Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-03-27
REVIEW OFTHEOUARTER
LESSON KIN, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH go

Labors of B1jah. Elisha and Others.
Tho quarter just completed end the next |
together cover one of tho saddest passages |
in history. Borrowing Il term from pro-
fame history, it might be called the Ode
cline and Fall' of the divinclv established |
nation. Every gracious promise to Israel
had been couplcd with a condition, ex-
pressed or clearly implied Again and
again had the people been warned. again
and again had they disresarded the warn
ing, violated the laws against idolatry and
entanged themselves with neigh boring
nations, until their measure OF iniquity
was complete and the judgment came.
For convenience it is customary to divide
the history of the kingdom into three
sJaue4, Samuel may he said to have organ
| lied the nation, but with so poor an nstru-
ment as saul he could not organize the
/ kingdom. That was the work of David,
| who was, in the broadest sense. a man Of
war. lie brought the national spirit to its
! highest development. lie repealed AL the
attacks Of bis neirhbors and compelled
them 70 respect Israel. TO his son and
| successor he left n united people, whom no
| other nation dared to ATTACK, and fair
| field for the arts of peaGe. solomon brought
| the kingdom to its highest point of glory.
Education, agriculture and commerce were
pfoueht 10 a Hou1shlnB cohdition inns
VIZ oie SoiueH t@e Vi '1''''l, ne l,'ihe VI
| solomon iilel 'He ehr0h' nc Is sIilI Ine
chenle OF Ch"u9"n" '3HonnS ,'hou; "he
NIX ions o' So'i'hefh asia ana tine Jews
through an 'ho twenty hlhe cenouries
since ms deS nave pointen WIN InlnEieu
Prlue una shNiheSs 10 One glory OF 0oi'hon'
ne 'hltu s'a9e---hnc TOUT centuries OF Ill
continuous Il, nd Il y iCr
began WIN hehoh'am' though the seens
ol oecA9 WERE '"t Np"n before For
some reasons noI WEI uhderS' oou tnefe
haN long heeh a dlVl'on III lcehng the
tripe ~ 'uuan ana some lrtc,iohS OF otffer
tr'heS STANDING t"Retler' ana the rest OF
the i'Hll"ii "'r"- 'OhalIE ntcahlnS away.
AsNh ana again u'V1HH 'ue uie Oh DaNld
ulI ,llS 9i'''lo prol''p dangerous or olpo"S
r,SnlU0 nor H4I D&Vil succeed IN uniting
the tribes III me helr ol saul lShb"ehtth,
hao been aSSa'SlhIt'd lWlce d1rlhS that
relEh there were nIoodE lhsurfectlons' III
Is nUl Vea7"Haoic 10 c"hc'uue th'' the men
OF JuHah were NFtAtIN favored III Ihe court
OF 7o!oihoh' ana iHhD the jealousy OF o'her
tpoeN SIhni"tFep an lhr'dsn Inc lorty
years ~ has glorious reign.
NeVef'h'i''7 lhe hlh%uom IelI by 500
mon EXTENDED northeast T." the f'uphrateS
was 'H' 9iShH Tor lLe "iu J'A'o"N! 10 re-
viye' and tue folly OF hehoooan completed
the DIVISION. mere were thehcelorth TWO
bIngdolna ana lnternccine STRIFE and the
ha'red on poth Sizes was so intense that
even the prophet, were affected 10y 1t, As
we see III manj' o. her utteriLnces. Against
the dark background 81 war ana apostacY
stand out toe mighty l&nrea OF hllah and
Elisha, heroes and PATRIOTS almost mar
tYTS, yet Miraru!ouaIi sustained anu pre-
served. struggling nightly but in vain to
BRING BACK deiudeu people TO their dUty
to God ana Their native land
As the northern hln@dom began is
career under Jeropoam ny systcmatcal.H
> excluding he Mosaic institutions, 50 irs
downward career WIS most rapid. IDOL
airy, GeStot7n' ana corruption were its
methods cou-plracy, revolt and rrs1ciGe
determined tae choice of rulers through
most OF the 2" years OF it, troubled exist
enc". Once Elisha succeeded in restoring
faint spirit OF pIcty aud patriotism, and
under The dynasty of jchu (Who was an