A Wise Choice
One of the Twelve Stories of Solomon.
BY THE "HIGHWAY AND BYWAY"
PREACHER
(Copyright 1907. by tha Author, W. 8. Kdnou.)
Scripture Authority. — 1 Kings,
3:3-10.
SERMONETTE.
“The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom.”.
Sacred and profane history
can produce examples which ab
solutely prove the truth of this
declaration.
The fear of God is the open
door to the sure, safe pathway of
God-given wisdom which leads
unerringly through the maze of
human life and conditions and
lands the soul at last on the com
manding heights of God’s cer
tainty.
Human wisdom at best is but
partial wisdom.
It has its limitations inflexibly
determined by the finite.
It can but partially grasp and
understand the complex circum
stances and conditions of the
present, and as for the future,
what can man do but guess?
How pitiably circumscribed is
the life which has only human
wisdom on which to rely.
But it is not so where the wis
dom of God unites with the wis
dom of man, for the wisdom of
Got not only understands all the
mysteries and perplexities of the
life of the present, but it sees
with unerring vision into the
future and knows the end from
the beginning. Hence it is that
the one who walks in the wis
dom of God shall not err in vis
ion or stumble in judgment.
Solomon was richly endowed
with human wisdom. Naturally
he had a keen and discerning
mind, and trained, as undoubted
ly he had been, in all the learn
ing of the east, he was splendid
ly equipped from the human
point of view to direct wisely
and well the affairs of a king
dom, but all this did not blind
his heart to the fact that he
needed God more than anything
else.
We know this because Scrip
ture tells us that “Solomon loved
the Lord, walking in the statutes
of David his father.” Here,
then, we discover the secret of
Solomon’s wisdom and great
ness and power. He loved God
and so feared God, for this sec
ond condition is but the corol
lary of the first. Love of God
inevitably leads to Godly fear.
The one finds its expression and
its complement in the other.
Fear of God then was the begin
ning of Solomon's wisdom.
There is no more beautiful
picture in all the Bible than this
one of the fair young king hum
bly bowing before God. and ask
ing for divine help in directing
the affairs of the kingdom. Read
it. Solomon's prayer and God's an
swer are a sermon in themselves.
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THE STORY.
A WORLD conquest! Why not?
King Solomon asked himself the
question. A vision of greatness and
power had come to him, a vision of
one scepter over all the world and that
scepter his. a vision of conquest of the
nations to the east and the west of his
kingdom, and he the triumphant con
queror.
Benaiah, the captain of the hosts of
Israel, had been the first to suggest
the thought to him when the former
had urged an expedition against
Rezon, who was then ruling at Damas
cus, and who was to be feared be
cause of the enmity which he bore
King David. Solomon well remem
bered the stirring campaign of his fa
ther which had made of Rezon an un
relenting enemy. The latter had been
one of the chief warriors of Hada
dezer, king of Zobah. and had escaped
with a company of men when David
had conquered the land and had killed
Hadadezer. At that time Rezon had
sworn to be revenged upon King
David, but the opportunity had net
ccme, and Benaiah, thinking that
Rezon might plan an expedition
against the - new king, Solomon, pro
posed that the armies of Israel pro
ceed against him.
And as an outgrowth of the sug
gested campaign had come the broad
er vision of a world conquest. Why
stop at the conquest over Rezon?
Why not extend the borders of Israel
to the very ends of the earth? Why
not signalize the beginning of his
reign with a brilliant series of mili
tary expeditions, such as had marked
the first years' rule of the kings cf
other lands in former ages?
