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God’s Property, May 12
1 Samuel 1:19-28
I have lent him to the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:28
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From Shiloh, Hannah quietly returned to her home at Ramah, leaving the
child Samuel to be trained for service in the house of God, under the instruction
of the high priest. From the earliest dawn of intellect she had taught her son to
love and reverence God and to regard himself as the Lord’s. By every familiar
object surrounding him she had sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator.
When separated from her child, the faithful mother’s solicitude did not cease.
Every day he was the subject of her prayers. Every year she made, with her own
hands, a robe of service for him; and as she went up with her husband to worship
at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder of her love. Every fiber of the little
garment had been woven with a prayer that he might be pure, noble, and true.
She did not ask for her son worldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he
might attain that greatness which Heaven values—that he might honor God and
bless his fellow men.
What a reward was Hannah’s! and what an encouragement to faithfulness is
her example! There are opportunities of inestimable worth, interests infinitely
precious, committed to every mother. The humble round of duties which women
have come to regard as a wearisome task should be looked upon as a grand and
noble work. It is the mother’s privilege to bless the world by her influence, and
in doing this she will bring joy to her own heart. She may make straight paths
for the feet of her children, through sunshine and shadow, to the glorious heights
above. But it is only when she seeks, in her own life, to follow the teachings
of Christ that the mother can hope to form the character of her children after
the divine pattern. The world teems with corrupting influences. Fashion and
custom exert a strong power over the young. If the mother fails in her duty to
instruct, guide, and restrain, her children will naturally accept the evil, and turn
from the good. Let every mother go often to her Saviour with the prayer, “Teach
us, how shall we order the child, and what shall we do unto him?” Let her heed
the instruction which God has given in His word, and wisdom will be given her
as she shall have need
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Patriarchs and Prophets, 572, 573
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143