his desire was not allowed to be carried
into effect, but the honour was reserved for his son. The zeal of
God's house had eaten him up. This was very touching, I think, but I
remember a still more touching story of zeal for God's house, and God's
honour, and that, not in a great man, but in a humble woman.

Eli, the priest and judge of Israel, had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas,
and they were priests in Shiloh. They were utterly bad, profligate
men, utterly regardless of the honour of God, and they disgraced their
sacred calling by their shameless lives. They snatched from the
sacrifices the best portion of the meat, and kept it for themselves,
and they dishonoured the tabernacle by their shameless immoralities
committed with those women who came to Shiloh to worship.

In a great battle fought between the Israelites and the Philistines,
the ark of God was taken, and Hophni and Phinehas were both slain.
Then the news was brought to Eli the priest, and the old man, when he
heard it, fell back off his chair in a fit, and broke his neck and
died. The news also reached the wife of Phinehas. We do not know her
name. We only hear of her this once, but by the one little incident
recorded of her, we know what she was.

"The daughter-in-law of Eli, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be
delivered, and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was
taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time
of her death, the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not, for
thou hast borne a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard
it. . . And she said, The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark
of God is taken." Good, God-fearing, loving heart! Not a thought
about herself. She is in great suffering; not a cry from her other
than this, "The ark of God is taken!" They tell her that her
father-in-law, old Eli, has fallen and broken his neck, "But she
answered not, neither did she regard it"--only she said, "The ark of
God is taken." They tell her that her husband has been killed in the
battle. "But she answered not, neither did she regard it"--only she
cried, "The ark of God is taken." They brought to her her new-born
child, a son. What dearer to a mother than the little infant to whom
she has given life? But no, even that does not move her mind from the
one absorbing idea, "She answered not, neither did sh