The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1929-02-21
SOME THING TO
THINK ABOUT
By F. A. WALKER
UNDERSTANDING HEART

N Alb history, sacred ana profane,
L there is no more interesting figure
than that of King Solomon. Wise be.
yOnd the other rulers of his time, his
reputation stretches over from the
days of the Old Testament into the
records inscribed by the writer's of
the Christian era and he stands as
the type of magnideenee and wisdom.
You will find much to interest you
in reading the story of Bathsheba, the
mother of Solomon.
The most interesting event in Solo
mons life is recorded In First Kings,
third chapter, beginning with the fifth
verse. Somewhat condensed 1t reads
as follows.
ctr Cihson the Lord appeared to
Solomon and God said. ask
what I shall give thee And Solomon
said Thou hast made Thy
servant king instead Of David my
father, and 7 am but little child.
know not how to 60 out or come
In Give therefore Thy serv-
ant an understanding heart to judge
Thy people, that | may discern be-.
tween good and bad, for who Is able
to judge this Thy so great a peopleY
!. And God said unto him. be
cause thou hast asked this thing, and
hast not asked for thyself nor hast
asked for thyse1f long life, neither
mast asked riches for myself. nor
hast asked the life of thine enemies
Behold have done according
to thy words; 10, | have given thee
wise and understanding hear :.
and I have also given thee that which
thou hast not asked, both riches and
honor, SO that there shall not be any
!. like unto thee"
The great trouble with the most
of us is that we lack an understand
ing heart. Parents do not have an
understanding heart in the consider
alton of their children and children
lack it regarding their parents.
If our public officials could have an
understanding heart when they con.
slider the problems OF the people how
much more wisely they would govern
If the heads of nations could have
understanding hearts how completely
the faculty would take the places of
armies and battlefelds, bloodshed and
destruction, in the solution OF the
worlds problems.
We should all cultivate viewpoint
outside ourselves.
Selfishness, envy and covetousness
are responsible for more evil than all
the other human characteristics.
The golden rule has In all ages been
the basis Of religion. Confucius wrote
1t down before the Christian era be-
gan. Mahommed made 1t a part of
his creed, and as far back as there
is trace of any code for human con-
duct "Do unto others as you would
be done by" has been foundation
stone.
1t is the understanding heart that
establishes the basis for that reci-
pr0city of action. 1t is the under
standing heart that tells us when we
have put our neighbor on an equality
with ourselves and made due allow
ance for whatever difference there
may be in wealth, In position, In In
telligence and In opportunity.
We pray for good many things we
do not need. We seek for what we
think would be blessings, not knowing
that we are better off without them
How; few of us have, and how many
fewer of us seek to have, that broad
view of life, that generous attitude OF
mind, that clarity of vision and lib.
crafty of thought which constitutes
the thing which Solomon asked above
all other things and which choice re.
ceived so thorough commentator.
tits a short prayer. easily learned
and4quiclly said: "Giye me, 0 Lord,
an Understanding heart"
"a by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)