The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-22

refuse to take a good, liberal price for It,
Naboth declared as his objection that the
Lords regulations forbade that he should
sell his family Inheritance. Apparently
1t was hopeless case and Ahab, solemn
and sour lay abed, refusing food.
Covetousness In Action
Then entered Jezebel the Queen, inquir-
ing the cause Of his sorrow. Hearing it
she answered, will give 1t to YOU Forth
with she wrote letters to the chief men Of
the city, signing the letters with her hus-
bands seal. With brutal frankness the
letters told the select men OF the city
what was desired Of them
o. They were to make a mockery of re-
ligion by keeping a fast.
C) They were to act hypocritically to
their neighbor Naboth by giving him the
most prominent place Of honor at the fast.
G) They were to provide two worthless
scamps presumably by bribery who, at
the appropriate time In the fast would
take their places near Naboth and then,
with feigned religious fervor, protest
against him and denounce him as a bias
phemer Of God and the King, corroborat-
Ing each other with sworn testimony that
they had heard the blasphemy with their
own ears.
"a The penalty of blasphemy was rec
ognized to be that Of stoning and the de-
cree was to be carried out and Naboth
thus to be gotten rid Of
II we are inclined to feel or speak
strongly Of the wicked course of Jezebel,
as we should, let us not forget that some
what similar practices prevail in our day.
True. no one today could be stoned to
death at the suggestion Of a Queen in
civilized lands. Nevertheless. people have
been heard to express the wish that they
mad lived In former times. so as TO have
had an opportunity for stoning those
whom they disliked. But take a case In
point: Suppose a man conducting q sue
cessful business. Suppose covetous neigh
bors set up competing business, as they
would have full right to do. But sup
pose. then. that one or the other, coveting
the whole trade, were to attempt sharp
practises In business. selling commodities
at below cost, interfering with the others
credit at the bank, or slandering the 9TH
er, would not this be covetousness in ac-
tion-covetousness Of the same kind which
King Ahab entertained? And would II
not be reprehensibie in Gods sight? And
dare any who respect the Lord. so thor
oughly neglect the Golden Rule Of his
Word?
Another illustrations: A StOrekeeper do
Ing g. good business was offered a certain
commodity at less price than he had
been paying under three-years' conlrac CT
He accepted. The party who hHS been
seIilng him this commodity In the past
was angry. covetous Of the trade. He set
up competing business and sold goods
at loss, as he could afford to do. being
wealthy. until the first storekeeper failed
for lack Of business. Then the new store
was closed down. because it had effected
Its work as a business assassin. 1t had
killed Naboth. Indeed. covetousness and
Jezebel methods. adapted to present-day
conditions. prevail much more generally
than the majority Of people suppose and
chiefly amongst the very rich, who have
enough and to spare. but who covet their
neighbors' stocks and bonds, gold and sill
yer, etc If God denounced Ahab as hav-
Ing sold himself to iniquity, what would
the Lords verdict be on some Of the Gus
toms of our day. which has so much
greater degree OF light and knowledge
than Ahab possessed?
That Woman Jezebel"