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' THE SUNDAY scrum. INTERNATIONAL LESSON, My. 1. * ..-_â€". Zesson ,I.â€"The Kingdom divided, 1. Kings 12. 1:24. Golden Text, Prov. 13. 20. Vera 1. Rehoboamâ€"The only son of SolomOn of whom we have any mention. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite princess. Upon his succession he was forty-one years old, a man of weak character whom the, luxuries of his youth had made insolent and unreliable. Shechem~Situated west of the Jordan in the hill-country of Eph- raim, just below Gerizim. Reputâ€" ed to have been destroyed in the Jewish war, and restored by Vesâ€" pasian. It occupied an important position in the early history of Israel. The “oak” of Moreh conâ€" nects Shechem with Abraham (Gen. 12. 6). “Jacob’s well was there.” ,There also Joseph was buried. Joshua made it- a city of refuge, and near by the law was read by him (Josh. 8, 33-35). After Jero- boam was proclaimed king he built “Tell them you will not surrender your prerogative of enforced ser- vice, but will even increase the bur-' dens imposed by your father, and that, whereas he chastised with whips, you will chastise them with leaded thongs (scorpions, 11).” This mad counsel exactly suited the haughty spirit of the young mon- arch, already drunk with unaccus- tomed power. 15. A thing brought about of Je- hovahâ€"As a punishment for the sins of Solomon the Lord had de- creed, through lns prophet. that [the kingdom should be rent asun- der. Thus, the folly of Rehoboam, land the consequent material disas- lter to both kingdoms, were made Ethc means by which Jehovah’s ihigher purpose for the moral and ‘spiritual good of humanity should be accomplished. 16. What portion have we in David 'Zâ€"Adopting the proverbial language used by Sheba in his re- bellion against David (2 Sam. 20. 1). See to thine own houseâ€"An an- nouncement of independence, and equivalent to “Hands off.” 17. The children of Israel that ,dwelt in the cities of J udahâ€"-â€"The lchief of these cities were Jerusalem, Mizpeh, Gibeon,.and Hebron. ' 18. AdOramâ€"This man, who was ‘over the men subject to taskwork, was naturally the most hated per- a palace in Shechem, but it'was a son whom RehOboam could have poorly fortified place and did notlsent to patch up a poor piece of remain the capital for long. lwork. He represented just the ar- 2. Jeroboamâ€"He was son of Ne- .rogant, despotic spirit of their task- bat and Zeruah, an Ephraimite 'of 'master which made him. particular- Zcredah. Having been proclaimed {ly offensive to the people. It is lit- first king of Israel after the separ- Itle wonder that, V in their resent- ation, he reigned twenty-two years. lment, they stone-d him to death. His See next lesson. His abilities werelfatc awoke the king to the fact early recognized by Solomon, who lthat it was perilous for him to ex- appointed him commissioner of the pose himself to the wrath of such house of Joseph. In this important men, and he fled to Jerusalem. position he found opportunity to 20. There was none that followed plot against the king, from whose avenging presence he fled into Egypt. Previous to this he was promised the leadership of the ten tribes by the prophecy of Ahijah (15). I Heard of itâ€"Some prefer to make this refer to the death of Solomon, placing verse two where verse one now stands. At any rate, Jeroboam must have been in close touch withl the situation at home, so that he could respond without delay when the time was ripe. ' l 3. All the assembly of Israel came ,â€"â€"The reasons why they h:,‘:sitated to accept Rehoboam without condition lie upon the face of the story: 1. They wanted assurance that the new reign would be less despotic. 2. The old spirit of independence v stirred them to suspect an heredi- tary monarchy. 3. The ascendency of Judah and the centralization of power in Jerusalem were justified neither. by geographical nor eco- nomic conditions. These facts na- turally awaken-ed jealousy in a peo- ple whose tribal. instinct was still strong. 3 4. Thy father made our yoke grievousâ€"In building the temple and maintaining the splendors of his court Solomon made large levies of men and imposed upon them heavy labors. i We will serve theeâ€"They would not totally reject the hereditary principle, but the succession must be confirmed by the popular will. : 5. Depart yet for three daysâ€"It is likely he was taken by surprise, and, being a weakling, he missed a golden opportunity of winning the immediate and decisive support of an important section of his people who were already seriously disaf~ fected. I 6. The old menâ€"Their counsel \was that of Worldly wisdom. In effect it said, “Assure them with good words that you are their ser- vant, and they will be your ser- vants forever.” 