Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-10-08

telligently and Probably.
Lesson for October.
Golden Textile fear of the Lord 10
the beginning of wisdom."-Ps. 3: 10.
This lesson has for its subject solo
mons Wise Choice" and Is found In
Kings 3: 5-15.
Adonijah's rebellion ended abruptly,
and Adonijah besought Solomon for his
life. A conditional pardon was granted
to him, and Solomon was established on
the throne, having received the maj
charge Of the aged. David. That charge
included commands to kill Joab and
Shimei for their past misdeeds. Tnus
David handed down to his son feuds which
he had been either too cunning or 700
cowardly to terminate. The passage !.
Kings, 2: 1916, relates how solomon
carried out this injunction Of David. Inc
execution or murder Of Adonijah, JoaD
and Shimei there related probably did
not occur until after the dream whlcn
forms the subject of this lesson. The
dream Is also to be placed before Solo
mons marriage to the Egyptian princess
mentioned In I. Kings, 3: 1. 1t belongs
Immediately after his accession to the
throne; the great sacrifice at Gideon
q: ~ was probably the celebration that
followed the coronation, or whatever cer-
emony followed the death of David.
Suggestions for Study. as-
See the parallel passage in ii. Chres-s
1;7-12.
Compare with similar crises In the
lives of other young men-times OF choos-.
ing the main purpose of life; such men AZ
Joseph, Moses, Samuel. David, Christ;
and many in secular history down to our
day.
The Oriental's belief in the Importance
of dreams and their divine origin. 1t does
not seem absolutely necessary to attribute
any miraculous character to the dreams
| recorded in the Old Testament. If we
believe that God reveals himself to the
consciousness of men normally and reg
ularly, there is nothing extraordinary in
the additional fact of this revelation COM
| ing during sleep. 1t would be impossible
to prove that this does not happen to-day;
there is much evidence to show that 1t
does.
l. Explanatory.
| "In Gideon:' the most sacred place in
the land; therefore Solomon had gone
there to celebrate his accession and offer
sacrifices to Jehovah. 1t was one of the
"high places" where the people worshiped,
because there was no temple @: p 1.-THE
Lord appeared to Solomon ina dream:"as
he had appeared to Abram Gen. 10: u,
and others.-"Ask what / shall give
thee" this is part of the setting of the
dream; it would be rash to interpret it as
meaning that the Lord actually offered to
give Solomon whatever he asked for.
That would be rather too much like the
| foll tai IS fha xvieh
like. We are rather to understand that
the Lords purpose was to discover to
Solomon himself the critical nature of his
decision; to draw out Solomon's better
self and thus induce him to begin his
reign wisely. The words ask what l
shall give thee do not imply that the
Lord would give il Solomon chose I'M
wisely.
'Thou hast showed unto thy servant
David, my father. great mercy" a wise
young man this-to remember the kind
ness of the Lord to his father. Not every
youth of 10 or 20 raised to high position
| thinks about the past mercies of God as
a basis of hope as well as duty for the
future.
IL am but little child: know not how
to go out or come in" perhaps instead of
"a little child we would better under
stand "a stripping" "a lad" literally, a
small or weak young man.-'"To go out
or come i'm that is, how to discharge the
ordinary duties Of life.
.Thy people which thou hast chosen;"
an additional element of responsibility;
TO lead chosen people one must neces-
sarily be endowed with unusual discrim-
nation and ability.
IAN understanding henrt:" literally, a
hearing heart; heart open to all good
counsel, divine or human.
"The speech pleased the Lord" evil
IDENTIFY comment of the writer. Even II
the passage relates an actual occurrence
which was told by Solomon afterwards
to his courtiers and thus passed into his
tory. he would not have known that the
Lord was pleased except as indicated by
the following promise.
"Hast not asked for myself long life,
neither :. riches nor 80. the life
of thine enemies:" the three things which
Solomon might have been expected to
choose The third he had good reason to
desire, If the example of his father David
had any effect en- him.
"That which thou hast not asked:" this
is always Gods way; he gives royalty
"There shall not be any among the kings
like unto thee:" in respect of riches and
honor. In wealth as well as in wisdom he
is to be first.
eff thou whist walk in my ways" Solo
man failed to comply with this condition,
and hence the promise was not fulfilled.
Solomon awoke:" what feelings must
have filed his mind as he thought of the
future that had just been revealed to
him. He went Immediately to return
public thanks to God-another mark OF
wisdom. u.
Teaching Hints.
Solomon showed the true spirit of one
who needs divine aid. He was humble,
conscious Of his own weakness, confident
of Gods ability and willingness to help.
He knew what he wanted: "A hearing
heart" The lack of such heart often
ruins lives that began under the most
hopeful conditions. 1t cannot be said,
however. that Solomon showed this dis
position throughout his life. 1t is all very
we'll to pray for the right things; not SO
we'll IL we neglect them when they are
bestowed upon us.
The divine willingness to grant good
gifts to them that ask for them. The
Lord give Solomon riches and honor as
well as wisdom. 1t does not follow that q
, similar result will always be observed
The boy who gives his plaything or his
niece of pie to n sick comrade gets a
better plaything or a bigger piece of pie
In n certain sort of "Sunday school book;
not in life. The man who prays for spir-
itual blessings when he Is In trouble of q
practical sort sometimes receives relief
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