The L'Anse sentinel., 1908-02-22

Time md again he had sought audi.
ence with the king and had spoken
against the growing idolatry. but the
king had put the matter away a. Of
light concern, saying that 1t was but
natural that these princesses should
wish to serve the gods whom they had
known and served in their own
lands.i g
But" Ahijah had urged, "these
idolatrous practices will not long be
confined to these foreign princesses.
the wives of my lord the king, for the
people. beholding. will be drawn into
similar practices"
But the king only laughed at the
prophets fears, declaring that he and
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 princesses 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.
been honored. There were high places
and beautiful groves to Ashtoreth, to
Milcom, to Chemosh, to the terrible
Moloch, and to all the other gods, 80
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
impelled one day to go forth and visit
those high places. The one In par.
ticular toward which he directed his
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 1t be possible!" he ex-
claimed, that Solomon has 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, 1t 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. I will see him at once" And
turning around hastily Ahijah re-
traced his steps to the city, and went
direct to the palace. AS ho. drew
near to the great gateway 1t swung
open and the king himself appeared
surrounded by 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 1t 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. II will
follow and see whittier the company
Is journeying. Perchance I will find
an opportunity to speak with the
king"
And so Ahijah followed, but as the
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.
mot 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 1t started to
| ascend the hill on the opposite side
and draw near the place Of festiyity
| where the ceremonies were to be held
in honor of the god Of Chemosh, Ahi-
/ jah, no longer in doubt now as to
the intended destiny Of the king, has
tened by side-path to the center Of
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 filled the soft Afternoon
air. So enrapt were they with their
dance and song, and 30 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 astonishment and fear, in
which all the others joined as their
attention was drawn to the motionless
figure standing there. For one brief
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 the
company fell back. Then the voice of
the prophet broke the stiffness, with
measured word, clear and stern:
Thus saith the Lord, 'Forasmuch as
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