The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-30
International
SunddySchoolLesson
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

Il
Straight into the social perplexities
of our own times falls this pIummet
of ancient Jewish history and proph
ecy. If I had but lately returned from
a journey to the Near East for the
purpose of portfaying conditions there,
I could not tell a more appropriate
story than this one of Jeroboam of
long ago. who is the theme of this first
Sunday School Lesson of the New
Year.
1t means something tremendous
that more than twenty million persons
are going to spend the next nine
months in studying, week by week, the
rise and fall of patriotism, social JUS
tice and religion, in the history of the
Hebrews. Double and dramatic per-
tinency may be given to the theme if
the dreadful rumors of extensive new
Jewish pogroms in the east are full
filled, as predicted, this winter. Many
adult classes will link the lessons to
the present prediction of Jews every
where for social reform and radf-
calism. 1t will save many persons
from race bitterness to be kept. by the
International lessons, in the conscious
ness that the Jews were really the
chosen people, and the custodians of
the highes- revelation of the Infinite.
A Man Who Married Wrong.
Despite the warnings of their proph-
cts, the Jews, a thousand years before
the Christian era, had adopted the
king-fashion of their neighbors. The
record of three mfllenniums ago reads
like Kipling's 1.-The Old Issue:
Here is naught at venture, random nor
Swings the wheel full circle, brims the
cup anew.
Here is naught unprOven, here is, nothing
Step for step and word for word-so the
old kings did.
"step by step and word by word who is
ruled may read,
Suffer not the old kings-for We know
the breed
"All the right they promise-all the wrong
they bring,
Stewards of the judgment, suffer not this
kingt'
From the pastoral simplicity of the
times of the judges, the Jews were led,
fby Saul and David and Solomon, into
all the state and splendor of royal city
life. Israel reached the apex of its
civil and material and political glory
under Solomon. For the sake of po-
litical alliances, Solomon married many
wives, most of them heather. The
wives brought their religions and idols
20 the palaces and the capital. 1 sup
pose modern novelist could amplify
the theme of SolomOn'S deterioration
by the sex complex. His harm came
by his harem. The degradation of the
moral tone of the kingdom and the
loss of sterling qualities of character
in the princes, all trace back to the
kings polygamy. Departure from the
stern morality taught on Sinai inevi-
tably was followed by departure from
the living jehovah
All sorts of evils to the people
flowed from the leaders sensual in
dulgences. and worldly pride. Solo
mons splepdor dulled the lives of his
subjects. His ivory palaces were built
on the bones of overdriven toilers. In
gfaring contrast to his own magnifi-
cence and wealth was the increasing
squa1or and poverty of the masses. II
was the king. and not the kingdom,
that grew in greatness. Todayis prob
lem of excessive wealth of the few and
excessive want of the many is not a
new thing.
a Labor Leader Who Became King.
1t is no new thing for toilers,
pressed too far, to go on strike or into
rebellion. Most writers upon the
grandeur of Solomon's reign pass over
| the discomfort of the people who were
taxed sorely to support his magnifi-
cence. We need to have it recalled
to our attention that there was strike
| OF the WOrknen IN JeCuSdleI4 aSdll1Sl
| the kings rigors. so that their leader
Jeroboam, an outstanding personality
| had to flee to Egypt, an exile during
| Solomon's reign. Thus Jeroboam be-
came a popular figure, a hero of the
masses. lie was filling somewhat this
same role as Moses during the days OF
| Israel'S oppression in Egypt. Abl1ah
a prophet of Jehovah, had foretolo
| that Jeroboam should become the
ruler of the people.
| At Solomon's death, the people
sought relief at the hands of Reho-
| enervated princling, who listened tC
| his own boon companions and syco
plants, rather than to the wise word.
of the elders. He was persuaded By
youths as foolish as himself to adop
| a strong policy toward the people
even as some white men have of late
vainly done in the East. He did no
realize that no people will endure tn,
| heavy hand of injustice any Iongel
/ than they are able to resent it.
In this case the cry went forth, "Tt
your tents, o Israeli The bigger
richer part of the kingdom called 70
the leader who had returned from
| evile at Solomon's death. The split il
Israel came almost along the geo
graphical lines that divide the Frencl
and British mandates in the Hol.
Land today Rehoboam was left Will
tilt cleIAl6 SOQlil lOE Ills OIlN
and Jeroboam was made, king of tn
northern tribes. The story remind
me of the remsrk made by a brillian
British journalist to me at the arm
conference: "Amritzar may cos
Britain her empire" The hard" ant
strong" policy toward people is al
ways blunder. In the very land
and times when the heavy hand o
the Rehoboam- minded fails. the mis-
sionary policy wins.
IsIundering at the Apex.
Not all great reformers make goo,
leaders. Responsibility changes men
minds. Jeroboam became afraid h
should lose his popularity. Therefor
the Jealous humanitarian and patrio
became a politician. He accordingly
set up religious high places-starl
heathenism-in opposition to Jerusa
lem. On these he erected goldel
calves after the Aaron model at SINAI
Thus his collapse was one of faith
He tied to his own ankle the chaii
that has been heard clanking dow
thru the ages-"Jeroboam who mad