St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-02-29

his people knew that there was but
one God and he the God Of the peo-.
pie Of Israel, and that the worship OF
strange gods by the princess would
not make any difference with the peo-
pie of Israel
Thus time had gone on, and one by
one the high places had increased,
until now all the strange gods had
been honored. There were high places
and beautiful groves to Ashtoreth, tc
| Milcom, to Chemosh, to the terrible
Moloch, and to all the other gods, so
that Jerusalem and the surrounding
country was dotted with these places.
Ahijah watched all this with in
creasing concern and heart-ache.
What more could he say than he had
said? What more could he do to
check the idolatrous tendency of the
people?
Filled with these thoughts he felt
fn1pelled one day to go forth and visit
those high places The one in par
tfcnlar toward which he directed hia
footsteps was that erected to the god
Chemosh, the abomination of the peo
pie of Moab. It had been built on the
hill opposite to Jerusalem and in plain
view Of the temple which years before
Solomon had taken such delight in
building to his God.
"Oh, can it be possib1e!" he ex-
claimed, that Solomon las thus
dared to defy and dishonor his God?
Has he no regard for the God who
made him what he is and hath given
him all the great prosperity which
hath marked his reign? No, it cannot
| be that Solomon knows of this latest
| iniquity., 1t must be that some one OF
the women more presuming than the
others has caused this work to be
wrought without the knowledge Of the
king / will see him at once" And
turning around hastily Ahijah re-
| traced his steps to the city, and went
direct to the palace. AS he drew
near to the great gateway it swung
open and the king himself appeared
surrounded by a brilliant company of
people, in the midst of whom he
noted some of the royal women.
They turned as they came out of the
gate and took the road leading towards
the temple.
Were it not for the presence of
| the women should think that Solo
mon were going to worship" Ahijah
muttered to himself as he drew into
the shadow of the high wall. 4 will
1 oil NH ~
is journeying. Pefchance l will find
an opportunity to speak with the
king"
And SO Ahijah followed, but as tho
| procession drew near to the temple 1t
took the road which turned to the left
and went towards the gate that led
down into the valley and towards the
hill opposite.
Not going to the temple, that is
certain" muttered Ahijah, as he
turned and followed.
Out through the gate of the city pro,
ceeded the procession, and on down
into the valley. When it started to
ascend the hill on the opposite side
and draw near the place of festivity
where the ceremonies were TO be held
in honor of the god of Chemosh, Ali
JAN, no longer in doubt now as to
the intended destiny of the king, has
tened by side-path to the center oil
the beautiful grove, and ascending the
high place on which the offerings were
made to the heather god he drew
his mantle about him, shrouding his
face in its depths. and waited.
First came the dancing maidens, the
/ little silver bells with which they were
adorned mingling their music with the
voices which filed the soft afternoon
air. So enrapt were they with their
dance and song, and so fascinated was
the royal company with the gay sight
that none at first noticed the silent
dark form standing before the great
image.
Then one of the fair maidens, lifting
her eyes, saw the prophet and gave
a cry of establishment and fear, in
which all the others joined as theil
attention was drawn to the motionless
figure standing there. For one briei
moment they stood and then fed like
| frightened birds fleeing before the
hawk
During the silence which followed
King Solomon, by some invisible pow
er which he seemed unable to re
sist, drew near while the rest of this
company fell back. Then the voice o.
the prophet broke the stiffness, with
measured word, clear and stern:
Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch a:
this is done of thee, oh, King Solomon
and thou hast not kept thy covenant
and my statutes, which I have com
manded thee, will surely rend tn,
kingdom from thee. and will give it tt
thy servant. Notwithstanding in tn!
days I will not do it, for David tn,
fathers sake; but will rend 1t out o
the hand of thy son. /"
Immoyable as stone Solomon stood
hearing, seeing, knowing nothing saw,
that God by his servant, the prophe
Ahiiah. had spoken an awful word O
Judgment upon him and his house. AM
while he thus stood the prophet passes
down the hill and disappeared in tn,
distance.
HE is gomez" at last questioningl,
spoke the king, looking up to tn,
place where the. prophet had stood
"But his words shall abide" he nut
tered with awesome voice as he, toe
turned and retraced his steps to tn,
palace.
Why Korean Churches Grow.