Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-09-29

Men create titles, offices, hcnors and
distinctions. but God makes a man
greater than all these. There have been
big kings who also bulked large in
manhood. but the inightiest men in his
tory We're not born 10 the purple.
Washington and Lincoln. to cite names
from the brief record of America, were
mighty in manhood before ever office
beckoned to them, and proved them the
foremost characters of their day.
In the space OF 100 years, which is
covered by the months series of Sun
day school lessons which is reviewed
today, the largest figure is that of a
rough, hairy man of the wilderness.
poverty stricken, unconventional, UNI
lettcred and unafraid. There is real
significance in the fact that six of the
eleven historical lessons dealt chiefly
with this one man. while the five other
lessons comprehend the reigns of Il
dozen kings. When the time came for
the tallest of the lot. Ahab. TO stand up
and be measured alongside of Elijah, it
was found that ever his crown did not
bring him up to the prophets level.
IN OLDEN TIMES AND NEW.
This old record of flesh and blood peo-
pie proves that "A man s a man for IA
that Whether he be preacher, king
soldier. a~ristocrat or peasant, it is sheer
manhood which counts in h ultimate
testing. In his experiment with the He
sbrcW nation Jehovah was constantly
proving men. TO see if they could play
the man in high and hard places, and
be fit for his lofty designs. 1t is sad
10 record hat he found more unfit han
lit, AS these lessons have shown. Then,
as now. men fit for the most exalted
tasks We're not common.
A great conflict was raging among
the Jew of this day between Jehovah
, ,1 -, .-,. -,,l %.
prevailed in surrounding nations. King
Solomon. with his heather wives. hao
prepared the a for this national de-
clension. His Anticipated son. Reho-
boam. was no man to stem currents.
Jeroboam, the ~latter's rival. and tho
first king of the northern division of
tine nation. encouraged idolatry from
motives and politics. These We're the
days Of the divine rights of kings.
throne made sorry havoc with the
peoples religion. So the contest be-
tween heathenism and the worship of
Jehovah ragged with the human odds
in favor of the former.
KINGS OF VARIOUS SORTS.
The list of kings who have figured
largely in the Sunday school lessons
of the past three months make a
rather motley assortment. There We're
SOCu anu Udu dIlOlS tftIil, Dul tIlc
good were rather lonesome.
First of all came Solomon's son,
Rehoboam, the fop by whose folly the
kingdom was divided He was vain
and easily battered and lent a ready
ear to the advice of his young fellow
rakes. while discarding the counsel of
the aged. Despite popular mutterings
he threatened his subjects with even
heavier burdens than they had borne
in Solomcn's time. He was deaf to the
voice of the people. which is a funda-
menta! blunder in any leader. So the
large portion of his kingdom rebelled.
That brought Jeroboam to the fore.
a self-made man. whose popularity had
aroused the jealousy of the great
Sclrnon. and caused him to be eXiled.
Jeroboam was a nan of the people and
Il .man of God-until he got into office.
After he had been called to the throne
he became a politician. He was no
longer content to fall in with Gods
plans. He must run everything him
self. So. to prevent the eviva of old
memories by the whit of his people to
tho temple at Jerusalem, he set up
golden calves as symbols of worship.
Besides this he p%rofaned the priesthood
and by n course of disobecient con-
duct won for himself the %unenviable
title of the king who made Israel TO
sim"
The blood of Solomon, Rehoboam and
Abijah flowed i'm the veins of young
Asa-to go back to the southern king
dom. pursuant to the international les
sons-and heredity turned him toward
evil ways. But so also did the blood
Of David and of Jesse course through
his veins; n the sovereign will of his
W personality dwelt in his breast. so
he started the degenerate nation up hill
again. He feared the Lord and built
and prospered. A constructicnist and
a Cody man. he was a blessing to his
time.
SO was his son after him, Jehosophat,
despite some weddings, when policy
got the upper hand of righteousness.
But Jehosaphat meant well, md really
worked great reforms. The good that
was III him shone the brighter through
out his long reigi. by contrast with the
corrupt rulers to the north of him.
OF these there were so many that
the lessons did not attempt to follow
them in detail. Three dynasties sat on
the throne within the period studied,
All We're bad. AS time went on they
grew worse and worse, eliminating in
the reigns of Omri ard Ahab. father
and son. who even exceeded Jeroboam
in the harm they wrought to Israel's
morals. They were pronounced per-
sonalities. but his only made their
wickedness worse. They built up the
kingdoms temporarily, but tore 1t down
spiritually.
THE ONE WOMAN.
The wife of Ahab was the biggest man
of her day, except Elijah, and the worst.
She ruled the king. and always for evil.
God help the man. whatsoever he may be,
who is in the clutches of an evil woman.
For it is one of the facts of life most UNI
palatable to swallow that all women are
not as our mothers, and that the world
has its Jezebels as we'll as its Marys-
though the latter are representative OF
their sex as a whole. A mere man could
not a pushed Isreal to the excuses OF
idolatry achieved by this heather queen
She was. as an evil woman everywhere
is, a blight and a scourge, alternating the
hearts of men from ideals of truth and
duty.
The power of a bad woman is the mos
malignant thing this side of the pit. Ever
Elijah, the hero of Mt. Carmel, fed from
this vengeful woman, who seemed to hold
the kingdom, as we'll as the king, undel
her sway.
A GOOD MAN IN A BAD PLACE.
One of the men who feared and served
her figures IN the lessons-Obadiah, head
CT the kings household. He is a type OF
the man of good intentions minus courage
Like the other monk. Martin, who at tn,
time of Luther. came to the same con
illusions as the reformer, but instead O,