Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-01
Golden Text: pride gOeth before
destruction and an naughty spirit
before a faU."-PrOV. 1918.

destruction and an naughty spirit
before a fall. PROV. 1918.
Solomon died comparatively
Foung man for those days. He had
eigned forty years, but he could
bot have been over eighteen years
: Id when he began to reign and was
probably younger. He had had no
vars but had lived a fast life, a life
f luxury, living largely to crafty
he bodily appetites and to cater to
he false notion that splendor means
! spender.
If he had been the only one to
4uffer by this it would not have been
10 bad, but there were at least two
thers who had to suffer, 100. These
we're the people and his children.
Fhe people suffered by having to
urnish. the cash. A man cannot be
producer and a spender at the
anne time. The average rich man
as gotten HIS rlcnes not by pro-
fucing but by manipulating pro-
ucers. When one gets rich, usual
some one else suffers and pays
he price. So the people were the
mes who had to go without in orde4
hat Solomon might have hte splen
i'd display of wealth and power and
which was one of the wonders
1.-THE world then.
The other class who suffered were
is children. They grew up with
n entirely false idea of life and of
themselves They We're not to blame:
hey couldn't help it. They saw
theirs sacrificing in order that they
hight have, and the necessary result
that was to think that they were
[ery much better than anybody else,
superior kind of individual who
raciously extended to the inferior
mes the privilege of Shaving for
hem! In plain language, they be-
anne snobs. Now no tall rich mems
children are snobs, but it is only by
ne grace of God when they are not.
pr human nature is the same, wher-
yer and whenever found. Solomon
Fas the so nof a rich man. but he
Fasn't a snob to start with. But
is son, Rehoboam was the chief
hob!
When Rehoboam came to the
nrone at his fathers death, he faced
the very outset Of his reign
notify problem that was to deter
nine not only his own worth and
naracter but the future Of the king
om Which his grandfather and faith
had built up. During his fathers
refine, in one of his great building
perations, when he was building
he city of Milo, he had found a
oung man of the house of Joseph,
N Ephrainite, who was a man of
arts. He showed unusual executive
blllty, and SO Solomon had made
i'm the head of all the laborers
rom the house Of Joseph. His name
as Jeroooam. His mother was
Tldow, and this fact had probably
nroWn the responsibility Of support
lg the family on him andn made
I'M Industrious and capable.
Solomon's sins had already
rought upon him the sentence Of
Judgment, but when he heard of
hat Abijah the prophet had said
Jeroboam he sought to kill this
Rthtul servant of his. Abijah had
pm 1t in twelve pieces and had
iVen him~ten of them telling him
nat God would rend the kingdom
sundef on account of Solomon s
ms and give him ten parts of it.
saVlng the balance to Jeroboan to
ulld him a sure house, as He had
romsed David, if he would follow
I'M 1ully. Jeroboam may have been
pollsh enough to tell it, or to show
py haughtfness of spirit that he
dnoC had before, but, however.
come TO Solomon's attention. he
|ought to kill Jeroboam, so that he
al to flee to Egypt and remain
mere an exile until Solomon's death.
Ihere had been growing unrest
mong the people. Samuel had
Tarned them that a king would
lake excessive and burdensome de.
lands OF them, but they had in
listed on having a king; and now
le descendants of those vA3re get
ng exactly what Samuel had fore.
Pld. But this fact didn't help him;
olomon was too powerful to resist,
no that but added to their unrest,
ne, deaI1 of Solomon gave them q
Pophole; what they needed was a
fader, so they sent to Egypt for
eroboam.
Jeroboam had the people in their
equest that theft burdens be made
ghter. Rehoboam asked for three
avs time to consider their request
re tnen very wisely called a coun-
n of old men and put NE matter
efore them. They were wise
nough to advise that the request
the people be granted. Thev
new that this was not only good
oqlcy but good policy because it
as right. The burden Of taxation
oS excessive.
There Rehoboam called some of
re younger men, with whom he
ad been raised. 1t is to be noted
hat this last clause Is important.
wasn't so much their youth that
lade them so foolish as the circum.
tances under which they had grown
p. They had been trained to a
Rlse standard of living. Rehoboam
as snob and so were the young
ben who had been brought up with
i'm. Rehoboam was Al years old
this time; he was no mere child
r STRIPPING. He should have had
ears enough to make his Judgment
Forth while; but it was his false
andards that We're to blamA Tell,