THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM.

(1 Kings xi. xii.)

HITHERTO the people of Israel had had only one king; but when Solomon, in his old age, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forsook his worship, God told him that he would not let his son reign over all the tribes, as Solomon had done, but only over two out of the twelve.

It came to pass as had been foretold; for, as soon as Solomon was dead and Rehoboam, his son, had been proclaimed king, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, came to him at the head of all the people, and demanded that he would relieve them from their burdens, and make their yoke lighter than it had been in the time of his father.

Then Rehoboam consulted with the old men, his father's counsellors, to know what answer he should give. They advised him to grant what the people

asked; but he would not listen to them, but listened to his young companions, who advised him to treat the people still more harshly than his father had done.

So, when the people saw that they could not obtain what they wanted from Rehoboam, they chose Jeroboam to be their king; and from that day the kingdom was divided into two parts, which were called the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam was king of the former, which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; and all the other tribes, which were called the kingdom of Israel, acknowledged Jeroboam for their ruler.

This story teaches us the folly of despising the advice of those who are older than ourselves. If Rehoboam had followed the counsel of the old men, he would not have lost the greater part of his kingdom; but he was a foolish young man, and preferred the counsel of his

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rash and heedless companions, who were as wanting in wisdom as he himself

was.

We may derive much benefit from listening to the admonitions of the aged. They know better than we do, for they have had more experience. Let us,

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then, seek their counsel and listen to their instruction. Their words will be "a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path." They will save us from much vice and misery, and shew us how we may live in comfort, and be respected by all who know us, as well as approved at last by Almighty God.

THE THREE YEARS' DROUGHT.

(1 Kings xvi. 29-34, xvii.)

THERE were many bad kings who reigned over Israel, and among these was

Ahab. He married a wicked woman called Jezebel, who slew the prophets of the Lord; and it was probably by her persuasion that he built a temple and planted a grove in honour of the idol Baal in short, he did more to offend God, than all the kings of Israel who had been before him.

God was so much displeased with his conduct, that he declared to him, by the prophet Elijah, that there should be neither dew nor rain in the land for three years. This caused a grievous famine; God therefore directed Elijah to go and conceal himself by the brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. So he went to the place which was pointed out to him; and there ravens brought him bread and flesh every morning and every evening, and he drank of the waters of the brook.

When the water of the brook was dried up, because there was no rain, God di

rected Elijah to go to Zarephath in Zidon, and to dwell there, for he had commanded a widow woman to sustain him. He therefore went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. He asked her to give him some water to drink, and upon his also asking her for a morsel of bread to eat, she told him she had nothing in the world but a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a cruise, and that she was gathering a few stricks, to dress it for herself and her son, that they might eat it and die.

Then Elijah told her to fear not, but to go and do as she had said, and bring him some food; and he assured her that the barrel of meal should not waste, nor the cruise of oil fail, till the day when the Lord should send rain upon the earth. So she did as the prophet had told her; and she and her family had plenty of food provided for them, for the