The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-08-12
The International Sunday senoe
Lesson for Aug. IS. is "jeroeoan
Leads Israel into SIM. Ni7aI
12.25-33.
az WILLIAM 7. ELLIS.


Politics Is NO; only something We
read about In the days newspaper
Il has existed, and quite accordlns
10 type, from the earliest days o.
organized society. Our SUNDAY
school lesson IL about king whc
wa, a politician when he shouI.
have been a statesman. The diffe-'
ence between the two has ben detn
ed as. "A statesman thinks of my
country whereas a politician thinks
of my district A politician is benz
first on pleasing people; a states
man, on serving them A land may
be cursed with politicians. but il can
be only blessed with statesmen.
The former busies himself while in
once with his own reelection and
self-interest.e appropriating govern
mont funds In ways that will serve
himself, even though vast national
interests arc imperilled. A states
man win sacrifice his future for 2
principle. Jerohoam was a shrewd
politician. who purchased popularity
AT q price which has sent his name
ringing down the ages with phrase
OF opprobrium attached to IL. He is
the king -who made Israel TO sin" "
Suppose we first of all TX the place
Of the lesson story. We all know
Jerusalem, Rehoboam's capital.
which 1t the time of the lesson was
the capital only of judah and Benja-
min. When the ten northern tribes
revolted from Solomon's son they
elected Jeroboam. commoner. but
man Of force who had been obliged
TO Zee from Solomon's suspicious
eye to Egypt, where he had fine
training in public affairs. One OF
the northern prophets had predicted
that he would he king Of Israel.
The seceders chose Shechem as
their capital. at the foot OF Mt
Cerixim and lit Ebal. where the
Law had been read. Near Shechem
Was Sychar, where Jesus talked with
the woman at the well. A touch OF
current interests Ii given to the
locality by the fact that here dwell
all who remain Of the ancient Samar-
itens--about three hundred persons.
During the present stress and suffer.
Ing In Palestine these Samaritans
are being maintained by an Amer
lean. Mr.. e. X. Warren. OF Michi-
gan. president OF the International
Sunday School association. These
Samaritans are mixed people: IL
will be recalled wherefore "the
Jews have no dealing with
S&maritans."
Shechem well represents the
northern kingdom. in that 1t was
subject to the tides OF trade and
travel and war which swept over
this part of Israel. Our Lord was
reared In this liberal. cosmopolitan
part Of the land. in touch with many
peoples. The situation OF the seced
ing ten tribes made for prosperity
~ well as for Observation-Disclosures
Their territory was about nine thou
sand square miles. twice as large a.
Judah. and II was richer land thar
that to the south. Also II was in /;
more advantageous position 70
trade. a. well az for culture. Zero
beam had q rare opportunity q
build up q strong kingdom.
The Ties That Bind a Nation.
Fear and avarice are the twil
demons that Turk behind ever.
oficeholder's chair, be he king o
constable. From the first. Jeroboan
was afraid that he might lose hi
job and his kingdom. He saw shost
In everp patch Of moonlight. Hi
first great fear was that the relig
ious impulse, which is strongest o
all mankind's sentiments, Nigh
send his people back to Jerusalem
He knew the power Of habit and de
votion.
| So he and the other politicians
put their heads together and decid
ed that II would be a fine thing e
have modified state religion. Will
convenient national shrines. and al
easier form of worship than rigi,
monotheism. He knew that peopl,
), are susceptible TO the worship of
| god made In their own image. Oul
own time sees plenty snch: and tn,
\ recent return of DR. Il. ray Mills
from the fields Of New Thought" I,
evangelical Christianity Is ? symp
tom widely commented upon. sl5
stitrte religions do not continue
satisfy; even as Israel never wa.
happy with her moe; faith.
i Two extremes OF The pendulum
I! are represented by the two riva
1ungs OF judah anc Israel. Reno
i beam had not yielded enough 4
Iyopslar demands; Jeroboam yielded
s 4 q. "a N I. y . J. u q. 4 a, =. !. a III. 4