Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-17

about which this present Sunday School
lesson centers.
For samaria. as we recall, was the
capital of the northern kingdom and
the nome of King Ahab. -hadad,
KING OF Syria, was besieging it. APP
parently he had caught the city poor
" defended for there were only seven
thousand soldiers that could be muster
ca Tor the grand rally. AS for Syria,
II was one of the mighty kingdoms of
the time, with peerless Damascus for
Its capital Lying east and north of
israel Syria fairly enveloped the king
and his military strength were far su-
perlor TO those of the king whom he
SO confidently and jauntily besieged.
.. fIrightfuIness In war is it's oldest
and nameless atrocities befoul the rec
ords of all the great wars of antiquity.
Ben -hadad was but following the
vogue when he dictated to Ahab terms
cation Of the city's treasures, and of its
women for the conquerors' harems. and
OF It's children for slaves.
,s Ihat NJ sounds awful beyond words to
acquieseence in such demands. Better
death than dishonor man NAV die
detending his family = and he should
aie, II need be. despite all the pusillani-
lists Ahab should have welcomed
ueath IN defense to his family rather
baa Snan 70 aecede to demands as Ben
was willing to pay even this price fdr for
the safety of his city and himself He
Ialled TO sense the eternal truth that
an is gone when honor is gone. Bet
ter to die nobly than to live dishonor-
The High-handed King
Alcohol itself is scarcely more high
handed and insolent in it's dealing
than was Ben-hadad in his drunken
tyranny. He decided upon a still
stronger policy with Ahab; for. mark
you. there is nothing modern about
high -handedness in diplomacy. 1t is
old and heather. Drunk with wine and
a sense Of his own power, the Syrian
king decided upon still further acts of
terrorization. He sent word to Aha b
that he would send servants not
come himself, mark you, but send serv-
ants ants . to go through the palace and
that Israel seem to prize most.
That was insult added to injury. As
an affront 1t could scarcely have been
not to be borne even by Ahab, who, ap-
parently. had been we'll schooled in ab-
1ectness by Jezebel. his wife. So a
counsel of the elders Of Israel was
when the first demands were received
and with prompt unanimity they de-
cided to spurn Ben-hadad's insults I'm
a !. trtil multitude of counsellors there is
AV may De craven,
though. an autocrat:. but in every de-
gree of democracy there is safety and
sanity. over against. the drunken in
science of the Syrian king was put this
sober Judgment of the manhood of
israel Like true men. they know how
TO die for the obligations more sacred
than life.
Wouldn't 1t be fine IL those sturdy old
counsellors Of Samaria could sit down
for an hour with all the weak -kneed
businessmen. and travelling politicians
who are affrighted by the LIQUOR inter-
ests, and who fear hurt to themselves
and to their business If they assert
their manhood? Nothing is more need
ed In the temperance movement TODAY
than stiffening of the spinal cords Of
businessmen and of officeholders and
officeseekers.
TauRt and Counter-taunt
Bnraged at the sudden defiance of
these Israelites whose defeat he was
already celebrating in the flowing
bowl Ben hadad sent back withering
.Ahab countered with nrovarh
which should be committed to mem
ory by every student of this lesson.
Let not him that girdeth on his
armor boast himself as he that put
teth It off, A good motto for young
Baited. taunted and goaded TO a
fury. Ben-hadad did a drunkard's deed
in the very midst of his drinkinr q
bout he ordered the battle toined AZ
once. No time was taken for recon-
noisance or special preparation. In the