BY THE LATE REV. JOHN ROSS, BRUCEFIELD, ONTARIO.
“AND Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel” (I. Sam. iii. 19). It was by the word of the Lord that the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel; that is, the Lord spoke to him, and told him what He was going to do. The Lord spoke, and the Lord did as He said He would do, and Samuel heard and told what the Lord told him. He was but a child, and he had nothing to do but what a child could do. He heard and told what was spoken to him simply and faithfully. He did not modify or change or add or take from or keep back aught of all that the Lord made known. This is very different from prophesying out of one’s own heart and by one’s own judgment and giving one’s own opinions. These would be of no value. They would, indeed, infallibly lead astray. Samuel had the word of the Lord and declared it, and the Lord let none of His words fall to the ground.