The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-09

Among the pleasant neldS OF Holy Writ,
I might despair. -Tennyson.
Third Quarter. Lesson III. 1 Kings Iii.
1888. July 10, 1904,
JerObOam's Idolatry.
The genesis of a new empire is al
ways fascinating. but a special interest
attaches to the rise of the kingdom Of
Israel. The cleavage between Ephraim
and Judah seemed inevitable. 1t was
postponed by the craftsmanship of Da-
vid, but 1t began under the abuses Of
Solomon. and vas precipitated by the
insolent incompetence of Rehoboam. In
point of territory the new kingdom in
cluded the ten tribes with the tribu-
tary portions of Moab, Syria. and An
mon. The population is believed to
have been not far from three and one
half million. The country was marked
for fertility and studded with places
sacred in Hebrew annals. Itswas more
exposed than Judah. but survived for
three centuries. finally falling under
the Assyrian invasion.
The first king of the new nation.
Jeroboam. was a man of brilliant &C.
MUS. His speciality was military arch
itecture. Solomon discovered his mark
ed ability and employed him in the for
tification of Jerusalem. so that he came
to be known as the man who inclosed
the city of David, Solomon afterward
feared him as rival and caused his
exile to Egypt, where the reigning
Pharoah probably used his talents in
the same way and regretfully allowed
him to return to his native land. Over
against the dreary Incompetence of
Rehoboam. the practical and forceful
spirit of Jeroboam appears to the best
advantage. The moment he took up
the scepter he began the fertilization of
the key cities of Shechem Terzah and
Penuel, well earning the title of fort
ress builder of Israel"
A pathetic incident shows the human
side of this rugged warrior, and links
these scenes of dim antiquity with
the experiences of today. 1t is the
story of the sick child and the mothers
hasty visit to the blind prophet his
narrowing answer and the child's death
as the mother puts her foot on the
threshold.
There is a dash of color, too. in the
incident which records the prophet Ahi-
iah as lying in wait for Jeroboam while
he was still in the employ of Solomon
The seer pulls him aside from the
black-paved road running out of Jeru-
salem. They stand alone in a sheltered
spot. Without word the prophet
pulls off his own new robe and tears it
into twelve strips, keeping two and CIV
ing ten to Jeroboam. BY this speaking
sign he knows he is to have ten tribes
for his kingdom.
Bat the most significant incident is
that which describes the means which
Jeroboam took to ALLEVIATE his subjects
pc rmanently from Jerusalem. Human
ly speaking 1t was imperative that he
should take steps to preserve the au-
tonomy of the new kingdom. The
thing most threatening n this yyoq 20
rule of the Hebrew religion which re-
quired the presence of every male three
times a year in the temple. 1t was
evident that If the new Kingdoms were
TO be kept separate politically. they
must first be separated religiously. No
one can dispute the cleverness of Jer-
oboam's device. He set up symbols of
religion at the most sacred shrines
within his own territory which hap
poned also to be most conveniently To-
Gated. He excused his subjects from