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I INTRODUCTION With the passing years of David’s rule over Israel, David gradually developed a pattern of life that became more self indulged, more accustomed to luxury, and less dedicated to the serious qoncerns of _life. At one time he had been a simple shepherd boy, most earnest and faithful, even risking his life to protect his family’s flocks from predatory animals. He had been willing to face the giant Goliath in his rough shepherd garb, trusting in God’s , care. He had trusted the Lord through days and years of wilderness as he was hunted relentlessly by Saul’s armed men. He had retained in his life a refreshing candor and trust. LESSON BACKGROUND It was not unusual for tension and distrust to exist between different segments of the Hebrew kingdom. We remember'that after Saul’s death the more northerly areas seemed to follow Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, while the area to the south gave David refuge and accepted him as king. For seven - and a half years David reigned at He brom. Soon after consolidating his reign, he * conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital city. Here he reigned for 33 years, (2 Samuel 5:4, 5). Yet these 33~yeare~wdfe rT&r without" internal problems. Among David’s many sons, one was especially handsome and gifted - Absalom. He had a sister, Tamar, but she was only a half-sister to Ammon, who was the son of another of David’s wives. Ammon raped Tamar, which so infuriated Absalom that, after some time, he secured an opportunity and murdered Ammon in revenge. Then he fled. Later, by the intercession of Joab, a half-hearted reconcilation was made between David and. Absalom. This whole story is told in 2 Samuel 13, 14. (2 Samuel 15:2-4) Absalom would get up early in the morning and go and stand by the road at the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. And after the man had told him what 4Hbe he was from, Absalom would say, “Look, the law is on your side, but there is J»o representative of the king to hear your ^ase.” And he would add, “How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me, and I would give him justice.” Courting the people s favor, Absalom made a special effort to intercept those who came to Jerusalem with grievances for which they sought loyal intervention or adjudication. Subtly he insinuated that their affairs were not being properly handled by the current administration. He had no authority to judge in these mat ters, but tried to give the impression that he would be sympathetic and helpful if only he had the chance. It is always easier to win many hearts if one doesn’t have to give sentences. When this is done some people are going to be disappointed, because everyone cannot win. For the one charged with making decisions between disagreeing parties, universal popularity is impossible. In 1 Corinthians 10:6 we read that events during the journev of the Hebrew people from Egypt to Canaan were “our exam ples.” After several more episodes are mentioned we are again reminded, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples:and they are written for our admonition,” (V. 11), 11 is quite evident that the unrest and distress in David’s family and David’s kingdom were the result of the spiritual decline that occurred in David’s life. His early simple trust and steadfast reliance on God were blurred by the unrestrained indulgence of his sexual desires and his #bntinued prosperity and power. The beau tiful faith he expressed in the 23rd Psalm became more eroded, and even the con tribution evidenced in Psalm 51 could not cancel out the continued effects of his folly. • One thing we must not forget in our thought about David’s spiritual condition and o* own. God had promised to be with David and He continued to care for him. In Absalom’s rebellion we note that David prayed to God f6r help in frustrating the plans of Ahithopel in the support of Ab salom (2 Samuel 15:31). David still re tained a trust in God in spite of the way he often forgot Him. We read a most comfort ing passage in 2 Timothy 2:13, "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself.” Whatever our unsteadiness, God will remain steady in His love for us; whatever our wandering, He is 1a Aaasa • uicTT vO win" nomf TO. SUPPORT our wsmwi Mrs. Ocie Perry Harrison .An administrative assistant After 30 Years Of Service Mrs. Harrison Retires When Oeie Perry Har rison retires as Adminis