King David, his father, had left him
a strong army, which was already
feared by a!l the nations about, and it
was but natural that he should bo am
bitious to have its powers further ex
tended. And where was there a na
tion that had such a mighty warrior as
was Benaiah? Had not the fame of
his deeds gone abroad, so that it was
known everywhere how he had met
in single-handed combat and had slain
two lion-like men of Moab? And was
it not also known how he had gone
down in the time of snow and had
slain in its lair a fierce lion, which
had terrorized the entire country
round and had destroyed not only
sheep and cattle but women and chil
dren as well? And then the Egyptians
had good reason to know of the
mighty Benaiah, for had he not slain
their strongest warrior, after a des
perate combat, his only weapon being
his staff, while the Egyptian wa.
armed with sword and spear?
With such a leader and with an
army which had not known defeat for
years, where was the foe which could
stand up against it? Where was the
nation which could not be conquered?
Such were the questions which came
to the mind of the young King Solo
mon after Benaiah had proposed the
expedition against Rezon, and the
vision of world-wide conquest opened
up before him.
“Better send for Nathan the pro
phet and Zadok the high priest, and
talk it over with them,” came the
thought, which brought a temporary
check to the glow of enthusiasm which
thrilled his being as he had pictured
all the magnificence and glory and
power which would be his when he
had brought the whole world at his
feet.
“But why talk with them?” he im
patiently ejaculated. “If it were a
question as to the religious ob
servances, or the laws of the nation,
it would be well, but what know they
about war and conquest?”
And turning with an air of decision,
as though that matter w-as settled and
out of the way, he summoned one of
the servants and dispatched him with
a message to Benaiah and the other
chief warriors of Israel that they
should meet him in conference that
day at the palace, “for,” said he to
himself, “we must needs lose no time,
for so vast an expedition will require
long and careful preparation.”
As may well be supposed, Benaiah
and the other officers of the army
were highly pleased at the promise
of such extensive military operations,
and the active work of preparing for
the expedition soon aroused unusual
interest and enthusiasm throughout
the kingdom. Not. a word of com
mendation or of condemnation had
come to the king from either Nathan
or Zadok, although Solomon knew
that they must have heard of the
plans. But he felt rather relieved and
glad that they had not sought him
out, for he did not care to go into too
deep an analysis of the motives and
desires which actuated him in seeking
a world conquest. Somehow, he felt
that it would not meet their approval,
and he was glad he did not have to
answer uncomfortable questions and
enter into long explanations as to his
plans.
j Hit juu utuoi iiq»c viuu nuu ; Vi
if your plans are to be a success,”
came the voice of conscience front
within, for Solomon loved the Lord,
and desired to do all that the Lord re
quired. “Yes,” Solomon persuaded
himself, “but would it not be to the
honor and glory of God to bring all
kingdoms and all nations under the
dominion of the nation whose God is
the Lord? I will hold sacrifices at
Gibeon and all the nation shall know
that the Lord is with me in this
thing.”
So saying, King Solomon gave or
ders that Zadok prepare for the ser
vices, and on the appointed day he
went thither, with all his courtiers and
the chief men of his army, that they
might worship. Day after day the
ceremonies continued until at last a
thousand burnt offerings had been sac
rificed upon the high place. During
all those days of worship and service
the heart of the young king had been
singularly touched and stirred, and
there had come to him a new realiza
tion of the need of and dependence
upon God. He had come to Gibeon
filled with the great ambition to send
his armies out into the world and ex
tend his scepter to every nation, and
one day when the question had arisen
in his heart whether he was willing to
give up that ambition if God was not
with him in the plan, a fierce, im
patient spirit had seized him, and the
impulse was strong upon him to forth
with leave Gibeon and plunge head
long into the completing of the plans
of the expedition.
“But would you attempt to conquer
the world while yet you cannot rule
your own spirit?" came the voice from
W l III 111.
With sudden horror and an inner re
vulsion of feeling. Solomon realized
the awful crisis which faced his life.
Was he ready for a world conquest
while yet he had failed to conquer his
own heart? Was he ready to rule
over the world, while yet he had not
proved that he could rule righteously
over the nation which had chosen him
as king?
With these questions uppermost in
his mind, while yet he was shaping an
swer to them, he sought his couch that
night, and in a dream thought God
spoke to him, asking him what he
should give to him.
