Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-11-26

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-whoIcsome Food for Thought--
Studying the scriptursI Lesson 1n-
telligcntly and Probably.
Lesson for November 30.
Golden Text.-"Behold, a greater than
Solomon Is here."-Matt. ~: AZ. stt'ta
The lesson is found in l. Kings, 10:
lilo, and has for Its subject 1.-THE Fame
Of Solomon. Solomnn's fame had long
ago spread through all the eastern counl
try. we have proof in this lesson thar
he was first among the monarchs Of the
time. The episode Is one of the most
striking in the life Of Solomon, and usual
~ impresses the Imagination of children.
1t Is an early lesson to teach on this ae-
count. There Is, however, no immediate
connection with the moral history OF Sol
ONION. since the wisdom he here displayed
was apparently a kind of wisdom that
survived long after he had forsaken ths
path of obedience.
Explanatory.
'The Queen of Sheba:" Sheba was
in the south of the Arabian peninsula,
on the shores of the Red Sea. The Sa-
baeans, the people of the country, were
warlike; il was a band of Sabaeans that
stole Jobs cattle and killed his servants.
This queen fills a large place in the legcn-
dairy literature of the Arabs. In the
"Book of the Prophets" there is,a collec-
tion of stories about her, under the name
of Queen Bilkis. Her yisit'to Solomon is
very fully related, and an account n
given of the gifts she brought and the
questions she asked.-"The fame of Solo
mon concerning the name of the Lord"
itappears that Solomon's devotion to Jeho-
yah was as we'll known as his wealth and
wisdom. Ssfi Pi-
"She came to Jerusalem" long jour-
ncy by caravan, which must have taken
several weeks to accomplish, preceded the
arrival at the city. If oriental CUSTOM
was followed Solomon learned of her
approach while she was yet at a distance,
and sent messengers with gifts to wei
come her to his domain. The scenesis one
of the most picturesque in the Old Testa-
ment, the great caravan making it's way
over the hills to Solomons capitals with
its camels richly caparsoned, its Bedouin
guards in their flowing white robes and
burnooses, mounted on spirited horses;
the queen herself appareled in royal
splendor. Her country was rich in spices,
and. there were gold mines not far away.
-Z"She communed with him of all that
was in her heart" probably yiie had spent
a good deal of time preparing questions
to be asked of this wisest of men. One
wonders If they included any of the deep
er mysteries of life, or whether they were
confined to the riddles that were so popu-
lar in the East.
Solomon told her all her questions"
His wide experience and profound study
were sufficient to fathom almost any
mystery. In the Arabic legends he APP
pears as one possessed of supernatural
knowledge, acquainted with the language
of birds and beasts, etc. He was, ac-
cordng to these stories, so wise that he
made the jinns or demons his slaves, and
caused them to build palaces and plant
gardens for him.
"His ascent by which he went up INTO
the house of the Lord.' some splendid
road leading across the valley from the
palace to the templc.-"There was no
more spirit in herr" She was astonished
and speechless
II believed not the words. until came.
and mine eyes had seen it," compare the
attitude of Thomas after the resurrection
of Christ.
Happy are these they servants. which
stand continually before thee:" graceful
compliment to Solomon, as is also the
following verse:
BLESSED be the Lord thy God" she
does not accept Jehovah rs her own God.
but simply pays him the reverence due the
deity of her honored host.
The gifts were in royal abundance.
The 100 talents may be a round number.
but certainly signifies a great sum Of
treasure.
Teaching Hints.
The lesson story affords unusual oppor-
tunities for picturesque illustration. Ii
should be wildly depicted; the splendor
of Solomon's kingdom is never more forci-
bly, suggested than here. The incident
was favorite one with the Jews in later
times; it is referred to by Christ. 1t
shows Solomon in more favorable light
than some of the other lessons of the
quarter. Honest inquirers will seek wis
dom wherever they can find it. He who
knows is master of the situation. The
Christian who really knows what he be-
lieves and why he believes is sure to have
inquiries coming to him.
The Queen of Sheba was dazzled with
the splendor of Solomon's wealth and the
wisdom he displayed, so that there was
no spirit left in her. But the glory that
awaits the vision of the children of the
king far surpasses that of Solomon. They
come to his court not as strangers and
foreigners, but as members of the house
hold and heirs of the riches displayed.
A good hymn to sing with this lesson is,
"Afy father is rich in houses and lands"
The Psalms are full Of the riches Of
Jehovah, which are all the heritage Of
his servants.
Primary teachers may perhaps best
teach the lesson by comparing it with the
visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus.
The Queen brought gifts, and wondered
at the wisdom of the great King. The
wise men brought gifts, and worshiped
because of the divine future they foresaw,
in some degree, at least, for the helpless
child. Solomon knew all curious and
out of the way things; he knew where the
gold was and the silver, and how the rare
birds made their nests, and where the
beasts made their lair; he knew some
of the mysteries of numbers, and the
wonders of the stars; the Interpretation
of dreams and the foretelling of the fu-
ture--all these things and many more
were within his knowledge. But he did
not know enough TO keep him good. The
infant Jesus knew us yet nothing, but he
was to be the Savior of the world, and
was to bring to men the true wisdom that
should make them good and bring them
to heaven. And so, when the wise men
bowed down before him in the stable, il
was a grander sight than the reception Of
this Arabian queen with all her attend