bol, supernal, of the Presence of the Lord. Added to all were the " s u re mercies of Da v i d ," the Everlasting Covenant of Kingship. What a fortune to waste in one headstrong moment! Every man is heir to unspeakable glory and before him opens the broad way to the " F o o l 's P a r a d i s e ," and the narrow one of self-denial, i. e. denial of self, the way to that which has promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. V. The Demand of the People. En- vious of Judah the northern tribes will- ingly yoked under Saul, were slow to bear, and ever restive under the yoke of David; it galled them under Solomon, and they refused to wear it unmitigated under his son. Solomon built but they had hewed the stones and cedars. His state was magnificent, but they had paid the most of the bills. True, Gideon threshed wheat in secret through fear of Midianite invaders, and Philistines laid an embargo on the possession of swords and smithies in Israel, Jdg. 6:11, 1 Sam. 13:19, 20. But they had forgot- ten that. To sit unmolested under one's vine and fig tree did not compensate for heavy levies of tribute and service by kings who made peace possible, but lived luxurious, while the people mere- ly had enough. It is a good deal so un- der our kings of finance. Wealth is relative and it is not unreasonable that the people who bear the yoke should share the proceeds proportionately. In the long run it must be compromise or revolution. VI. The Disagreement of Doctors. The king called a council. But he'd no thought of concession. It was a fool's council on a foregone conclusion. Inveterate obstinacy sought flattering concurrence, and a show of reason. Young fools want no serious advice," said a youngster, " i t ' s c h e a p ." " T h a t ' s my business to g i v e ," said his senior, " i t ' s your business to do what you will with i t . " Advice the fruit of experience is the most expensive commodity. The old men had " g o od politics." " B e k i n d " to them they said, "please t h em ," " s p e ak good words," f s e r ve them and they will serve you f o r e v e r ." " S e r ve them." " B u t to every man and nation Gomes the moment to decide."
That is the science of government. The divine right of kings is the divine right of serving. Government exists for the people, not the people for t he government. Kings have been the parasites of history. King craft has been graft-craft. The Charleses, the the Georges, the Louises, of the past have followed Rehoboam; the Manuels, Czars, and Sultans of the present are hastening after. We in America have an elephant and a tiger "fighting for the c r own ," the one with a houdah of " m a g n a t e s" on his ,back; the other with his claws ever in ' ' t he spoils.'' The advice of old men,, my boy; may be " c h e a p ," but that of the fellows that "know a thing or t wo" is costly. A French aristocrat was asked, ' ' What shall the people e a t ? " He said " G r a s s ! " When the sans coulotte fed the guillotine they stuffed his mouth with straw. Behoboam answered the people " r o u g h l y ." VII. The Disruption of the Kingdom. The electors stoned the king's messen- ger and their response was ' ' To your tents, O I s r a e l ." The deed was done. Behoboam might wish he had followed the wisdom of the wise, but it was top'' late. The house was divided again'st itself. Total ruin was only a question of time. The stick was broken. But God is a healer of breaches and the day comes when " t h e stick of Eph- rajm, and the stick of J u d a h " will grow together and the former shall not envy the latter, nor the one vex the other, Eze. 37. VIII. Behoboam was spared a mili- tary catastrophy and the loss of the- remaining tribe, by the interference of the prophet who arnounced that it was of the Lord. He is Lord over all. He punishes high looks, and brings the lofty people low. Bye and bye He will set His king on His Holy Hill Zion. A king who will wear the crown, be- cause He Himself did bear the yoke. Though exalted above every name, He is " k i n d , " He " s p e a ks g o o d" to the people, He " s e r v e s" them, and they shall " s e r ve Him f o r e v e r" for His " y o k e is e a s y" and His " b u r d en is l i g h t ," His goad is neither whip nor scorpion, but Love. What shall be done to the people that will not have Him to reign over them? Luke 19'27.
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