The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-23

The Story OF the Jews Under their Kiass.
In tho second volume OF his lectures on the
History Of the J~rish Church reprinted by
tho Soribners). Dean STANLEY takes up the
record Of tho israciito people at tho date
OF 6aurB accession. when tho vague and
transitional authority Of the judged was
superseded by the Institution OF tho kingly
Ohloo. and cnrrfes Us through the period Of the
monnrchical regime. down TO tho date at which
the kingdom was ovcrthrown and the grenter
part Of Its dofender wem carried OF in cap
tivty 10 Babylon. Here as IN tho rrsccdng
volume. tho author recognizes the dnlculty OF
distinguishing between tho pootioal and the
historical portions OF the Scriutural nara
tive. and In tho work OF discrimination. collo-
cation. and valuation ho acknowledges doop
indebtedness 10 Ewnd us vol rs to
such English students Of the subject az
Milmnn. Grove and Pussy. No has not
hesitatcd 10 interpret or supplement the
sacred chronicles b. rccourbc 10 tho materials
which for tho Icriod now under review. are
supplied by unuuestlonably contemporary lit
erature. In ailusions. for example. 10 events
Of import 10 ths israci.o prnr,io in tho Assyrian
aud EGYPTIAN monuments. nc iinls valuable
illustrations OF the Biblical record even wlero
they cannot bo used rs couilrma;ipus %! g."
NoiuVE Huo nO WNpily oNts ''N'i wv "'NlSu
and Arabian traditions bearing OH this
period. which. II loss striking. arc. he
thinks. moro likely 10 contain some
grains OF historical truth than those relating
to the patriarchni age" To this word Of COM
ment on tho authorities employed We need only
add Tint in treating this section OF his theme.
the author constantly exhibits the same elevn-
tion OF view and envlnblo emancipation from
dogmatic ri.idity which were 40 happily con.
spicuous In his attempt to trace tho relatively
obscure epoch Of Jewish history comprised In
thu nrst centuries aftor tho settlement In Pal
estine. A particularly striking disqualification
OF this liborai spirit Is presented In the re-
marks appended to this volume on tho dato
and authorship OF tho books OF the Old Tesla
ment. Yet. while DO believes that tho author
ship Of the book Of Ecclesiastes. for instance.
has boon wrongfully attributed TO solomon. he
still oxpre sos n conviction that II embodies
the sentiments which were believed to have
proceeded from Solomon At tho close OF his
life and should therefore be regarded as the
Hebrew representation OF his last lessons to
tho world.
Among tho many important problems sug-
gested by the history " the Jews under thcir
Kings. the disruption OF tho monarchy upon
tho death Of Solomon aud its ultimate collapse
undor the shock OF collision with the expansive
the most likely to command attention from
those persons who approach the study OF tho
Old Testament from a historical rather than a
theological point OF view. We. ut all events.
have followed with peculiar interest Dean
6tanley's discussion Of these cardinal events
He brings out with singular clcarnoss and
emphasis. tho fact. too often overlooked. that
It was tho great majority OF tho tribes that ro-
volted with Jeroboam. and not tho insignin-
cant remnant that clavs to the son OF
Solomon. which was. 80 long as 1t endured.
the workable kingdom OF Israel appearing.
and to a great degree really constituting. the
kingdom OF the whole nation. 1t was incom-
parably more powerful and. owing to Its con-
tact with the great trading communities on tho
north und west 1t must huve been far moro
civilized. There was literally mono that fol-
lowed tho House Of David but tho tribe Of
Judah only" although tho frontier tribes OF
Simeon and OF BENJAMIN were compelled W
their position to yield divided allegiance to
both kingdoms. The spacious realm which
obsyed the dynasty Of Jeroboam embraced tho
chief seats Of secular and OF religious greatness.
Bathel. Shochen. Mahanaim. Jericho. Gilgal. end
q times even Beersheba. only the patriarchal
burial place Of Hebron and the Davidic capital
OF Jerusalem lying beyond its reach. Nor
should We lose sight Of the equally significant
fact that tho rulers OF the great northern king
dom received the same support from the chief
prophets of the epoch which had been prsvt-
ously given to the house Of David. Dynssty
after dynasty was raised up with the prophetic
sanction: nor Is there any indication. even
among the worst crimes OF the rulers Of
Israel of . desire on the part oil
the people or Of the prophets to return
70 the dominion OF Judah or to accept
. prince from tho Davidie family. THE
prophetical activity OF the time. amid what
ever discouragemonts In to 30 found In the
kingdom. not Of Judah. but Of Israel. The
schools OF the prophets had been originally
and still continued to BIO not at Jerusalem. bu
at Ramah. at Bethel. at Gigal-all situated
within tho northern state. For thu
two centuries that followed tho disruption
there are III we except Joel as OF doubtful date
only two prophets who belong exclusively K
Judah. $50 Elijah and Elisha grow up. speak
teach. Hive. and rass away entirely In thu
Church OF Israel. Not . message Of blessing
or warning. II we except one short address o
Elisha and one short letter Of Elijah. reaches
the Kings OF Judah. 1t Is only In tn
last dissolution Of tho northern kingdom tina
the scat OF prophecy is transferred from tn
ancient schools Of the north to Judah AM
Jerusalem"
How arc we to account for the seemingi
abrupt yet incurable Acknowledgement whtc
for centuries condemned tho royal de-
scendsnts Of David and Solomon to com
parativs obscurity and impotence? It
pointed out by Dean Stanley that tn
disruption Of the kingdom was not tho wor
OF day but the growth Of centuries. To tn
house Of Joseph-that 10. TO Ephraim. with 1,
adjacent tribes OF BENJAMIN aud Manasseh,
had belonged. down to the time Of David. a
the chief rulers OF Israel. viz. Joshua. til
oonaueror; Deborah, tho one prophets
Gideon. the one regal spirit among the Judges
Abimslech and Saul. the lrst kings: Samue
the restorer of the State after the fall I
Shiloh. 1t was natural that. with such a
inheritance Of glory. Ephraim always chafe
under any rival supremacy Even again
tho impartial sway OF its own Joshua. (
Of its kindred heroes. Gideon or Jephtha Il
proud temper was always In revolt; how muc
more when tho blessing Of Joseph seemed to
altogether merged In tho blessing Of the rtv
ohscura Judah nv David and S0lpmO