8. The young men that were grown up with himâ€"They were the court favorites of a period of mor- al relaxation and effeminacy, and stood ready to give silly advice by which they might profit and the common herd be subjected to dis- comfort. “Bc severe,” they said. [the house of David,gbut the tribe of Judahâ€"Dean Farrar has poi-nt- c-d out the comparative strength and [weakness of the two kingdoms. ‘Israel, with such famous shrines as lBethel, Gilgal, Jericho, Shechem, iAcho, and Joppa; and such nation- lal heroes as Joshua, -Deborah, Baâ€" irak, Jcphthah, Gideon, Samuel and :Saul; and her freedom “from the trammels of a bad commencement” ; and her superiority in the matter of lsoil and climate; and her conse- quent larger freedom and more lbrilliant literature and higher de- velopment in prophecy; she seemâ€" cd to possess overwhelming advanÂ¥ ltages, but she suffered twoâ€"serious drawbacksâ€"image-worship and the lack of one continuous dynasty. Judah, on the other hand, possessed lthe advantages of a magnificent ca- pital, a loyal people, kings who more nearly approached the ideal, .completer freedom from sins that curse a nation, and the wide expecâ€" tatiOn that out of Judah should come the Deliverer. - 21-24â€"Through the man of God, Shemaiah (see 2 Chron. 12), it is made known unto Judah that Re- hoboam’s purpose to fight for the re-establiShment of the kingdom is disapproved of. Once more Jeho- ai makes it plain that this thing is of me. 23. Judah and Benjamin â€" The latter was only partly within the bounds of Judah. Simeon, by its position, was practically absorbed by Judah, which accounts for their seeming to be eleven. instead of twelve tribes. ._»z«____. GASOLINE OUSTS RATS. Rats appear to have a strong eb- jection to gasoline. Not long ago a visitor exploring the London (England) sewers was told by his guide as they walked under Long Acre and Soho that the sewers in this neighborhood are almost en- tirely free from rats. This immuâ€" nity has been noticed only since the development of the motorâ€"car inâ€" dustry and the establishinth of its headquarters in Shaftesbury avenue and Long Acre. A large quantity of gasoline thus finds its way down the drains, and this, in the opinâ€" ion of the sewer men, effectually keeps the rats away. Nth . d Ring in the new, Ring out the false, Ring in the true.” And the 1 9 V To You. Best of 1 1 , . ,. V . ‘1 . , .. . l A.. I l ’L ‘ .. ____.._â€"..â€". (l Q Winnipeg â€"" THE BLACK BOG. - Dear to Those Who Know It. The black bog of Kilbarron, in the COunty of Kildare, Ireland, lies five long miles from either railway or post office and is considered to be at the ly.ll There are three styles of dwell- ings in the black bog, says the Rosâ€" ary Magazine, houses, cottages and cabins. The houses are quaint, rambling edifices, owned by theI farmers, who still hold to olden styles and ancient ways unmindful of the great modern note which it- sw-eeping through Ireland to-day. The cottages belong to the Gov- ernment and are rented to laborers at a very low rate; while the cab-[ ins are simply relics of the old re- gime, just clay huts roofed with straw. There are very few of the! latter standing in Ireland now. The black bog is a dangerous place for nightly rambles, as it abounds in deep holes full of inky water. But some warm summer evening after sunset, when the fogs| are rising all around, go downl there all you who are city tired, and find out how good that springy sod will feel to your cramped feet. Try a short Marathon along those short pathways, you who are weary of life’s treadmill, and see if you do not get to feeling like a young colt just let loose in a clover pas- ture. Or some misty day in Octo- ber go down there among the brownheather and let the long, clean, wet winds blow the furrows from your fore head while the rain- drops aro pattoring on the bracken like the wee feet of the fairies themselves. .Always enchanting, always beau- tiful, even if it is at “the back of b-eyant,” the charm of this old bog willâ€"twine itself round your heart with a lure strong enough to draw you gaclcto the wilds of Kilbarron for evermore. “back of beyant entire- : I. V, 1' r. .