gold, but of eternal value. Jesus Christ is offering to take you into
business with Him and let you deal with values so much finer and
higher than anything else that the surprise and joy of them will last
through all eternity.

_Read Matthew 13:44-52._




XXXVII

A CORONATION


Say, fellows: This is David's big day. Let's enjoy it with him. Let's
get in the crowd gathering at Hebron and see a coronation.

And what a crowd! About three hundred and forty-four thousand mighty
men of war--all the tribes of Israel were represented there that
day--and they came over the hills of Judah from north and east and
south to put a crown on David which would make him king of all Israel.

For many years David had waited for this day. At the death of Saul,
two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, had proclaimed him king, but ten of
the tribes had crowned Saul's son, Ishbosheth, as his father's
successor. So David waited seven and a half years longer, and then the
whole kingdom came under his rule.

Many times during those long years when a fugitive from Saul, hiding