Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-05-10
DEPOSITS FROM stoo UP TAKEN.


return to their former allegiance. We.
must, therefore, have our own centres
OF worship; and where better than at
Dan in the north and Bethel in the
south, both consecrated by sacred asso-
cations. AS we cannot have the ark of
the covenant, we must devise some
other visible symbols of the presence
OF GOu. AHu Wnar DeIrer r1an Two!
golden calves, with faces like those|
of the mystical figures over the ark?';
The shrines were dedicated accord
ingly and the royal proclamation went
forth, "These be your gods, 0. Israel!'i
From the standpoint of mere state-
craft this may have been ''good poll
icy;;" but it was bad religion. Any
form Of idOlatry is offensive to God!
It is not necessary to set up a golden
calf. We may make an idol out Of
wealth or pleasure or honor. We mayl
frame an idol out of our imagination.
All gods are false, except the One who!
has revealed Himself in His word asi
the true God. And anything is an idol
which is served or hOnOred more than
we serve or honor Him.
The second sin of Jeroboam was
against himself. He was warned
twice, but refused to heed it. On one!
occasion, as he stood beside the altar
presuming to burn incense there. AM
unknown and unnamed prophet stood
beside him crying, 20 altar, altar! thus
saith the Lord: A child shall be born!
who shall destroy the priests Of the
high places and burn mems bones upon
theew And when Jeroboam stretched
forth his hand and cried, "Lay hold
upon himv' his hand was palsied, so
that he must needs entreat the Lord
to restore it.
On another occasion his son, the heir
apparent, being desperately ill, the
king, knowing the futility Of praying
to the golden calves, sent his wife in
disguise to the prophet at Shiloh. AS
she approached the prophets door he
cried, ''Come in, thou wife of Jero.
boam! Why feignest thou thyself to
be another? I have heavy tidings for
thee. Go tell Jeroboam, Thou hast
done evil; therefore, I will bring evil
upon thy house, for the Lord hath
spoken it!'
All warnings were lost upon this
! man. God did the best He could fol
/, for him, IS He does for every inveter
| ate sinner. He warns. promises. en-
treats in vain: He sends blessings IN
! Vulnerable, then chastisements. sorrow
| adversely to no purpose. Like Jero'
| boam. being welded to his sins. they
'run upon the bosses Of the shield OF
| Cod"
The third sin Of this man was against
the people. His influence was like the
upas tree: and they sat under 1t. HI
"made Israel to SIM He issued 8
proclamation requiring them to bow
at the idolatrous shrines; and during
all the subsequent history Of the tel
tribes his baneful shadow was ovel
them. They had fourteen kings. before
they were led away into exile, ant
there was not a godly man anon.
! them. One after another they tool
their places in the p1llory beside him
being characterized on this wise, "Whe
followed in the steps Of Jeroboam, the
| son of Nebat who made Israel to SIM
/ But why do we have the record OF
these sins? Would it not have beer
kinder to pass over them in silence
| In the Assembly Hall of the Military
| Academy at West Point you may SCI
the portraits of the various captain
who have commanded there. One place
however. is left blank; it is the plac'
that should have been occupied by Ben
edict Arnold, the traiter. The pictur
of Jeroboam might in like manner hav
been turned to the wall, but for tn
| fact that the reiteration of his sin cal
ries a great lesson with 1t. namely. tn
perpetuity of influence. mo man liv
eth unto himself and no man dieth unit
himself" There are three kinds of in
fiuence which every man exerts; an
we may wisely consider them.
The first is voluntary. The sins q
Jeroboam were not inadvertant; b
) meant to have the people worship tn
i. golden calves. He did wrong delibe1
ately. There are others who do iik'
wise; thieves, rum sellers. dive keel
ers. mana gers Of Sunday theatres. pul
; veyors Of unclean literature and al
thors of infidel books: these do ev
with malice aforethought. Not conte1
; with running themselves. they plan
ruin others. To all such the word {
,, the Master applies: .It must needs (
!, that offenses come; but woe to tn:
!. man by whom the offense cometh,
..,or<, l,o++o,. for him that nlillStOI