"Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child."--_1 Sam. 2:18._
[Illustration: YOUNG SAMUEL BROUGHT TO ELI.]
THERE was a very good woman named Hannah, and she grieved because she
had no children. Whenever she came with her husband to God's holy
place, she used to kneel, and pray with all her heart to God that He
would let her have a son; and she promised that if she had one, she
would lend him to the Lord all the days of his life.
At last God granted her prayer, and gave her a little son, and she
named him Samuel. She was very glad when he was born, and she thanked
God, and sang a hymn of praise for her dear little child. But she had
promised to lend him to the Lord all his life; and she kept her promise.
As soon as little Samuel was old enough to be without her, she took him
to the holy place, that was instead of a church, and gave him to wait
upon the Lord. He lived with the High Priest, whose name was Eli, and
was taught by him.
Eli was a very old man, and his sons used to behave very badly; but
Samuel was always good and obedient to him, and used to wait upon him,
and help him when he served God in the holy place. Samuel wore a little
white linen dress like the priests; and when his mother came to see
him, she used to bring him a little coat. She had five more children
afterwards, three sons and two daughters.
[Illustration: HANNAH'S PRAYER.--1 Sam. 1:11.]
If you listen in the afternoon, you will hear how God spoke to Samuel
whilst he was still a little boy; and I am sure you like to think of
the little child in his white dress, ministering before God in His
beautiful holy place. But only think. You can be like Samuel. Your
father and mother lent you to God for all your life, when they took you
to the font, and made you God's child; and though you live at home,
you go to church, and can serve God there, if you kneel and stand and
sit quietly at the proper times, mind the prayers, and repeat the
Amens, and the verses you know, in their right places. And if you are
obedient, and try to be good, God will love you as He loved Samuel.