Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-01


On the spiritual temple nave tno
scholars learn by heart and repeat III
concert Ephesians 2:20-22 and CORN
thians GIG. beginning with the secohu
clause.
The section includes l Kings 1l-5S:
Chron. % and the account or the carry
ing out of the command in 22a1-l9. ana
Davids preparation of materials Tor uie
temple. described i'm Chron. ~ and -
Historical setting. Time. b. Z. loiS
and 1915. shortly before the death or
David.
Place. Jerusalem the capital OF the
Kingdom
close of his reign.
Solomon. Eighteen or twenty years old.
iust recognized as the successor of David.
The Kingdom. At the height OF It's
prosperity and its widest extent or ter
ritory: Well organized in all its parts
civil, religious. and military: at peace
with the surrounding nations. VINO wer"
held i'm awe of its power.
To-day's lesson includes verses b-lb,
chapter ~, First Book of Chronicles. as
follows:
9. Then he called for Solomon
and charged HIM" The earnestness ana
solemnity of this address create an i'm
preston that it was given little before
the old kings decease.
:. 1T was in my mind" it was my
desire and purpose. Ito build an house,
| etc.
s. But" God forbade him to build
| the temple. because, Thou hast shed
much blood" etc. tSee Lesson ", on
| Samuel - David is not blamed for his
great wars They were necessary wars.
| not wars of aggression.
.. His name shall be Solomon" which
means Peaceful, corresponding to the Ger
| man Friedrich. Rich in peace. II Will
In,
| his days" For the fuifilment of this
| prophecy. see Kings 4:20-23; 5:i-Cook
| 10. II will establish his king
\ dom forever. This promise. so far
| as Solomon is concerned. is made condi-
| tional on his obedience (v. Is; Chron
| ND.
| II. 1.-The Lord (Jehovah) be with thee
| God will he with us when we so to him.
| live i'm communion with him. and seek to
| know and do his will. Every good comes
| TO those who walk with God and enjoy
his favor and protection. How wonder
| fully this was fulfilled will be seen in the
| lessons on Solomon in the next quarter.
| His great work to build the house
| Of the Lord" 1t was for this purpose
| that God chose him to be king. God
| gives us property. talents. or attrac-
| tiveness. whatever of good he has
/ bestowed upon us, in order that We may
aid Gods cause and build up his king
| dom. This is the privilege that goes with
| all Gods special blessings.
IL. only the Lord give thee wisdom
| and understanding" Compare Psalm
| 72:1. And for the fulflment of this
| prayer see L Kings 3:12; Chronicles a.: a..
| No work requires more wisdom than the
| Lords work. And only he can give the
| true wisdom. But he giveth that wisdom
| literally TO all who ask him (James 1:5)
| That thou mayest keep the law. Wis
/ dom and understanding would lead him
10 10 DC,
| way to usefulness and success in doing
| Gods work except by a careful obedience
| to his law. For that law will show him
| what to do, give him the qualities of
| mind and heart which bring success. and
| will enable him 10 work by example as
| well as precept
/ l3. Then shalt thou prosper. if thou
| takest heed" So long as mans will is
| free there must be this condition before
| Gods blessing. God wants to prosper us.
| IA. Now behold in my trouble" either
| lat great pains" or amid my troubles
and cares" IAN hundred thousand tai
| ents of gold. A talent is a weight equal
| to 5000 shekels. which was the principal
| unit, as pound Obj is with us A
| shekel weighed pa grains troy and u
talent weighs III pounds. 10 9ennyweight.
| IL grains (see the oxford Helps). There
| are two ways in which talents of gold
| may be reckoned One is to regard a
| talent as so much weight OF gold. H.
| which case shekers weight OF god is
| worth $3.50. and talents weight S2S, 800.
| The 100000 talents of gold would thus
| amount to 81 $50, 000, 900. This added to
| the Thousand Thousand t.lents of sill
| ver," each worth sl.92O or 81, 92O, 900, 900 In
| all. would make total OF 81. 800. 00O. 0O0.
| which seems almost beyond probability.
| 1t Is possible that the numbers. being
| designated by letters. often with lines or
dots over them, were miscopied by SOM.
copyist (see last lesson). But there is
| another way of reckoning. 1t is posi-
BILE that the talent meant certain value
| i'm silver, whether the amount was ac-
| cumulated in gold silver. Take the
| English pound for an illustration. Orig
| inaly pound sterling (Gl was equal to
| pound of silver Now, while the name
| is kept, the value Is but one third of n
| pound of silver and then the value of the
| is the same whether paid in silver or
| gold. f1.O00 paid i'm silver Is the same as
| fl.OO paid I'm gold. 4,S4O: but 1000 pounds
/ of gold are worth $a00.000 Now these
/ talents of gold may be taleits' worth OF
| gold valued by the silver standard. One
hundred thousand talents wight of gold
would be equal To $3.50 OOO. 900. But
| 100000 talents worth of gold would be
worth only sl92.0O0.0O0.
| 10. "Workmen ordinary laborers
| cunning men, skilled workDien In adj
| dition to what David had accumulated
| large gifts We're offered by the princes
| o..icers, and elders of the Kingdoms, at
| a great meeting which David called for
| the purpose
| submarine Cable Near the Surface.
| News has been received in Madrid
that the submarine cable between Tan