Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-20
GOLDEN TExrs "Rightsousness
szaitsth . nation; but sin 10 . re-
proach to any psOpls."-CProv. 1880

or peoples, the least unclVlllzeu, LneTe -
found that same touch of nature, the i'm
print of Gods image, that makes the
whole world kin. Nor can any man be
content with anything less than God
Himself, any more than the fish out OF
his natural element. water.
1t is equally true that legislation can
not make a nation righteous. Religion
is a matter of the Individual heart. Law
can only restrain. liberty must inspire
to holiness of living. No law or. set
of laws can make nation righteous;
the individual hearts must be brought
into the freedom of Christ, and then
there will be no necessity for law.
Perhaps Omri's greatest achievement
was the establishment of the city of
samaria. Tirzah, the capital until now.
had been destroyed by zimari, so it was
necessary to build another palace. He
went a little further south to a high
hill just outside the city Of Shechem
and bought it from Shemer, a large
landowner, paying $4,000 for it. 1t was
a splendid location: upon its summit he
built the palace, with the town on its
slopes, and all surrounded by a wall at
fits base. Henceforth 1t became the cap
ital of the northern kingdom.
What pity that man of such ability
did not exert 1t in the right direction!
What direction are you giving to your
energy, my brother? Is it toward the
upbuilding of the kingdom of God in the
lives of your fellowmen?
A STEP LOWER.
Omri was succeeded by his better
known son. Ahab's prominence, how
ever, was not such as to cause pride in
any heart. 1t was because of his con-
ficts with a holy man Of God that he
comes to be go well known, coupled
NTH cir of
which he led his people.
Omri had decided that an alliance with
the King of Tyre would strengthen his
Kingdom. He needed an outlet by the
sea on the west. and also a source
from which to secure grain and provi-
sions Syria on the north had cut OF
his communication with Assyria and the
east. Asa had control of the roads from
Egypt and the south; his country was
mountainous and needed additional
source of supplies. On the other hand the
King of Tyre was very glad to secure
so strong an ally against his enemy,
Burhadad of Syria. The alliance was eff
fected through the marriage of Omris
son. -Ahab, to Eth-baal's daughter, Jeze-
bel. 1t was a fatal step. The marriage
of a believer to a heather always Is.
The unbeheving wife has ruined the
hopes and prospects of many a young
Christian man; and the unbelieving hus-
band has marred much more often the
pure developing life{of a believing wife.
This particular marriage was most un-
fortunate for Israel. Ahab had a good
deal of ability and courage in some
things, but Jezebel was so much more
forceful that when she tok stand he
knuckled to it. Her father was not only
king of Tyre, but also priest of Baal.
She thoroughly hated the worship of
Jehovah, even though 1t was by means
of images and In groves. She set about
with determination to wipe it out of ex-
istence, If possible. and the record of
her cruelties is bloodred.
She had Ahab erect a temple to Baal
in Samaria, and some conception may
be had of the magnitude of the temple
and it's worship when 1t is known that
$50 priests were employed in its services.
At Jezreel. their summer home, she had
another temple erected to Astarte, or
Asherah. the Eastern Venus, and 40C
priests served here. Through these
places and her influence with the king,
the people were led into the grossest sin
under the guise of religion. Baal was
the sun god, and Astarte the moon god
They were worshipped as the gods OF
life and productiveness and the most
shameful, the most degrading practices
which destroyed the home, the indiYidu-
al. and the nation. were made the most
prominent part of the worship at these
temples.
Ahab was worse than all who had pre-
ceded him. Jereboam had made the
images; Amri had made it compulsory to
worship God through them at Dan and
Bethel but Ahab exceeded them all In
sleeping Israel in all the vileness OF
idolatry and heathenism
The time had come when God must
protest; He must have a witness among
these people who were still His, ever
though they had rebeIled against and
forgotten Him. So with startling sud.
denness Elijah appears announcing q
three-years' famine. For several weeks
we shall study this interesting man. Lei
us remember this background of his
work-the weak Ahab, the wicked Jeze-
bel. the people OF Israel weaned away
from God and stepped in grossest sin.
on! the deceitfulness of sin! All II
needs is little crack to enter. Fill
your heart so full of Gods love in
Christ, my brother, that there shall be
no place for sin to enter.
The wheat crop of the southern states
this year was S6,2OS.OO0 bushels, an in
crease of 42 ner eent over last wear