The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-24
SCHOOL LESSON.
Third Quarter. Lesson xiii.
 September 25, 1904. REVIEW.

II
 Third Quarter. Lesson xiii.
 | september 25, 1904. l REVIEW.
 l This part of the Bible Is pre-eminent- | ly a cross-section of human life. Fol l this reason, although very old. 1t Is pc | cu.iarly up-tod date, and has an appii- cation to current affairs Not of Elijat l alone, but of each character here In | troduced, St. James might have said He was a man of like nature with us. Strength and weakness both are exem- plified. The whole gamut of human passions is run. The inevitable de
 is faithfully depicted. We are taught
 by example in this instance, and 1t Is proverb, example Is better than precept That Is crude and nasty judgment which relegates these incidents to the category of mere Old Testament story
 and to a far-away land. They show
 human life, its motives, fair and foul it's sufferings and successes and possl
 Utilities. Elijah and Obadiah, Ahab ant
 Jezebel, and the rest are alive today
 and will reappear in every age. They
 are human types, and as such are 'the
 chief study of mankind"
 Rehoboam, the prince of blunderer5 first appears upon the scene. He preci- pilates the division of the Kingdom When called by the national assembly to plight his faith as a constitutional monarch, he took counsel of the giided youths of the empire and gave his sup jects, already on the point or reVolt, a recklessly insolent answer. He threat ened to add to his fathers yoke ana to exchange his whips for scorpions He parted Hebrew history that day into two streams which were never to be reunited. The Upper Kingdom. the king dom of Israel, was composed Of ten tribes. It survived three centuries and l had twice the territory and population l of the Southern Kingdom, and most of | the prophets and historic sites. It end ed in the Assyrian captivity. The King dom of Judah, composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had the temple. | the priesthood. and Isaiah among the prophets. It was interrupted by the Babylonian captivity. but survived until A D. TO- .-st.L.
 Jeroboam, the first King of Israel. was a man of splendid genius. His speciality was military architecture. Over against the dreary incompetence of Rehoboam the practical and force full spirit of Jeroboam appears to best advantage. The moment he took up
 the scepter he began the fortification
 of the key cities. and well earned the
 title of fortress builder of Israel" /"
 But, in spite of noble qualities the key
 to Jeroboam's character Is found in the
 somewhat odious word. policy He
 butressed his throne and perpetuated
 his dynasty by confirming the separa-
 tion of the two Kingdoms. He accom- plished this by separating the nations
 religiously as we'll as politically. He
 set up symbols of religion at the most
 sacred shrines within his own terri
 tory, and excused his subjects from their religious pilgrimages to Jerusa- lem. In the place of the Levites, who had all deserted to Judah, he created new and popular priesthood. As a piece of statecraft this is to be com mended, but If the supernatural ele-
 ments of Hebrew history are admittst then Jeroboam was at fault in throw ing himself dead against the funda- mental principles of the Mosaic law and ritual. ,&E AA
 The idolatry of Israel began in mild
 form. But 1t was a start on down grade. Velocity augmented. A few
 decades and total apostasy was reach ed Such diseases needed heroic treat
 ment Elijah was the Lords physician
 in this instance. Now the accepted
 idea of a prophet Is too mechanical.
 We have been accustomed to imagine
 one called to this office as so possess
 ed by the Divine Spirit that his per
 sonal will and judgment are practical
 ly supplanted. He is moved like an
 automaton. A verse in St. James Epis-
 tie turns a strong light upon the
 prophetic office, and corrects our mis-
 apprehension. Elijah was a man of
 like nature as we are." In and out
 of his special function. he was a per
 fectly normal character Over in Tish-
 be of Gilead he contemplated the dis
 grace and impending ruin of his coun-
 try. His heart was stirred with pa