---

I. Now, first of all, WHAT WAS SAMUEL, AS DESCRIBED IN THE WORD OF GOD? There are among others three things about him, which I want to tell you of his character, his conduct, and his circumstances. First of all, about his character. God loved him, and men loved him too; everybody that knew him could not help loving him. That was his character. The first thing was, that he had God's love. That is of the utmost importance, dear children; because if everybody in the world loved us, and we had not the love of God, we could not be truly happy. Now, one proof of being accepted of God is, that our conduct will be that which is right. We read that Samuel had the character before men of being a good boy. He "was in favour with men." If Samuel had been accustomed to tell lies, do yea think that men would have liked him? But I dare say you would like me to tell you something more particularly respecting Samuel's conduct.

1. In the first place, then, Samuel was very obedient. He was obedient to Eli's will. Eli had only to tell him what to do, and Samuel ran as hard as he could to do it.

2. The second is, respect and affection for an old man. Now, there are net many children that are disposed to find their pleasure in showing respect and affection to old people. Little children very often are inclined to treat old people with neglect — not to show them proper attention.

3. But another thing in Samuel's conduct was his humility. It pleased God to reveal Himself to Samuel. Now, many children would have been puffed up with pride at this.

4. There is one thing more in Samuel's conduct that you ought to notice; and that is his truthfulness. "Samuel told him every whir, and hid not the whole truth from him." When he was examined, he kept nothing back. There was no deceit, no guile, nothing of this kind to spoil his character, or to cause him to lose that favour which he had with all that knew him. But we must say a word about Samuel's circumstances; because perhaps there are some children present who think that he had everything to favour him — that he had no temptations to do wrong. They may think that he had a pious mother, and perhaps a pious father too, and that Eli, with whom he lived, was God's minister, and that he was employed in God's house, and that there were therefore around him circumstances that all tended to make him good. But, if God had not given Samuel a new heart, all these circumstances would not have made him good. But Samuel's circumstances were not all favourable. The two sons of Eli that Samuel had to do with every day were very bad young men.

II. HOW ARE YOU TO BECOME LIKE LITTLE SAMUEL? I think I ought to ask you, in the first place, whether you wish to become like little Samuel. In order to be like Jesus, to be in "favour with God and men," you must have "the mind which was in Christ Jesus." I have told you that you must pray to be like Jesus: then, secondly, you must pray to remember the truth of your Bibles. "My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep My commandments. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and men." Now, in order to remember God's Word you must know it — you must learn it. Let me advise you, then, never to let a single day pass without learning some one text of Scripture. The third thing is be go and practise what you know immediately. Our blessed Lord says, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

(W. Cadman, M. A.)

---

---

KJV: And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

WEB: The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men.