souls seeking to destroy the faith of Hannah through this unmerited rebuke of the high-priest 1

What I would seek to bring out here in this instance is that we have the flesh in Peninnah, the world in Elkanah, and Satan in Eli the high-priest. All opposed to grace as seen in Hannah, who is grace. Just one thing more I would notice in Hannah's history. Her prayer to God is not only for a child but for "a man child." We might well say perhaps why not be content with what God would be pleased to give her. But here comes in the intelligence of one who was walking with God. God wanted a man. Eli had failed completely, and God was going to blot out his house from the face of the earth. He needed some one to take his place. And so we get, in this, perfection in the worshiper. Here communion is seen, or, common thoughts between the two. What a joyful scene ! God filling this dear one's heart with His thoughts, and then her desires flowing back to Him. Everything is set aside so that even the high-priest is seen only as an obstructionist. "That God may be all and in all." And now we are led to see how grace triumphant reigns, "through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

May the dear Lord give to his people more of Hannah's thoughts and ways. H. S.