nd every one that was in distress, and every one
that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered
themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were
with him about four hundred men."--1 SAM. xxii. 1, 2.

In every country, at some time or other, there have been evil days--days
of violence, tyranny, misrule, war, invasion, when men are too apt, for
want of settled law, to take the law into their own hands; and the land
is full of robbers, outlaws, bands of partizans and irregular
soldiers--wild times, in which wild things are done.

Of such times we here in England have had no experience, and we forget
how common they are; we forget that many great nations have been in this
state again and again. We forget that almost all Europe was in that wild
and lawless state in our fathers' times, and therefore we forget that the
Bible, which tells man his whole duty, must needs tell men about such
times as those, and how a man may do his duty, and save his soul therein.
For the Bible is every man's book, and has its lesson for every man. It
is meant not merely for comfortable English folk, who sit at home at
ease, under just laws and a good government. It is meant just as much
for the opprest, for the persecuted, for the man who is fighting for his
country, for the man who has been found fighting in vain, and is simply
waiting for God's help, and crying, "Lord, how long? how long ere Thou
avenge the blood that is shed?" It is meant as much for such as for you
and me; that every man, in whatever fearful times he may live, and
whatever fearful trials he may go through, and whatever fearful things he
may be tempted to do, and, indeed, may have to do, in self-defence, may
still be able to go to the Bible, there to find light for his feet, and a
lantern for his path, and so that he may steer through the worst of times
by Faith in the Living God.

Again, such lawless times are certain to raise up bold and adventurous
men, more or less like David. Men of blood--who are yet not altogether
bad men--who are forced to take the law into their own hands, to try and
keep their countrymen together, to put down tyrants and robbers, and to
drive out invaders. And men, too, suffering from deep and cruel wrongs,
who are forced for their lives' sake, and their honour's sake, to
escape--to flee to the mountains and the forests, and to foreign lands,
and there live as they can till times shall be better.