This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: …It would be difficult to find a more instructive study than the story of the fulfilment, the failure, and the final fulfilment of the promises that went before upon Solomon. If you take the 72nd Psalm to pieces you will find that, like your own body, it is two-fold. It has an outside and an inside. It shows you the outside of a great kingdom, and the inside. There is a vision of outside wealth, power, splendour; but there is also a vision of righteousness, judgment, peace, love for the poor, and championship of the oppressed. Now turn from the Psalm to the history. Was not David’s prophecy–so far as it described outside dominion and glory–literally fulfilled? The King’s son had dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the then known ends of the earth. Ihe Arab tribes bowed before him, and the ancient enemies of Israel licked the dust. From the far West and from the remote East kings sent presents. All nations ministered to him, and through his greatness and wisdom the whole earth was filled with the glory of the God of Israel. But so far as the Psalm describes the inside character of the Kingdom, it was only fulfilled in part. It is true that, for a time, Solomon judged the people with righteousness and the poor with judgment, and that throughout his reign there was abundance of peace. So far, to do him justice, he did come down like rain upon the mown grass. But the King’s goodness was as the morning cloud and the early dew. It soon passed away. The passion for pomp and power overcame the nobler ambition for justice and mercy; and he who began his reign as the father of his people ended it as a mere oriental despot, oppressing with grievous burdens and chastising with whips. It is a most sad story, and I hope you dear boys…