trative Assistant to the President at Johnson C. Smith University on June 30, she will leave behind 30 years of service to seven different JCSU administra tive leaders. Mrs. Harrison, a grad uate of J.C. Smith, first came to work for the Beat ties Ford Road School in 1954 as secretary to Dr Hardy Liston Sr. The en rollment then totaled 600 students, including the Theological Seminary. * ‘The president’s office at that time up until 1970 was a one-horse show,” ob served Mrs. Harrison. “Presidents then did everything »from making out the payroll, paying the bills, hiring and monitor ing the faculty, working with architects on build ing plans to registering studehts. It was a time when I personally knew every fatuity, staff and student body member on campus.” Before her three de cades of service would' pass, Mrs. Harrison wit nessed both the joys and hard-won victories and the heartbreak of losses that accompany the top admin istrative office of the 117 year old institution. “One of the most ex citing days came in 1963 when we received a phone call from Dr. Gordan Sweet, executive secretary for the Southern Associa tion of Colleges and Schools,” recalled Mrs. Harrison. “Dr. Sweet an nounced that J. C. Smith was being fully accredited, whereas before the school was accredited under se parate standards for black institutions.” “One of the most emo tional times came during the 1967-68 school year when the Theological Se minary moved to Atlanta to join the Interdenomina tional Theological Center," she pointed out. Declining enrollment in the campus Theological Seminary prompted the move along with the likelihood of ac creditation in the larger Atlanta center. “Dr. Thompkins, dean of the Seminary, received an outpouring of sentiment throughout the entire Ca tawba Presbytery as the school produced a great number of the ministers active in the area,” re flected Mrs. Harrison. Another sad moment was the death of Dr. Liston on Homecoming Day in 1956. “The news was kept quiet until the festivities were over,” she noted. An administrative council ran the institution for 10 weeks until Dr. James Ward Sea brook became acting pre sident. The following year Dr. Rufus Patterson Perry was selected to head the private institution. “Dr. Perry's was a busy administration,” reflected Mrs. Harrison. “He was able to supplement sup port from the Board of National Missions with money from new federal programs that allowed Johnson C. Smith Univer sity to expand.” Seven new buildings went up in Dr. Perry’s tenure. The enrollment doubled while the school's endowment grew. Just as the future appeared limit less, disaster struck. The recession of 1967-68 created a financial crisis for the federal government that would directly affect J. C. Smith. Several cam pus buildings were half constructed when the De partment of Housing and Urban Development cut drastically back on loans already approved for JCSU. “It was a time that speculation grew that Smith would be forced to cease operations," stated Mrs. Harrison. “Salaries were frozen, funds for other programs had to be diverted. But it was also a time that strength grew from adversity.” Dr. Lionel H. Newsom assumed leadership when Dr. Perry retired in 1968 The trustees rallied to save the school with a success ful capital campaign in 1972. Dr. Newsom left shortly after for the pre sidency at Central State (Ohio). Ocie Harrison has served in a number of roles, including 23 years as recording secretary to the Board of Trustees, Direc tor of the Affirmative Ac tion program and admin istrative assistant in per sonnel. "\UTO PARTS* SPECIAL Autotite 99c u / ©Qch (most cars) I e r irl »e" New Radiators I Offer Expire August 37, 1984 I MAP I LAvto Peris, Inc 8137 Beattie* Fd. Rd. ••• • 11# University Park Shopping Center Mon.-Sat. 6a.m.-6 p.m. -Suri na m.>2p m.^J| EachT>t these advertised items is required to be readily available for I tnrfWTf sa,e a* or below the advertised price in each A&P Store, except as \HtMy specifically noted m this ad _ ) PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU SAT.. JUNE 23. AT A&P IN CHARLOTTE ITEMS OFFERED FOR SALE NOT AVAILABLE TO OTHER RETAIL DEALERS OR WHOLESALERS DOUBLE COUPONS __SEE YOUR LOCAL A&P IN CHARLOTTE FOR DETAILS f [^■coupon] I BELOW ON This Week’s I3§a -ar AQC I WITH EVERY 3.00 PURCHASE each M ■i^ON VACATION? 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 21, 1984, edition 1
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