The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-09-03

'Seest thou how Ahab humbleth him
self before me?"-I Kings-21-29.
These were the words Of the Lord, spo-
ken to Eliza the Tishbite, in regard to the
conduct of Ahab, King of Israel, after the
murder of Naboth by order of Jezebel.
Naboth possessed fine vineyard, which
Ahab coveted, and to get which Jezebel,
the wife of Ahab, procured the murder of
Naboth. The Lord had spoken that the
dogs should lick the blood Of Ahab At
ter the death of the victim of his greed,
Ahab humbled himself before the Lord to
the extent that the Lord promised to stay
the evil of his house and visit it after the
day of Ahab. But the decree with regard
to the death of Ahab was to be fulfilled
Three years had passed without Ahab
getting into war with Syria-which
would seem to indicate that Jezebel was
not doing herself justice, or sustaining
her character as an originator of troub-
lous schemes. But three years of peace,
to Ahab, was entirely too long. When
Jehosaphat, the King of Judah came to
visit him, Ahab at once concluded to seize
Ramothgilead for part of his possess
sions.
With considerable pomp and ceremony,
and with the mock display of wisdom
which is the accompaniment of conceit
in this day, he called about him his proph
cts, and inquired of them the will of the
Lord as to his going to seize Ramoth-
gilead. That is, Ahab, like his prototype
of the present day, decided, in the wicked
ness of his nature to do a wrong thing,
and upon pretense of asking advice, at
tempted to get his prophets to sanction as
the will of the Lord what he had already
decided upon doing. In this move Ahab
was human-but not humane-all the
way through. Of course all the prophets
prophesied that prosperity should attend
the movement of the King against Ra-
moth-gilead. But there was one bit of
ceremony which Ahab thought it would
not be best to omit. There was man,
Micaiah, who was prophet, and of whom
the King wished to inquire as to the prob
able result of the expedition. "But hate
him." said the King, "for he doth not
prophecy good concerning me but evil"
What a common trait of human character
this isl Micaiah's sin, in the eyes of Ahab,
was that he spoke his convictions, and
showed no desire to pander to the whims
of the King. He held the mirror up to
the King, and the hideous features, as
well as the better aspects of his life, were
faithfully portrayed. Who of US have
not had brought within the range of our
observation, illustrations of this trait of
human character? Let us enter the stu
dio of the artist, and seek, for moment,
for an illustration. A handsome lady en-
ters-that is, handsome as made up by
fine art decorations on plain natural
groundwork. This lady is the Ahab,
sending for the prophet. The artist is
the prophet who is to present to her mind
true illustration of her chief character
istics. With all the conscious pride of a
King, she sails into the artists chair. The
scenes are arranged for the grandest eff
feet. A "heavenly smile" is spread over
the face-at least that is what the poets
and artists might be pleased to call it, but
it is more suggestive of physical pain
than of angelic joy. The camera is ad-
justed with great care. The negative is
produced, and submitted to the beauty in
the chair. "Oh that's just really splendid
grand-couldn't be better" The lady
calls about three days afterward, to get
Photographic prints from the negative.
One glance at the picture is followed by a
disdainful curl of the lip. "Why, it's mis-
erable! For mercy's sake, just look at
that mouth! And those eyes, and that
hair! I won't have it, at all! Why you
make me out positively atgly!"
So it was with the King of Israel. Mi
caiah at first suggested that he go to Ra-
moth-gilead and he should be successful
But Ahab knew the prophet, and urged
him to tell the truth, concerning the will
OF the Lord in the matter, the Monarch
was very angry with the prophet and sent
him away to prison. Then the King
went away on his expedition of seizure OF
Ramoth-gilead. But he was not quite
satisfied over the word of the Lord as he
had already heard it from the mouth OF
Eliza, and when he was about to go into
battle, disguised himself that he might
not be known as the King, but urged Je
hosaphat to appear in robes. In this bat
tie Ahab was slain in his chariot by al
archer, and the dogs licked up his blood
as the Lord had spoken.
But the most terrible words was th'
declaration that "the dogs shall eat JeZe
bel, by the walls of Jezreel." Certainly
terrible ending of female experience
as terrible to the dogs, perhaps, as to Jeze
bel For she was a tough customer, t.
use worldly phrase. Ahab had humble'
himself before the Lord. when caught il
some of his wickedness, but he had ais
humbled himself before Jezebel. He ha
been afflicted with that peculiar visitation
known as "hen-peck." What "Jezzie
said must be done at once. Yet what
terrible retribution overlook this couple
What lively widow Jezebel must hav
been. And then how ignominious for
Queen to be eaten by dogs. Aside fror
r the consideration of the grim satisfactio
of JeZebel over the fact that she would b
k able to give the dogs a tough morsel ther
t is an ignominy attaching to the though