Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-11-10
. W0MAN'S PLOT FOiLED

~ ~ sWSNuV kOl Il
This might almost be a story from
modern China or Turkey. but it is
really a page from the history of the
ancient kingdom of Judah. The trick
OF numbering all possible aspisants to
Il throne is not singula; to the s%ultans;
and there have been other cruel. mnlip-
nant n desretic women usurpers
than the dowaser empress of China.
The resemblance between the latter
and Queen Athaliah, however, is so
marked as to be of interest.
The situation in Judah was this:
Good King Jehoshaphat had II foolish
son, Jehoram, who made what the So
ciety papers would call IA brilliant
match marrying the daughter of the
princess and lsraelite queen. This
daughter was true to the blood of her
infamous mother. md Athaliah proved
to be n second Jezebel. She was
shrewd, rtrongwilled and d determined
partisan of the heather god, Baal. 1t
Is universally true that a wicked, force
full woman is as powerful an angel of
darkness as the hosts of light have nae
to contend with; and so it proved in
this case.
When Athaliah's son, Ahaziah,
reigned, he was merely the puppet of
his mothers will. Upon his sudden
death. after a brief reign, she conceived
the purpose to be queen In name, as
well as In fact. so the slew all OF the
possible heirs apparent TO the throne.
All except one; the infant Joash, son
OF King Ahaziah, was spirited away by
his aunt. the wife of Jehoida. the high
priest OF Jehovah. Cared for by "A faith
full nurse, he was kept in hiding for six
years, n then proclaimed king, thus
fCilSnr Atholinhsu ,10f and cac1rtnr tn
kingly succession to David's line.
A MARRIAGE AND SOME coNsE.
QuENcEs.
This story has a bearing upon the big
question OF marriage n divorce which
has been steadily forced upon the at
tention OF the public during recent
months. Most of the bloody crimes
and dreadful SHINING of this period. in
both Israel and Judah were due to I'M
wise marriages, in which the relation
had been entered into at the bidding
of ambition and self interest. rather
than of sincere and noble affection.
Ahab married Jezebel, and Jehoram
married her daughter Athaliah. The
weddings were great social occasions,
but they were national disasters.
IdOlatry, oppression, war, murder and
unspeakable misery were direct results
OF these alliances. The wise Sunday
school teacher will not neglect this OPP
portunity to speak frank. sensible
words to his class of young men or
young women, concerning the marriage
relation.
ONE WoMAN's POWER.
Athaliah was n strong character; an
evil person who Is of Il forceful nature
Is dOubly dangerous. The boy and girl
with traits OF leadership and natural
ability should be the special object
of the solicitude of parents, teachers
and friends, that they may be led into
right ways, n thus become leaders
of others. The world owe much to
Lord S~haftesbury's old Scotch nurse,
countless other unknown persons who
countless other unknown persons, who
that influenced humanity.
In her unrestrained w~ickedness and
a vaulting ambition that would rather
reign in hell than serve In heaven"
Athaliah conceived the daring idea of
sweeping from her path all opposition.
Little did she reckon the forces against
which h thus arrayed herself. The
selfish person is always at odds with
the universe. The deepest feelings of
the Hebrew people were violated by
this foreign usurpcr, for she aimed to
exterminate the household of David,
their first and dearest king, and the
man of prophecy. Furthermore, she
set herself against the religion of Je-
hovah, which still had hosts of adher-
ents in Judah. The national and the
religious spirit were thus both antag-
Onized.
WOMAN AGAINST WOMAN.
The first agent in thwarting the cruel
queens designs. 1t is interesting to note.
was another woman, Jehosheba, the
daughter of Athaliah's own husband.
1t was woman's cunning matched
against woman's cruelty. The younger
woman was working OH the side of Je-
hOvah, and SO she won. Her immediate
ally was her husband, Jehoida. the high
priest. Together they rescued the in
a n Joash. ut the time of the slaughter
of the innocents. and concealed him in
q temple chamber where the bedding
was stored. A faithful nurse was a
party to III scene; and as Queen Ath-
allah and her cOurtier never went near
the temple Of the Lord, 1t was COM
paratively easy to preserve the secret.
The situation was Il dramatic one.
The queen on her throne thought that
h was c without opposition or
rivel. Yet all the while the baby prince
lived in cOncealmept. He was only an
lnfant-a tiny little bit OF humanity,
whose candle OF life could 30 easily
snuffed Out. yet In his frail person CEN
hlment of the prophecy OF God. Only
a baby: but enough. for he was one
with Gods purpose. which is ~irresis-
table.
THE PEOPLE AND A MAN.
All Judah seethed with mutterings
Of discomfort. The deepest passion Of
the people. their religion. had been In
suited. They were rebellious al heart,
and yet hopeless. They saw no light:
submission seemed the only thing DOS.
etble. To their discouraged and un.
believing hearts, Gods caust had sur
Tered q vital blow In the destruction
Of all b descendants Of King David.
Oh blind eyes! They had not the vis-
ion OF faith which see the chariotry Of
God surrounding his own. God IL new.
or LETT desolate. It II not the cause OF
thu Lord that 10 alling. but our human
vision. when we seem to see only q
ehopeleee outlook for the church.
The people muttered and mourned
and suffered, when they ought to have
acted. Their lack Of faith was larRely
lac ct courage. Most of the condi.
tons beneath which 4men repine s. life
need but = stout heart and I prounnt
action to traneform them. 0pur9eon
ono wrote Of Daniel a. "A youne NM
With = rood Spine which wle truer
than he knew. Il h splue that msnv
sunouynlue sainte need most.
q = caeask Wan JeAoida. IL old
:h1gh priest. Who had the opfna. IA
selohe e4W that tecouoo oon0ltlouo vere
sx0tolefahl4 and tfHy n66nl6 - n1ke~SS