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February " .Z4, . 1915
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NUMBER .16.
KING .ASA
( Cont!.m:Led) For inst&nce, there were many customs connected wi.th the faith of his fathers that sot}med strange, even senseless. His t~.:tors could not give reaspns, such as A~:>a wanted. Thei.:- i.nvariai:le reply was, "It is the law and the prophetsn. ~he J:hoen~x hvwaver never failed to answer his queries in a thoroughly satisfa~tury way: It came about,then,quite natu rally that ASA, though only· A yo:t::.:th, su:L'p:rised his tutor·s and others of t he pries thood \7i th his unusual 'i"Tisdorn. .After s while the knowl .dge go~ abroad that the cl.d.es t son of tht' king was quite a remarkable youth. fhlS assurance that their next }{ing v1vuld pr.o"bably· be both wise and good VTaS. t h~ gre~ttttst _J.oSsible co:mfoi·t t .:> tho peo·p le, :for they were not at all sat~ s f1ed w~th h~s father and looked forward rather eagerly to the end of his t:" eign. That event carne to pass very much sooner tha~ they expected, fo r King Abijah was relatively a yo1mg man when he died, and itsa came to the throne while sttJl in' his teens. Proud,indeed were the people of the hands ome young heir~ and :no.st magnificently did they -p:tan for his coronanation. It vva.s the Llost imposing one that had eve:- bee!:). held in the Temple, for ne i thcr his f~ther ncr his grandfather had been \":ell 1 iked by the peo1le. His grandfather hari been the one who lost the allegiance of the ten othe r t ribeH,- and his father had had few friends and many enemies. It is not· surprising that Asa•s head was a little turned by the pomp and ceremony of the coronation, by the very evident adulation of the people, for it was a diffe~ent attitude from that to which ~e h~d been accustomed. Heretofor e, he had had to obey orders from mornign ~v night) with only the brie f twilight hour and his talk vTi th the Phoen:1.x ior respite. So many vwre the festivities in his hon()J· ~:w many the demands u:>on him that da,r of his corrnation, so long dravm ou·t the ceremonial affairs, tha t there re~lly YlaS no time when Asa could steaJ. away to the garden and be al'ine . All the next day the hours were filJ..ed wi'i.;h matters of stnte, nnd e ven when the night. came on the1e v1ere still those whose postio11s in the kingdom demc.nded his attention, so for 'the second time Asa failed to keep his tryst with the Phoenix. On the third day, howevet, there was a l ittle mnre leisure, but along wi~h ~ came some waighty problems on whic h 'he :folt that he simply must haYe the advice of that never-failing frie nd, SC\ he tnC\k eood ar that he should. oe in time . On the way to the fig roe he r~appene d to pass the l7ooden image. His mother was not kneP.l ing ·before it as \;ras h r custom in days· past, but the sight of it i rrit ated him excec:-dingly and along with the sense of ol~-time irritation &nrne the realization thn t np v he was k~.ng he. could do as he 1 iked ab nut it . th t h i n the the brief space of a minute he had lmo eked it over, stamped on lt and ordered it burned by the Brook Kidron. Then giving orders that he wa: nGt t o be disturbed, he passed quickly into th deep seclusion of the crnve . Reaching the fi.g tree, he ('lapped his hands twice and called gai l y , uPho enix , Phoenix". :Hut there was no answerin 0 glow . Again he called, this time a little · impatiently , but with no better result. In his voice,when he called the third time, there vms not only the tone of command, but the r e tras a lso the scmblqnce of a 1ihreat, as he stamped his fAct. It was t hen that h e heart1 abov e h i m the sweep of wings that moved always farth€r and f!lrther AWay, till ~t last they were· heard no more. When Asa called 1
