The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-01-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

can by DIR. U. ). Wright.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 8.
ELIJAH THE TISHBITE.
l Kings 17:1-24.
But seek We first his kingdom, and his
righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto yOu.-Matt.
6:33.
THE RULE OF SWORD.
For fifty unhappy years the sprout-
ing seeds of a course of policy in
stead of patriotism bore bloody har
vest. Jeroboam had been chosen as
the popular leader and took the
throne of Israel at the peoples be-
hest. His son was slain and a new
dynasty came in only to go out in
the same fashion. Soldiers became
the king makers and the rulers were
military despots who were followed
in the hope that force would free the
people from the crushing burdens
imposed by disunion. Omri rose to
power by bayonets, and yet the dem
ocratic ideals were strong enough to
contest the election for four years
of bloody strife before he was settled
in the palace. He was one of the
strongest kings Israel ever had. He
chose new capital, Samaria, which
he made a fortress second only to
Jerusalem. He extended the coun-
try's borders so that taxes were re-
lieved by tribute. He established an
alliance with Phoenicia so that COM
merce opened a new door for wealth.
Ahab, his son, was the possessOr of
great ability also, and established
peace between Judah and himself,
overthrow the various invasions of
Syria and formed a league of thirteen
little kingdoms that barred the way
against the Assyrian march to the
West. Jezebel, Ahab's wife, was the
daughter of a Phoenician priest who
assassinated his king and seized the
throne. Possessed of energy, intel
lect, religious zeal and exalted ideas
about the divine right of kings, she
held the belief that any means might
be used to gain her ends She brought
her god with her and determined
that Jehovah should be driven from
His place in the affection of the He
brews. Ahab kept the name but de-
MED the power of the God or Israel
1t was largely policy with him and
more important affairs absorbed his
energies. If he had served Jehovah
with the same devotion that he serv-
ed the state, history might have
turned another corner. Naturally the
prestige Of the palace and the patron
age of a state priesthood gave swift
eXpension to the faith among mill
tary instead of morally minded peo-
pie. In that hour the hope Of Israel
lay in the little groups where serious
minded youths gathered to study the
old democratic ideals of the nation in
the schools Of the prophets. It was
not the last time that religious schools
held the hope Of tomorrow. But ev-
erywhere they were being submerged
under the flood of Righteousness asso-
ciated with the newer worship.
THE PROPHET.
Suddenly the desert yielded a cham
pion as dauntless and as hated as
was ever John Knox. He was So
journer in Gilead, beyond the Jor-
don, presumably having no settled
home, but being ike the rowing der
wishes Of today who travel from camp
to camp among the Bedouin, and ap-
pearing Unexpectedly and departing
hastily. His message was that spir-
itual sin brought physical suffering
and he hurled himself at the king
with the declaration that penalty was
about to be visited upon the people.
Rain and dew were to be withheld
worship this Baal of fruitfulness
and perish in his impotence to do the
very thing for which he is honored.
Only man am |, but Jenovan man
has more power than your imported
god, and there shall be neither dew
or rain these years but according to
my word" How the king laughed.
How the queen must have told the
joke Of this crazy Israelita with keen
enjoyment, but presently the cloud.
less sky and the withered grass. rob
L