It was all so real that during all the
years which followed Solomon' never
questioned but that God had visited
him in person and had given him the
promise of his blessing because he had
chosen the wisdom and understanding
of God rather than all the kingdoms of
the earth. And more than once, as
the borders of his kingdom extended
and riches and honor and power
flowed unto him. did he exclaim:
“Verily, the Lord hath kept his word
and hath given not only wisdom, hut
all else besides."
Good Idea in Berlin.
Houses in Berlin are numbered in
luminous paint.
Mouse Has Short Life.
A mouse seldom lives longer than
three years.
Where China ts First.
China has the lowest tax rate.
LITTLE TRAILERS.
It is a fine thing to make yourself
needed.
The way to be always respected is
to be always in earnest.
One may study and gain knowledge;
one must live to gain wisdom.
There’s a lot of romance about the
good old times, but we would kick like
steers if we had to have them back.
PROVERBS.
Who serves at court dies on straw
Water run by will not turn the mill.
“Where-the will is ready the feet are
light.
Try your skill in gilt first and then
in gold.
Pride that dines on vanity sups on
contempt.
True valor knows as well how to
suffer as to act.
Wisdom doesn’t always speak in
Greek or Latin.
Words spoken in an evening the
winds carry away.
We ought to weigh well what we
can only once decide.
After all the man who tells his
troubles may be preferable *o the one
who tells his jokes.
Giving advice to some people is like
presenting a bald-headed man with a
bush and comb.
There are two kinds of love—the
beautiful worship that finds its reward
in constant service, and the little sel
fish affection that rewards itself by
demanding servitude.
If you expect a disagreeable thing,
meet it and get rid of it as soon as
you can; if you expect anything agree,
able, yo uneed not be in such a hurry,
for the anticipation of pain is pain—
the anticipation of pleasure, pleasure.
_
There are two good rules which
ought to be written on every heart—
never to believe anything bad about
anybody unless you positively know it
to be true; never to tell even that un
less you feel that it is absolutely
necessary.
Years know more than books.
Omaha Directory
TELEGRAPHY
Do you want to learn it? We
| teach it most thorough, filling
a number of positions every
week. Why put it off? Write
or come at once. We Absolutely
Guarantee Positions, u. p Rail
road wires and blanks used in school
work. Omaha Commercial College, Omaha
■ ■ A “SQUARE DEAL” ON
Hides and furS
Want 20.000 Muskrats anti 1,000 mink at once. No. 1
: I,ar*re Ruts 18-CSe. Kits 7c. So. 1 Mink. I-ar^e *3.75.
! Write for price Hut on hides and furs which is non
read' . Tajrs and full Information cheerfully furnished.
D. B. MCDONALD HIDE & FUR CO
Office end Warehouse, 5*3 So. 13th Street
; References: Omaha National bank OMAHA
Commercial Agencies Nebr.
6%to 10% Interest On Your Money
That It* what you can get by buying
OMAHA REAL ESTATE
We hVreoPm^i°f?oar„ $1,000 to $50,000
That we will be pleated to ohow you any time, nothing
safer. better or more sutatAntia'.
HASTINGS and MEYDEN
1704 Farnam St. Omaha. Nebr.
MAKE MORE MONEY C
LIVE STOCK
Ship to ALEX G. BUCHANAN & SON
Live Stock Commission, 154-156 Exchange Bldg,
So. Omaha. Neb. 32 Years in the Business.
IF YOU
have never used
the
CHAMPION
SCREW CALS
with a Black
_ Diamond Steel
Center all the way through, you have never
used the best Calk on the market. Ask your
blacksmith to show it to you.
REArESTATE
Boughtand Sold
WILLS Carefully Prepared
RENTALS COLLECTED
We act os TRUSTEE tor corporate bone! Issues, hold
und care for property for benefit of minors or agod
i people.
PETERS TRUST CO.
