Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-28
A SULKY KING, AN EVIL
WOMAN, A BRAVE
PROPHET
The International Sunday School Les
son for January 20 is, Elijah in Ma
both's Vineyard."-I. Kings 21:1-29.
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
II Newspaper correspondents at the
Washington Conference were all IA
miliar with the Bible events, more than
one of them would long ago have
pointed out that China Is Naboth's
vineyard. The old story comes along
in the course of International Lessons.
and its uncanny pertinency will be
pointed out in thousands of classes.
Because Naboth was weak. and Queen
Jezebel was both strong and unscrupu-
lous. the poor man was despoiled OF
his patrimony, which was his by every
| law OF God and man. just as China
has been despoiled for decades past.
Throughout the conference sessions.
and even among the delegates them
selves, there has persisted the ancient
notion that the weak have no rights
which the strong are bound to respect;
and that law does not run on the same
level for the mighty and for tho feeble.
There still prevails something like
divine right of power. Times without
number. in conference sessions and
elsewhere, China's weakness has been
thrown in her face as justification for
patiently unfair deals by the powers.
The title of the nations to the peculiar
privileges and possessions which they
have seized for themselves in China
Is on all fours with Ahab's right" to
Ma both's vineyard. Strength is its own
excuse for its deed.
But 1 am running a bit ahead OF
the Lesson story. The characters
are the same as we dealt with two
weeks ago-King Ahab. of Israel; his
heathen wife. Jezebel, whose name
persists today as common term Of
reproach; and Elijah, tho prophet OF
Jehovah. The only other principal per-
sonase in the story Is Naboth. the own
er of vineyard which adjoined tho
1T oh Lirp
coveted.
HAVE THE WEAK RIGHTS?
1t is the glorious claim OF Christian
civilization that all men are equal
before the law: and that the weakest
will be protected from the strongest
In old Israel this law. given by God,
ran as the law OF the land. Even un-
serupulous Ahab respected 1t. when
Naboth stood upon ms unquestioned
right to refuse to part with his in
heritance. In both New York and
Washington there arc great depart
ment stores. occupying block each.
which have been unable to secure
ownership OF a small corner lot Apiece.
Whatever the reasons for the refusal
Of the owners to sell. they have un-
consciously administered a widely-read
public lesson upon tho rights of the
small landowner. as over against the
large.
We hear much talk about the radi-
cal and Bolshcvik tendencies Of our
Is more powerful than the belief. wide
ly entertained, that the poor do not
have the same rights before the law
az the rich: and that powerful inter
ebts are often able to bend legislation
and aw-administration to their own
advantage. There is enough truth In
this complaint to make 1t a matter OF
n fboI1 1hff Ciftzan II
Justice docs not hold her scales even.
then the condemnation of God and
man is likely to fall upon the state.
The best propagandtst OF BolsheviMn IN
the unjust judge and tho venal law
maker.
King Ahab. with that sense Of re-
sponsibility which usually goes with
power. apparently never thought OF
going beyond the law. NaooNh was
clearly within his rights in refusing TO
sell his vineyard. But tho king was
angry and baffled. and he fell into
fit of sulks that upset the entire pal
acc. Like an ovcrgrown baby, crying
because he cannot have what he ought
not TO have, tho king got mad" and
took his temper out upon his family,
A QUEENS BLOODY PLOT
A husbands mood usually makes
a wife's weather. both In palace and
cottage. and when the masterfu1 Jezc.
p'i ioui1 Hei bulhlns D6Cduho
his land-lust had been thwarted 1--WE
think of tho countless family feuds
and neighborhood quarrels which havs
arisen from this Same sort of desire
to add more land to ample acrcs) she
quickly took n characteristic way out
of the dilemma In the case of .Jcze-
bel. as OF certain nations now much in
the public eye, we should remember
that they do not profess any but
heathen standards. She had not
learned the law OF Jehovah. to her, Il
seemed simple and natural that she
should get for the king anything he
desired. by fair means or foul.
Her plot was simplicity itself and
OF the fashion that was followed In on
comprising the death OF Christ, and
the betrayal of countless good men
and causes thruout tho centuriea She
simply created 6tuation-"frame-
up IL tho vernacular phrase-wherein
Naboth WAS made to seem a criminal
so that his death could be effected.