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e na~~ of h i.., fr i en~~ ' t;c. i n, he wc.s ·L:J i.n g prone on t he gr und, ry1.n oud 1.n h1 s r:nse r y, Oh, 1:':1cenn:, :t'!"H:e:li., , I :w.ve l ::- 1t you :r . . . r~VP T . " 11 t h ~ou g~ t~~ t surnm r nic;:1t Ki.ng l~!.il r A.i.:lC.l.n e d 1~ thf' g:..rdf'n, brnk:"ln sp1r 1t, l?lmn.ng full well thct; ho had f'"~rfejted t1G friend~hip f 1. }rvP.u udv l.sPr. He had been overproud during his cDronation not tt ble n thr~ f2.c of t~e big respons ibil it tes he v:a8 assumine, us h~ shculcl ha ve ~P~n. The Phoen1.x vras n,..,t angry n.t his failure to l{eep the tryst on tht'l two prPc :d1ng even1ngs. It had ur1derstof)d why he could not come. 1 t hc.d b~en 1r. 1ts ~ccustomed place, he kbe~, for he hnd heard th~ sueep o1 itn nnff3: ~?w 1t had gone oway forever! Of that he felt perfectll po s itiv , for h1s rnns had been many end his treatment of his friend unpardona.'} '\lr. It Pas with n s~d c~untonance nnd a heavy heart that Asa rPturnrd tf'l thP pc;.lace as the dmm r()se ·over the distant hills and it uas with e. s ·r~t much subdued and chastened that he presided ov~r the councils ~ f s~atP. · t hat day. _ Every one whn came into his presence marvelled ut th~ dlgn~t y and pat1en~e of the 1 oung king. They noticed also the sad l ook m h~s e~~s. All sorts of plans were evolved for his entertainment h~ t evon1.n g , 1n the hopes that pleasure might aispel his very evident s a dness , but As a had only a courteous refusal for all :friends ahd . followers. L .ng bPfore the t'77ilight hour he was under the fj_g tree lmee 1 in 0 in prayer, ac:J.monle dging his faults and a8king Xo :rgLr.:.ness. Over nll the l~nd came the darkness , first slowly then s wiftl · ThP. wh ole grove lay in shadow, but ou A:: a's head there rPstPd a gol den glo l1ke a loving care~s, and looking up at its gentle touch he behe ld. h1s fr1 end and comforter, more radiant than ever. Be forA he could s peak , hmrver , the Phoenix. said. 'Your name. dear Asa, means 'physician', but before you can hop e to help others, you must learn to cure yourself. You have confp.ssed your fultn, and I am with you again, as I hope, ;for alvmys." Long, +ong hours they took counsel t ogP.ther, forth btsine s s of bP.ln f) a king wns a very new experience t ·"' .Asa sud hP. ne ede a vice n tl ess ·p oints, advice that the Phoeniz could giv out of i ts a gr.- l ong ' Drience, adv~ce uncqualod by that givah by the h nary-headed pries t hooc • Pn , for the rabbis were not always of Lne mind nn re J. i g i ous ques t iors , the le aders in other bra nches 0f the gov·ernment v:e r e likew'is e a t varJ P, one ~· ith the nther. It was quite necessary that Asa should be a~l r t r.J 1 tL"'!Ies t point f')Ut that there was alv.l'ays one way that would mean ~ P grP a test amnunt 0f justice to the greate s t number of peo~le. There rP. many f')Ccasi nns, quite early in his ~eiga , when the patr1a~chs w~rP t ... rtl e d and shamed by the simple, ·s traightiorward st a tements . " ~ tt:e 1r . un J.r i ng. He seemed al ·rn.ys to see thA end right fro~ t he ?