The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-25

General Summary of His Life
First. The Benefits He Conferred ON Hjs
Nation.-l. He raised Israel, for time.
to the highest OF its national aspira-
lions and showed the possibility of
splendor and authority to which IL
might attain.-Farrar.
He stirred the intellectual life of the
people in new directions. He awak-
ened among them a strong desire for
deeper wisdom and higher art, which,
during the stormier ages which fol-
lowed, never wholly died away, and in
some directions constantly developed
itself with more and more power and
beauty.
He enshrined their worship in a
worthy and permanent temple, by
which he influenced their religious life
down TO its latest days. This temple
was idealized, together with the city,
into type of the Spiritual Temple and
the New Jerusalem, the city of God
which came down from Heaven. 1t
was 10 them a perpetual reminder and
visible symbol of Gods presence and
protection. strong bulwark of all the
sacred traditions of their laws, a wit
ness to duty, an impulse to historic
study, an inspiration Of sacred song.
He organized the services of the Le-
vites and placed their position on Sc
cure basis.
He quickened their sense of national
position, while at the same time He rem
dered them less narrow in their sympa-
thies. He left them richer in the pos
session of a well-fortified city and he
protected their land by towers and fort
resses.-Farrar.
Second. The Evils He Wrought.-He
FOUND people free, he left them en-
shaved lin degree; he found them
unburdened, he left them oppressed;
he found them simple, he left them lux
urious; he found them inclined to be
faithful to one God, be left them indif-
ferent to the denominations of the heath
en- which they saw practiced under the
very shadow of his palace and his
shrine.-Farrar. He was like Nebu-
chadnezzar's image-partly of gold and
partly of clay.
Solomon lost for his posterity) the
kingdom of the ten tribes. and perpet-
uated strife, weakness, debasement ard
superstition, by preferring the attract
i've splendors of this world to that God
illness which would in the end have been
rewarded even in the present life.-F
w. Newman.
Some Lessons from Solomon's Life
IL is never safe to relax our vigilance or
think we have reached the place where
we cannot fall. Age has its own temp
'ations and dangers as we'll as youth.
Genius and knowledge alone are not
safeguards against sin.
The way of transgressors is very
lard, not only on account of the pun
shrnent at the end, but because so
many barriers must be broken down
md restraining influences must be
overcome in order to go on In sn-the
owe of God, the conscience and moral
nature, the Word of God, the Holy Spir-
:, the sacrifice of Christ, the sense OF
'onor. Gods goodness. early training,
he influences of religion.
There Is great danger of letting
worldly things come between us and
'od.
illustration: The moon, in an eclipse,
TO the sun: "Why, O my
earest friend, doth thou not shine up
n me ms usual?" do ! not?" said the
un. IL am sure I am shining as al
'ays do. Why do you not enjoy my
ght as usual?" "Oh. see," said the
loon; "the earth has got between u.s."
HIS Is the trouble with every back
ider. "
The Golden Text, Ecclesiastes 1919,
inns up the conclusion of the whole
latter: Fear God and keep His COM
for this is the whole duty
man." This is all his duty. This il
art Of life. and God will take care Of
lie rest Tie that has true religious
fe within and in his daily conduct has
] the essentials of life. He has found
hat shnllprofita mantle way to true
lppiness.