The Detroit times., 1915-08-06
In the Religious World


In 3 word. instead OF having led
the kingdom forward into greater
popular strength and democracy,
Solomon's reign really weighed on
the side Of reaction and absolutism.
The national treasury was enriched.
but the people were impoverished
and,
Ill fares the land, to Fastening Ills
prey.
Where wealth accumlates, and
'men decay"
Solomon bequeathed Rehoboam q
magnificent throne. but a weakened
will and disintegrating state.
The old rivalry between the north
ern and southern tribes had not
been healed. The people, as q peo-
pie, were less united, self-conscious
and purposeful than ever before.
whereas the first part Of stateman-
ship In to leave the state stronger
than one finds 1t. A case In point
is that Of the late Pornrio Dias. Of
Mexico. who. as The Springfield
Republican points out, was acclaim
ed a. the greatest living statesman
a few years ago; but who, when he
recently died. was admitted to have
been failure. He had enriched
and slorihed himself and his reti-
nue.. but he had not made Mexico
great and strong.
The People In Protest
The volcano had been rumbling
under solomon's dassling throne.
His son was to be caught In it, sx-
plosion. When Rehoboam went
north to Shechem to receive the
sanction Of the elders for his corona
ton. a deputstion waited upon him
and asked . declaration Of policy.
They asked for an easement Of their
burdens. Oppression had reached
the breaking point. Would the new
king grant more popular rightsi
A familiar picture that, isn't IT.
Resembles Runnymede and the Mag
ma Charta, doesn't It! And similar
scenes. less spectacularly staged, all
around the world In our own day.
Throughout the centuries the chorus
Of demands for human right and
justice have been growing stronger
and stronger. Today II 10 the domi-
nant note in all social utterance.
The old cry.
God save the king!"
has given way to . new slogan.
God save the people"
Many things may be forgiven In
ruler, but not ignorance Of the
public mind. An oficial must know
what the people-all sorts OF peo
ple--are thinking about. There wal
cutting edge Of irony and rebuk<
to the question which the gentle
Jesus hurled at the leaders of His
nation. Can ye not discern the
signs Of the timer" Rehoboam was
as Needless Of the portents Of his
day as many a wealthy and aristo.
cratic clubman Of this present
time is of the significant surge and
sweep OF the social unrest Of the
twentieth century. The worlds un.
rest at this very hour Is the most
ominous, and. at the same time.
hopeful. sign of the days horizon.
Pity the Rehoboams who can
neither discern nor direct 1t.
Following Ones Own Crowd.
The sort Of crowd a person runs
with is pretty clear index to the
course OF his thinking. That Is why
judges, whose social contracts are
commonly with the employing and
investing class, so frequently favor
corporations in their decisions,
Their viewpoint has been uncon.
sciously colored.
Prince Rehotoam had kept com.
psny with set Of young bloods who
reflected and abetted his own self
ishness and sensuality. They made
his atmosphere. To him, they rep
resented life" He was not q
prince after the order of Haroun el
Raschid. who prowled the streets
and bazaars and coffee houses OF
Bagdad In disguise, learning what
people we're saying and doing. Be.
cause he was enslaved to a "set."
Rehoboam lost the throne of Solo
mon.
True, he did go through the for.
mality OF taking counsel with the
old men. Their advice was wise
IF thou wilt be a servant unto this
people this day. and wilt serve
them. and answer them. and speak
good words TO them. then they will
be thy servants forever" Wise
counsel that: but nothing was far
Their from Rehoboam's mind than be-
ing a servant to anybody. so. after
the immemorial custom OF seekers
after advice. ne turned to those who