The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1892-01-30
AbsalOnn, the Maynard.
GEORGE DARSIE.
Volume XIV.

Absalom was David's third son.
His mother was the daughter of
Talmai, King of Gesbur. He was
the only son of David who could
claim royal parentage on both sides.
And he no doubt plumed himself
greatly on the fact. The wild, rest
less and undisciplined traits of his
character make it manifest that the
Arabian blood inherited through his
mother was predominant in him.
The nobleness of his father seems
utterly lacking. There was only
one chance for him to turn out. well
and that was for him to be held with
a tight rein and carefully trained.
But that was exactly what he did
not get David was not that kind of
a father. He was a good man,
great king and his reign was the
most glorious in the history of
Israel, but he was very weak and
foolish father. He was like many
parents in our own day, who have
good sense and good judgment about
everything except their own children.
They are wholly destitute of the
power to discipline and train. Their
children, as infants, get the upper
hand Of them and keep it all their
lives. They ride over their parents
rough shod. They do utterly as they
please. That was Absalom's ruin.
He was praised, petted, INDUCED,
spoiled as a child till he became
young tyrant, doing all things after
his own sovereign pleasure. He had
his own way from start to finish.
And few boys have ever lived who
under such circumstances would not
go straight to destruction.
The basis of everything good in
human character is laid when child
is required to obey its parents. A
boy who does not mind at home will
not mind anywhere. If he is al
lowed to disobey parental author
ity he will disobey the laws of the
land and the laws of God, and sub
NIT himself to no authority what
ever. Permitted Gto grow up UNI
governed, and utterly unschooled in
the great matter Of self-government,
he will as a man reject all govern
ment human and divine, run riot in
every excess of unbridled passions.
If you want to know where boys
learn the ungovernable rage that will
stop at nothing, not even at the
taking of life by red-handed murder,
you need only to look into the loose
and slackened discipline of many
homes around you. The crying need
of our day is family government, in
fact and in power, the lack of which
never brought forth sadder results
than in the history of Absalom.
The first outbreak was the assassi-
nation of his elder brother, Amnon.
The crime committed against Absa-
lom's sister was no jusfication And
it is plain to be seen that the
vengeance of Absalom was greatly
increased by the fact that in vindi-
eating his sisters honor he was also
removing from his path the chief
obstacle between him and the throne
of Israel. He fees to Geshur and
spends three years among his
mothers people only to be recalled
by his father and forgiven for his
crime. Five years from the time
he drove the dagger to Amnon's
heart he is again at court, going in
and out among the people as great a
favorite as ever. His crime was
never punished.
He now proceeds to systematic
effort at stealing the hearts of the peo-
pie. He greets the strangers from all
parts of the land who come to Jerusa
lem seeking legal redress, and hearing
their cases beforehand, pronounces
every man he meets to have right
on his side. He said to them: 20
that were made judge in the land;
then would you all get justice and
that speedily" This of course
brought him the favor Of every
litigant he met Moreover in going
about among the people he allowed
no one to PROSTATE himself before
him to do obeisance, but lifting
him from such posture saluted him
as friend and equal. His beauty,
grace and popular manners all fitted
him to play the demagogue, which