~ i} ,>_’ ‘73 , A Corner of the County of Kildare 33* ms BEST MEDICINE . FOR Lime ones The best medicine in the world for little ones is the medicine that will promptly cure all their little ills and at’tho same time can be given the very youngest baby with absoâ€" lute safety. Such a medicine is Baby's Own Tablets. They never fail to cure the ills of childhood and the mother has the guarantee of a government analyst that they do not contain one particle of inâ€" 'urious drug. Concerning them Mrs. John Robertson, Streetsville, Ont., writes: “I have used Baby’s Own Tablets for constipation with the very best results. They are in- deed a valuable medicine for lit- tle ones.” The Tablets are sold by all medicine dealers or by mail at 25 cents a box from The Dr. Wil- liams’ Medicine 00., Brockyille. Out. 8'4 KING GEORGE’S CORONATION Some of the Ancient Customs Which Survive to this Day. The crowning of the King of Eng- land has usually been accompanied by what was regarded.as the still more solemn rite of anointing with oil, which dates from the days of the ancient Hebrews. And in Eng land, before the Norman conquest, the term used was “hallowing,” or consecration, rather than that of coronation. ' . But from old records it seems that the ceremony as then perform~ ed at Winchester was in all essen. tials the same as that which now takes place in Westminster Abbey. Few people secmto be aware, says the Queen, that the coronation ce- remony was the only r‘eligiOus rite of the Anglican Church which es~ caped the pruning policy of the Re- formersn Hence itc impressive ri- tual and gorgeous pagentries. iuâ€"Bm ._ dawns 'scss'aau'sawiwsâ€"ww"cesarean-siesta???“ .- "' v -' .' ’ 'v . ' o T a ....,...o.. The last coronation at which ev- ery Old World ceremony was duly performed was that of King George IV. At his crowning a coronation banquet took place, there was a procession of peers, the herb strew- er scattered flowers and the chal- lenge of the champion of England was included in the ceremony. Butl at the coronation: of ‘William IV., Queen Victoria and King Edward these old customs were for various reasons omitted. How-ever, much remains that is of deep interest and stately splen~ dor. The dean and chapter of Westminster claim the right to in~ struct the sovereign in the duties of this solemn service, and on coro- nation day the rogalia are deliver~ ed into their custody.- According to old records £100 is paid for the anointing oil supplied by the royal apothecary. The coro- nation chairs are of interest. That of the King is the chair of Edward the Confessor, used by every Brit- ish sovereign since the time of Ed- ward II. It is of oak, and is reâ€" covered with fresh crimson velvet on each occasion. Beneath, it is placed the stone of destiny, an ancient relic which came original- ly from Ireland. ' >i4.__________ so nnmns . ron 'MANDARIN. Awakening of China Hui Brought Great Changes. The reforming of the po‘jtical as- pect of China, has brought with it some changes in social conditions and it seems as though many more were to follow. " Among those who have felt those changed conditions are the mandarins, whose altered oflicial routine is described by the North China Daily News. The old dreamy days when a mandarin spent hours in dolce far niente, “a idemigod amid subservient crowds, lvdelighting himself with the philo- sophy and poetry of his land.” are 1all gone since the introduction of telegraph, telephone and railways. The national awakening, bring- ing with it the reorganization of the army,‘ the introduction of occiden- tal sanitary systems, of modern prisons,- and other reforms, has made mandarin life not what it once was. Now that official has to "raise regiments of modern drill- ‘ed soldiers and find the money to equip and maintain them; has to build expensive barracks and hos- pitals, erect model prisons, and must refrain from old time punish- ments and find the money for all these bothersome novelties. He is bombarded with telegrams from Peking and has to withstand atâ€" tacks by the reform party and the free press. . Poppy growing is forbidden, but he must compel the reluctant agri- culturist to raise ectton and other products. Licensed gambling has been suppressed, but he must raise the revenue thus lost by increasing the tax on salt and other necessi- ies. This causes riots, and he must put these down. The enraged and harried taxpayers no longer are in fear of the once revered mandarin, and they do not hesitate to attack his person when he ap- pears on the streets. It requires the wisdom of a Confucius for a mandarin to -maintain his dignity ‘under the new order: of things. . a. . .I‘ISII TIIAT SIIQOTS FLIES. _ I Found in the Northern Rivers of ' Queensland. . In Queensland some of the most interesting forms of animal