1 Hew Tort Ufa Building, OMtHA, HEERiSXA.
Drs. Bailey & Marti. The nPftlTIBTA
3d floor. Pax n 11LMI I IV I V
Hold
| * I I IJ ffts.. Omaha. Neb. Best equipped
Dental office in the Middle West. Latest appliances,
j High grade Dentistry. Reasonable prices.
AND EXPENSES
made by our agents so
liciting for us. Male and
--- --re and Frame Co.,
Manufacturers add Wholesalers of Pictures, Frames,
. 606 south i3th
Do You Drink Coffee
I Why put the Cheap, Tank, bitter-flator**d coffee in
i yourstomach when pure GERM AN-AM ERICAN
: COFFEE costs no more! Insist on having it. Your
• grocer sells it or can get it
MATTHEWS DENTIST
1 TilK OUIW1.N 11, IMISi.F.SH li/bifiM II B 40 ■
‘ 25years in Omaha. Neb.. Room ♦. Bush mar Block. N. E.
! corner 16tI: am! Douglas Sts. <*ood set teeth. S4.nO; gold
crowns. S4.50; bridge teeth. S4.50; Amalgam filling*. f»0e.;
! silver fillings. t5c; gold fillings. Cl and up. hokk M a k
I ANTkKO 10 1KAU8. Bring this advertisement with you.
{ Grain, Stocks and Bonds
Om a ha Commission Co.. 204, Zi. Y. Life Bldg..Omaha,
!' correspondents of Morehead A Co. (Inc.», Cincinnati,
Ohio; fast wire service. We solicit your business
by mail or wire.
$5 Per Day
Female. Chicago Picture and Frame
;urers add " '
NEBRASKA IN BRIEF
NEWS NOTES OF INTEREST FROM
VARIOUS SECTIONS.
ALL SUBJECTS TOUCHED UPON
Religious, Secial, Agricultural, Polit
ical and Other Matters Given
Due Consideration.
Seward merchants report a very
prosperous year.
Mr. and Mrs. David H. Lyttle of
Hastings celebrated their golden wed
ding.
The Missouri Pacific in Otoe county
has not paid its personal tax for last
year, amounting to over $14,000.
The barn of Charles Confer at Be
atrice was destroyed by fire, entailing
a loss of $300. Probably incendiary.
In a statement filed in the district
court at Lincoln Fred Whittemore
receiver of the Citizen’s bank of Firth,
asserts that the depositors have re
ceived 70 cents on the dollar.
The Sarpy County Agricultural so
ciety will hold its annual farmers’ in
stitute at the opera house in Papillion
February 11-12. The women have been
given one day on the program.
Ed Cramer, a young man of 21
years, who came to York from Grand
Island, and who had been working at
the Le Grand hotel, attempted to com
mit suicide by taking carbolic acia.
John Fredericks of Wisner was ar
rested and brought to West Point
on a charge of insanity. He was ad
judged to be a fit subject for treat
ment and was taken to the hospital
at Norfolk.
Governor Sheldon has honored the
requisition of the governor of Illinois
for the return of "Bud” Brooks, who
is wanted on a charge of burglary.
Brooks was out on parole and vio
lated his parole.
The city fathers of Nebraska City
have become ashamed of the city jail
and have ordered all of the old con
tents removed and burned and after
the jail has been overhauled, painted,
will refit the same.
By a popular subscription taken
up among the Bohemians of the state.
$500 has been raised for the use of
the state circulating library. The
money will be used to buy books re
lating to Bohemian history.
The swine plague is devastating
many herds of hogs in York county.
Already many farmers have lost
nearly every hog and those who have
not lost by cholera are selling off and
say they will not commence again.
The State Railway commission
signed its order in the oil rate case
and formally promulgated the 30 per
cent reduction, together with aj or
der that the railroads return empty
barrels at half the rate now charged.
