Evening star., 1924-04-06

During the coming quarter we will
continue our studies in the Old Testa-
mentt In our lessons we will trace
the history of the Hebrew people from
fhe division of the kingdom ;nat we
saw rise to the zenith of it's glory
under solomon, to the close of the
Old Testament. Amid the glory. great
ness and grandeur of solomon We de-
tected the evidences OF discomfort and
dissatisfaction that manifested tfem-
selves with year after So,omon's deata
in the assembly OF the nation. that
had been convened at ShechHm. or
Ma bulus. to decide upon the successor
of Solomon. The democratic spirit
had not been crushed from the nation
by the monarchy, which had beeh IN
stituted at their request during the
days of Samuel. In fact. they ap2ar-
entity had reserved in the'f conStIIu tI1.
tion the right of electiug their own
king Saul, David and solomon ruIed
with the approval OF their subJectS.
Before the nation would accept lSe-
hoboam as their king they demanded
that he would tighten their burdens
of taxation, which Solomons LAVISH
expenditure had imposed upon the
nation. The spirit O. 40 fouhn rh-
preston in that national assemDIH'
The germs of our revolutionary war
against tyranny can be found in the
decision Of the progressive leaders OF
that hour, although Jeroooam did not
stir Israel by any appeal OF etoquence
AS fell from the lips of Patrick Henry.
We have no evidence that Jeroboam.
who had been recalled from exile upon
the death Of Solomon by the liberal
leaders. proclaimed such broad pollu-
cal ideals as did Richard Henry Lee
against tyrann.cal abuses OF power
revealed the same spirit OF our
fathers when they complained against
the abuses introduced in the colonies
Too nF 80
1t was the same spirit that secured
from King John the Magma Charta. Il
was the same spirit that inspired our
men in their battles against the des-
potic rule of the kaiser.
Rehoboam exhibited some OF the
wisdom that characterized his father
by conferring with the political ad-
Nisers of solomon. who recommended
that he give the multitude dlpio-
matte answer. a younger general on
OF his personal associates urged that
he use the big stick" upon them and
demonstrate that he was king. Reno
boam'S decision to follow the latter
course of action appears upon the sur
face to have been the immediate cause
for the division OF the kingdom. While
it was the spark that started the freS
OF revolt, il was not the cause o. the
nations division into two kingdoms:
1t would not have been successful. If
there had not been train o. events
that had created an atmosphere ia
vorable TO the inauguration o. the
revolution.
While the twelve tribes recognized
that they we"e kinSmen ard We're
united through a common law, COM
mon ia bernacle : nd common country.
nevertheless the.~ community OF in
terest had only been partly allied.
Solomon had removed the spiritual
unity that bound the nation into p
union through the common religious
life by introducing idolatry in wor-
ship and injustice in the adminlStra
ton of the government. The indie
pendence Of the tribes foste~ed tribal
jealousy, which was never wholly a b.
sent even after Saui had aroused a
national spirit in their necessity Of
meeting Il common for. These old
snimCsitieS We're stirred during the
difficulties that David encountered
with Saul during his exile. The rorth-
ern tribes waited seven Years after
sauis death before they elected
such. in Hebron. before theE ca!le
him to rule over united nation
Solomon's foreiEn all iarceS had re-
suited in the Introduction OF idolatry
into the kingdom. While the prophets
saw the degenerating influence of the
foreign faiths, few realized in the
expansion and apparent success of
Solomon that his tolerance of pagan
worship had removed the unity of the
nation. Idolatry breeds tyranny. Men
who did not see the relation OF the
cause and effect would oppose tyran-
ay. The prophet had encouraged
Jeroboam by his prediction that the
supe e-intendent o. works was CHOSEN
OF God to succeed solomon because
of his sin. JerobOam could not wait
Jehvahs hour. SO he lifted up his hand
against Solomon. who forced him to
flee into Egypt for safety. He re-
turned in time to lead the movement
for lower taxation and the revolution,
when Rehoboam gave his outrageous
refusal to the just request of the
people.
Rehoboam' s despotic decision brought
about an immediate disastrous divi-
sion of the Hebrew kingdom. 1t turn