Charlevoix county herald., 1921-03-25
Something to
Think about
THE JOB AND THE MAN
BYE. A. Walker
BYE. A. Wake.


l. there is no more interesting figure
than that of King Solomon. Wise be-
yond the other rulers of his time, his
reputation stretches over from the
days of the Old Testament into the
records inscribed by the writer's of the
Christian era and he stands as the
type of magnificence and wisdom.
You will find much to interest you in
reading the story of Bethsheba, the
mother of Solomon. Many a modern
"best seller" has filled in that ancient
story with modern characters. You
will be interested in how Solomon
came to be king and what he did after
his rule began. You will be interested
in the fact that although he was a
wise man he had his weaknesses and
died at the age of sixty from a worn
out body.
The most interesting event in Solo
mons life is recorded in / Kings
third chapter, beginning with the fifth
verse. Somewhat condensed it reads
as follows:
In Gideon the Lord appeared to Solomon
d. T.. and God said, ask what l shall give
thee. And Solomon said Thou hast
made Thy Servant king instead of David
my father, and l am but a little child.
know not how to go out or come in.
Give therefore Thy servant an under
standing heart to judge Thy people,
that l may discern between good
and bad for who is able to judge
this Thy so great peoplei And
God said unto him, because thou hast
asked this thing and hast not asked
myself long life. neither hast asked riches
for myself, nor hast asked the life of
thine enemies; Behold / have done
according to thy words 10. have given
thee a wise and understanding heart
and 1 have also given thee that
which thou hast not asked, both riches,
and honor, so that there shall not be any
like unto thee.
The great trouble with the most of
us is that we lack an understanding
heart. Parents do not have an under
standing heart in the consideration of
their children and children lack 1t re-
garding their parents.
If our public officials could have an
understanding heart when they con-
slider the problems of the people how
much more wisely they would govern.
If the heads of nations could have
understanding hearts how completely
the faculty would take the places of
armies and battlefields, bloodshed and
destruction, in the solution of the
worlds problems.
We should all cultivate a viewpoint
outside ourselves.
Selfishness, envy and covetousness
are responsible for more evil than all
the other human characteristics.
The golden rule has in all ages been
the basis of religion. Confucius
began. Mahommed made Il a part of
his creed, and as far back as there is
trace of any code for human con-
duct "Do unto others as you would be
done by" has been a foundation stone.
II is the understanding heart that
establishes the basis for that reciproc-
! ity OF action. 1t is the understanding
heart that tells us when we have put
our neighbor on an equality with our
selves and made due allowance for
whatever difference there may be in
wealth. in position, In intelligence and
in opportunity.
We pray for good many things we
do not need. We seek for what we
think would be blessings, not knowing
I that we are better off without them.
How few of us have and how many
fewer Of us seek to have, that broad
view of life, that generous attitude of
mind, that charity Of vision and liber-
atty Of thought which constitute the
thing which Solomon asked above all
other things and which choice received
so thorough commentator.
1t is a short prayer, easily learned
and quickly said: "Give me, o Lord,
an understanding heart"
(Copyright.)
-O
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