The Dempster Mill Manufacturing
company, Beatrice, observed Christ
mas by presenting every employe with
a fine Christmas turkey. The com
pany also made the semi-annual divi
dent to employes, which amounted to
$2,116.
The appointments of George I.. Car
ter to the position of chief game war
den. W. J. O'Brien as superintendent
of fisheries and E. Hunger as deputy
game warden were announced by Gov
ernor Sheldon. Game Warden Carter
has been in the department since his
first appointment as deputy by Gover
nor Dietrich.
In Omaha while Dr., w. H. I.atey
was extracting teeth for Mrs. George
Dierk of Bennington the woman died
from the effects of less than half an
ounce of chloroform, given by Dr. S.
N. Hoyt, who ascribed acute spasm
of the heart as the cause. Mrs. Dierk
was to have twenty-six teeth extract
ed and desired to take chloroform.
The great growth of York has kept
the York Electric Light and Power
company employes busy installing new
service and at times they have been
unable to wire the new houses and
business blocks as fast as wanted.
Owing to the great, increase of busi
ness they have had to purchase a 200
horsepower engine and install a large
new motor.
Oney Nauel, the two-year-old child
cf Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Nauel of Ray
mond, met death in a strange ana
startling manner. While the mother
was busy the child got some pop corn
designed for the decoration of a
Christmas tree. A grain lodge in the
child's windpipe and despite the fran
tic efforts of the mother the little one
died before medical aid could be sum
moned.
As provided by section 8 of the
terminal tax law the several county
and city clerks shall prepare separate
assessment rolls for the assessment
of local railway property in the cities
and villages. In order that the work
may be uniform throughout the state
George D. Bennett, secretary of the
State Board of Assessment, has pre
pared blanks for the guidance of the
clerks and will forward them at an
early date, together with two copies
of senate file 261, which is the ter
minal tax law.
The Norton-Gregson packing com
pany has moved its headquarters from
Chicago to Nebraska City and the of
fices are in charge of R. W. Barres
and A. Girring. and all business will
be done there in the future, all eastern
offices having been closed.
The Salvation army did a good
work in Nebraska City for the poor.
They took up a collection for the pur
pose of providing a Christmas dinner
for the poor and were so successful
that they were able to fill seventy
two baskets with Christmas delicacies
vhich they distributed about the city.
QUITE AS BAD.
Griggs—The idea of your letting
your wife go ’round saying she made a
man of you. You don’t hear my wife
saying that.
Briggs—No, but I heard her telling
jay wife that she did her best.
How’s This?
We offer One Hundred Dollars Reward for any
cape of Catarrh that cannot be cured by Hall’s
Catarrh Cure.
F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O.
We, the undersigned, have known F. J. Cheney
for the last 15 years, and believe him perfectly hon
orable In all business transactions and financially
able to carry out any obligations made by his firm.
Waiting. Kinnan & Marvin,
Wholesale Druggists, Toledo. O.
Hall’s Catarrh Cure is taken internally, acting
directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the
system. Testimonials sent free. Price 75 cents pel
bottle. Sold by al Druggists.
Take Hall’s Famly Pills for constipation.
Friendly Advice.
“Say, old man,” began Marxley,
“that-ten-spot I loaned you—”
“I haven’t forgotten, old man,” in
terrupted Boroughs. “Don’t worry; I
still have it in mind.”
“Yes, but don’t you think it’s about
time you relieved your mind?”
Important to Mothers.
Examine careiully every bottle of ;
CASTOUIA a safe and sure remedy for j
infants and children, and see that it j
Bears the
Signature of <
In TJse For Over 30 Years.
The Kind You Have Alway. Bought.
Clemency can never exist itself with
more applause than when there is the
justest cause for resentment.—Pliny.
Lewis’ Single Binder straight 5c cienr is
good quality ail the time. Your dealer or
Lewis’ Factory. Peoria, 111.
A word is a winged seed—none can
tell when once it has gone forth what
its harvest may be.—Sydney.
