The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-03
LESSON STORY.

LESSON STORY.
The story set for our lesson, whether
historic or imaginative, is intended to be
a revelation of Solomon's inner life. 1t
could, in the nature of things, SO far as
it is real, have become known to the old
annalist only by Solomon's personal con-
fession. 1t is an inherently probable
story; and it is Of special import because
it is the only testimony we possess of
the inner quality of Solomon's exper-
fence.
We easily conjecture that when Solo
mon, by the death of his father, found
himself alone on the throne, he was OPP
pressed with sudden sense of the diff
culties and dangers of his position. He
was fully aware that active and infuen-
tial opposers of his reign were to be en-
countered among his own people. He
could not be in doubt that it was OILY
by extraordinary sagacity and frmness
that success could be won in his admin
istration. He felt intensely his inexper-
fence. He felt his need of unseen guild
ance. He realized the truth, both awful
and hopeful, that he could enter into
and complete his fathers labors and
justify his ia theirs choice of him as his
successor, only through the continued
favor OF Jehovah, his fathers God.
Solomon summoned the nation to a
hot ho LODI
icats himself and his people to the SER
vice of Jehovah.
The meeting was at Gideon, an ancient
hill city about six miles northward from
Jerusalem. On this height five hun
dred years before Joshua 10: LA, JOS
hua had fought in behalf of its citizens
a memorable battle against five confed-
crate kings; and the victory which
Joshua had gained was promoted by
violent hail storm, and was made COM
plete by an unusual lengthening of the
evening twilight. OF this natural occur
renee the poets had made due account;
with the mystery of 1.-THE sun standing
still upon Gideon" and "the moon in the
valley of Ajalon," the nation had been
for half millennium deeply impressed.
On the same height Abner had made
stand against Joab; and here Amasa
was slain by Joab. But the special rea-
son why Solomon sought this historic
height was because here had been locat
ed from king Saul's day the ancient
tabernacle. the same which Moses had
made in the wilderness. Although Da-
vid had erected a new tabernacle in
Jerusalem, to which the ark of the COW
enant had been removed. the old taber.
nacle at Gideon, however dilapidated,
still appealed to the Hebrews as their
historic shrine. While sacrifcial ser.
vices had been maintained at Jerusalem
under the high priest Abiathar, like
sacrificial services had been maintained
by the associate high priest Zadok at the
altar before the old tabernacle Il Chron.
16: 80; 81: %; 2 Chron. 1:3).
Until the temple was built in Jerusa-
lem the national services we're lawfully
offered on any altar. That Solomon at
this period summoned the nation to Glib
con indicates that he was himself pro-
foundly DESTROYS that the nation should
be newly committed to the service of it's
historic religion.
Tue magnitude of its national feast
may be estimated by the fact that
thousand burnt offerings were sacrificed
on the brazen altar before the old taber-
pacls.
Werecall that only the fat of the in
wards OF the animal was burnt upon the
altar; the shoulder was the fee of the
priest; the remaining portion was re-
turned to the one who offered the sacri.
fee, as meat for religious feast.
A thousand oxen seem an almost
measureless sacrifice; but when we read
of CrGsus, king OF Lydia, offering three
thousand animals before the Delphic
Oracle, and of Xerxes on his way to
Troy offering thousand oxen to Miner
va, the greatness of the national sacrifice
is not beyond credence.
The design of Solomon was to unite
the priesthood and the people in festi-
val, the object of which was to promote
the national unity and consecrate the
nation to it's ideal.
The pageantry of the march from
Jerusalem to Gideon. and Of the lavish
religious feast must have impressed the
the spectacle loving Hebrews.
L. Solomon Chooses Wisdom as
his Chief Good, SO.
After the rush and the whirl of the