life are to be found. The duck biped piaty- pus (with the web' feet of a duel. which lays eggs and suckles young). the lung fish, 'the' walking perch and manygother queer ci‘eatures might be mention-ed in confirmation of this, says the London Globe. A remarkable little fish, is tic- lriile fish, which lives in the far nor thorn rivers of Queensland. A full lgrown' specimen, writes a Corres- pendent, measures about ten inches -v MAD ' We know and users of Royal Yeast Cakes know that these are the best goods of the kind in the \Vorid. Bread made with Royal Yeast will keep m'oist and fresh longer than that made with any other. Do not experimentâ€"there is no other “just as good.” E. W GILLETT co. LTD. Toronto. Cnt. ' ~ Awarded “ghost honors at-_all Expositions- E Mantra-L Hi {-7 . in ideas; - ‘ .:;; ,7. in length and averages one and a. half pounds in weight. I l'he rille fish derives its name from the fact that it shoots its food. It swims leisurely about the stream a few inches below the surface and is always on the look out for flies and other insects that settle on tho floating leaves and twigs or on the surface of water' plants. On r;et~. ting close enough to its victim it discharges a tiny jet 01' ball of wa- ter, which if shot straight knocks the fly into the stream, where it is instantly gathered in by the shoot. e‘r. - .....______.x~. THE UNION BANK OF CANADA. The 46th Annual Statement the Best in Its History. ' The 40th statement of the Union Bank of Canada, submitted at the annual general meeting of the shareholders, held on Saturday, December 17th, was a most satis- factory one. It shows 'a very lib- eral margin of profit over the amount required for dividends. i-In fact, the-bank carnedat the rate of 14 per cent. on the average paid-- up capital, and as a result of the" satisfactory earnings increasedi their dividend from 7 to 8 percent: The net profits for the year,'l’aftcrl deducting expenses of .manage-i ment, interest due depositors, ctc.,‘ etc., amounted to $451,620. During the year $300,000 of new stock was issued at a'premium of 25 per cent.~, amounting to $359,810. Those two sums, together with the balance at the credit of account on November 30, 1909,. amounting to $23,000, made a total of $640,107 available for disâ€" tribution. This was apportioned as follows: I 1 Three quarterly dividends at the rate 'of 1% per cent. and one at the rate of 2 per cent., a total of $500,â€" 000 transferred to the rest account, this sum being made up of premi- ums on new stock and $140,000 from the ordinary earnings; the sum of $10,000, transferred to oflicers’ pen- sion fund, leaving a balance of $80,- 000 to be carried forward. Tho paid-up capital now amounts to $4,000,000, being increased by $800,000 during the year and the rest account now stands at $2,400,- 000, being also largely increased during the same period. An examination of the statement shows that the deposits not bearing interest amount to almost $15,000,- 000, having increased by’over,$3,- 000,000 during the year. This in’ crease in the deposits not bearing interest indicates an increased ca-, pacity for profit earning on the part of the bank. .The statement shows the bank to be particularly strong; inlcash reserves in gold and Do- minion snotcs,'_. which amount to nearly 18 per cent. of the total lia< bilities, and also that the assets immediately ‘ available, including stocks, debentures and call loans,: are very nearly $15,000,000, or over-I 37 per cent. of the total liabilities; The net profits for the year show a gain of $44,000 over the figures of the previous year and the total as-‘ sets of the bank an increase of 05,-; 000,000 during the same period; The total-"assets now amount to the large sum of $47,455,000. indicating _ that the UnionlBank has becomeI one of the larger of our financial. institutions. That it is serving the needs of the bpsiness commyinyty is" shown by the fact that it has cansI to business houses of over $30,000,-; 000. Another indication of its grow-. ing importance in the country is the. fact that during the year 37 branch? es or agencies of the bank have- been opened. Altogether, th-e show-{ ing made by the bank is the best 'in' its history and reflects the high-, est credit upon the prcsident, board; . of directors and general manager. ,' ‘~v The proof of tl 6 auto is the bill , for repairs. .L 5 1 / ./' --‘-_--_‘nâ€"A-AA-- l, :Lii'\_-'AAAAAAuAAA‘-A A h ‘ V 1‘ A.“ .. MAM" 'M A AAAA AAA. A -A “A-‘AA‘LA-‘AAAAAA‘AA-AA ‘=-- ‘AMAAA‘A‘L"AAAHA g). .51. ‘.. «_ .m... A A n-e - n“. v as a. _-__n-4~ l l l I 4 l l 1 l l l l