ONLY ONE "BROMO QUININE”
That is LAXATIVE BHOMO QUININE. Look for
the signature of E. W. GROVMi. Used the World
aver to Cure a Cold in One Dor. 25c.
When women borrow trouble they
usually pay back double.
Mm. Wlnalovr'a Soothing: Syrap.
For children teething, softens the gums, reduces In
flammatlor.. allays pain, cures wind colic. 25c a bottle.
A lot of so-called golden silence is
only plated.
/V
Let a man tak^ pride in his
achievements of virtue. Let him take
satisfaction in his moral conquests.
Let him have faith that he can do,
and no height is inaccessible to.him.—
Marter.
We Sell Guns and Traps
Buy Furs & Hides,ortan tie m f . vci e-omd
rugs. N. \V. Hide & Fur to. Minneapolis.
Cowards falter, but danger is often
overcome by those who dare.—Queen
Elizabeth.
PILES CITRET) IN 6 TO H DAYS.
PAZO OINTMENT ia guaranteed to eu re ,,i,y cam
ot Iirhinu. iilind. Bleedhim ->r l1 o Iru>liUK IV.es in
tito 14 day&or money refunded. 50c.
None so little enjoy life, and are
such burdens to themselves, as thoso
who have nothing to do.—Jordan.
Lewis’ Single Binder cigar—richest, most
satisfying smoke on the market. Your
dealer or Lewis’ Factory, Peoria, III.
Sweet are the uses of adversity—
for our neighbors.
SICK HEADACHE
CARTER’S
PlTTLE
IVER
PILLS.
Positively cured by
these Little Pills.
They also relieve* Dis
tress from Dyspepsia, In
digestion and Too Hearty
Eating. A perfect rem
edy for Dizziness, Nau
sea, Drowsiness, Bad
Taste in the Mouth, Coat
ed Tongue, Pain in tbs
Side, TOKPID LIVER.
They regulate the Bowels. Purely Vegetable.
SMALL PILL. SMALL DOSE. SMALL PRICE.
Genuine Must Bear
Fac-Siniile Signature
REFUSE SUBSTITUTES.
FOR SOLDIERS AND HEIRS
All federal soldiers and sailors who served SO days
between 1861 and 1866 and who homesteaded less than
(GO acres before June23,1874, are ent i t led to additional
homestead rights which 1 buy. If soldier i-s t’ead. his
heirs cun sell. Talk to old soldiers, widowyand heirs.
Find some soldier re -stive who went West or South
after the war and homes eadea government land.
Get busy and make some easy n/oney WriteHFNRV*
N. Oopf. Washington. D C.. for further particulara
DEFIANCE STARCH—1,=
—other starches only 12 ounces—same price and
“DEFIANCE” IS SUPERIOR QUALITV.
W. N. U., OMAHA, NO. 1. 1908.
A
“OUCH”
OH, MY BACK
IT IS WONDERFUL HOW QUICKLY THE
PAIN AND STIFFNESS GO WHEN YOU USE
si JACOBS OIL
THIS WELL-TRIED, OLD-TIME
REMEDY FILLS THE BILL
25c.—ALL DRUGGISTS.—&Oc.
CONQUERS
PAIN
tw
Shirt Bosoms, Collars
/jph and Caffs
LAUNDERED WITH
^Defiance
1 Starch
IT/ never crack nor be
j come brittle. They
last twice as long as
those laundered with other
starches and give the wear
er much better satisfaction.
If you want your husband,
brother or son to look
dressy, to feel comfortable
and to be thoroughly happy
use DEFIANCE
STARCH in the
> laundry. It is sold by all
good grocers at roc a pack
age—16 ounces. Inferior
starches sell at the same
price per package but con
tain onlv 12 ounces. Note
the dmerence. Ask vour
grocer for DEFIANCE STARCH.
Insist on getting it and you will never
use any other brand.
Defiance Starch Company, Omaha,
J
