The National tribune., 1885-08-27

third commandment. :, Taking Gods name in
vain must be grieXous.sin in his sight, or he
would not attach to il great penalty as the be-
ing stoned to death. IHadsNaboth been guilty,
his execution would have been legal and,
judged by the Mosaic law, just.
2. Do not speak irEeyerently of rulers. Says
the Mosaic law, -" Chou shalt not revile the
gods [meanng the judges magistrates, etc. nor
curse the ruler of thy paople." (Ex., g: 2S.)
One charge made against.St Stephen was that
he spoke words deragato<y of Moses. (Acts, 6 ::
IL st. Peter, writing efseertain unrighteous
persons, states as proofs "Presumptuous are
they selfwiled !; they are not afraid to speak
evil of dignities." e Pet. 2 10. CT. Jude, 81
Had it been shown, truthfully, Naboth was
guilty of disrespectoto his King, punishment
would have been deserved. The refusal to sell
his vineyard to Ahah contrary TO Gods law,
was right and duty of Maboth. True, it mad
dened the King and mad6 him sad but no SUBJ
ject of ruler is obliged to yield to the whiuls
of the king-to his unreasonable demands, and
certainly no subject can disobey God to please
any dignitary. But we should in society cul-
tivate exalted ideas of our rulers and then
match our ideas by our ballots, thus securing
rulers worthy of respect. Being electors, we
are responsible as to whom we shall have for
governors, and this fact should modify our
criticisms and censures. 1t does not become
3. Never condemn persons without evidence.
The Mosaic law was very guarded in this re-
spect. Acts, % 16, shows the Roman law de-
manded clear proof of guilt before punish
ment.
4. The court should be fair, never wnking
at false evidence. What a corrupt court that
must have been before whom Naboth was
tried 1t was at the command of an audaciouS
cruel woman. 1t is well, too, that judges hold
their tenure of Office independent of the exc
cutive power, so that not even the highest Off
cial of the nation can escape its decisions, and
so that the court itself need not be intimidated
by any threatened harm.
s. If you be witnesses tell the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth.
6. Be brave for the right Let not even
Kings daunt you from duty. 1t required
courage on the part Of Naboth to decline the
proposition of Ahab. Naboth had. in his pa
trimony charge from God. He would do
violence to the Mosaic law, if he sold his prop
erty in a way contrary to that provision of real
estate which required it to revert to his heirs
in the jubilee year. Doubtless, Naboth could
have made money in the transaction. Ahab
seems to have been generous in his oilers. But
Naboth was conscientious and courageous.
Z. Respect the conscences of others. Ahab
should have considered the religious scruples
of Naboth. 1t would seem he did not; for in
the fourth verse we notice he says nothing to
to sell. The explanation would probably have
had no effect on the Queen, as would have been
the case had Naboth's scrupes risen from any
reverence for Baal. She cared less for another'S
conscience than did Ahab.
8. Look out for the beginnings of sin. Evil
DEVELOPS. Notice the steps in the case of Jezo-
bel-covetousness, forgery, lying, murder, theft.
Specially look out and not infringe on the 10th
commandment. Though the last, its violation
may lead to the breaking of every other.
Thou shalt not covet.'
9. Do not practice hypocrisy. The case of
Jezebel shows how one can invest himself in
the cloak of religion for evil purposes. She
was conversant with the Mosaic law. She
would have the people in sympathy with
Naboth's DEATH He must have fair trial. 1t
must be shown he was guilty according to that
law. Everything was proceeded with regu-
larly. Witnesses swQre-thc law was quoted
the penalty was described in the words of
Moses. He must be Jput to death outside the
city, aud it must be done by stoning. Is there
anything more diabolicaR Remember, Jezebel
was a Baalite, and hated everything Mosaic
and Jewish. She knew Naboth was true
Jew, and she planned so athat he should be put
to death by his own lswrf
10. Do not marry a Jezebel Ahab was not
so bad as weak. Jezebel Stirred him up to evil.
t21:250 Happy man whose wife ever points
him to good! (Prosy 1ss22) Some men can
all tDC Oh an cSll
panion. So did job, tfob, 30, 10) 1t is
stated as a reason why rJehoram did evil. was
because he married Ahabs daughter. e XII,
8:18) Who does nst remember how Lady
Macbeth stirs up her husband to murder the
King Of Scotland? He animated. "We may
fail" She answers, I'VE fail! but screw your
courage to the sticking place, and Wen not
fail" He hestates. She exciaims, =" Infirm
of purpose! Give me the daggers!" Great
men often make fearful mistakes in the matter
of marriage Think of John Wesley, Byron,
Bulwer We must not forget the womanly,
wifey side of Jezebel. She noticed her husband
felt sad and, out of real sympathy, it would
seem, was anxious to know the cause. This
was well so far, but no woman should be so
concerned for her husbands happiness as to
manipulate the ROBBERY and murder of some
other wite's companion in marriage. mans
future joy in this world and largely in the
world to come depends on his uxorial choice.
IL. Be contented. Eaboth was wealthy He
had two palaces and ample income. He sees a
man happy in his vineyard and thinks he must
have that persons property. He makes him
self utterly miserable because the vinedresser
prefers to keep his ancestral home and to hand
it down to his children as he had received it
from his fOrefatherS. Some one has said, q" Dis
content is sin that is its own punishment"
With an elegant home on the hill of Samaria,
which Omri bought and adorned ZIG pa; with
palace built of ivory (22 39); just fresh from
victories over Benhadad (Chap. 20); the occu-
pant of . throne; with gardens, parks foun-
tains; with royal resources yet, we see Ahab
moody, whining, sad, unable to eat, because he
cannot have i'll addition bit of land owned
by one of his subjects. To a contented man,
says Gray,
"The meanest foweret Of the vale,
The simplest note that sweils the gale
The common SUI, the air. the skies,
To him are opening paradise"
In Henry VIII, Shakspere wrote: "Our con-
tent is our best having" Happy for Ahab
could he have gotten into the spirit of the
widow of Helvetius, who said to Napoleon
You cannot conceive how much happiness
there can be found on three acres of land"
What philosophy in Mackintosh's statement:
1t is right to be cOntcnted with what we have
not with what we are"
THE QUESTION SQUAD.
Comrades Queries and Replies-0dds and Ends Of
Information.
Mrs. Lavina Yoller Metamora, Ind, would
like to know the whereabouts of her hus-