· g1nn1ng a.nd knnr1 what was best in ever:l casE-. It ~as al l m; s t :t.nexpl1cable t? them , 1 PVldPnce of profound wisdom "'~n thA part of n e s o Y?ung and s ? l.nexTl 0n c Pd. Of course, the solemn-visaged r a bb i s tbok "al~ t h e c rPd1t f nr :-~.nn thPy r~aped a rich harve s t tutoring tJ:~ sons o~. :r 1ch men , but n o ,.. p·;pr knew the real reason and King lts u d1d not :l ..L ~ gh t e n thE>m. ::> c. ihr ye~rs pass ed , ea ch adding ~or e h ono r s_to ~G~ 's ·name, but v~r t-nl·ing a":lay from ·h im any of his goodne ss or S'l.mp l1 ~~ ty. o fa~ . _ .nPl J y au1 hi , famP extend that kings who :rul ed ovP. r n_~H l. On~ that . duelt t h,.. ~nd,.. of the earth often sentfP.rn issnri~S to_ a.s k h l-. advH~P r n '" .. Y r'l hl'""mq ;-; well as t o 0a~t his vif~\"TS n l1f e , 1n general . I n Pv er. ' ' · 1 w th e~r "J c: , th r· 8f' .ernrntss a ries hrou ht g1f t s of gr ea t va 1 ue, ~n d b ., \7lng · · u .... .,
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~~Y. ~~ oh, Kin sn. L tve f ore e, r •. our might y rula~. has "'h sen t " you theR ~ -~ n~ nf ~ i r Pgard n~d "oul d a s k yo r a dv1ce on many u 1ngs. Kl r: 6 A ~ a ~lt.'.'tlJS r ('cc 1 ve d t he ~ mos t ~ r acio u sl y an d sent the:>m nun~' i _, _, f. , c:, ,Hi.. th.- vir;its nr v f: r fai l Pd t o b r1n g r. lm morF' t han h e ga P, -1~ n~Pn e J the na fer ~im t o l earn much a out t he Re d1s tant :··C'.~ tv"r~ . . . a~1 • .1- ~ c onl ct tl·ill:. jt al l "Ver vrith t r e PhcF' ni.-~ ~~ftF'r -
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s ao(!uirin(; a ::.,ront deal l!lore knoulc<l~: c thnn \7as I>OBaible i'rom eim 11 eotine the representatives or othc.r L • ON±~ho. After a t7h1lo, Aea r 8 in6l Y duties bcoame mo~e or leso a ~ttcr of hnbit, end s~ it uae poeeile !or htm t~ spend much time discussing mnttors ~uite uta1de the range f his OYery day 11!e. Asa was particularly interested 1n tho future, and this tho Phoenix eculd tall him a very great deal about, beoauso it oould toreoast ~hat WAS to happon !rom his knuwl.odge of whnt had transpired in the past. :Ust as we would kpow, 1! wa saw a ke1ncl of corn, that it t7ould gro~ mto a stalk that would bear mnny ears f co!"ll, eo ·the Phnenix could tell that oerta1n rosul ts would fol:Lotr ce:rtain c nd i ti~ns. Tho Ph crnix for i netan.oe, o.ould look ahead and see what ne\7 peoples u uld arise c.nd ' At times ho sp ~ke of t '.' o many :uations that ttbat thoy \7(}Uld 'be like. would aoqniro po~er over vast territory nations that would exp ct in their arrogance to endure i'orever, O.lld that \VOuld i:n conae(],uenae take ns their ~ational emblem the Phoonix. He instanc ·d the Roman Nati n, fore~ told tls cloriee and its later deetr~ction at the hands of an uncivilized peovle, because 1t had failed to p:rac·tiee tho simple vir·tues of 1 ts :tolmdera. He spoke of many othors that would ~ot a sim1lar fato, and thon ene day ho prophosied the rise of a nation in a la:!ld still unknotm, a. ln."'ld. that was to etand :ror equality and fraternity, n la:ncl whore men uoulcr 'be as brcthere, eaoh ec.tual be:f"ro tho ether. That 11ation \;r ould moat with nc•ndor:ful suo cess, would use tho :Phoon ix as no or it a most cheri s h d B:llt bola, and th13 land should endure for a longer time s.ny o·~ho:r, i r as lon as it stood f~r the everlasting things, for truth, for justice, for brotherhood.
KinB Ass fcund this all very intereeting, and the mo~e he heard f tho ·rronderful thinss that uere to come t pass, the marvelous inventi ons ana the Gror.th of kn~wledge, the nore did ho wish thnt he might liv t Se& that r1ay. Onon he Oxproeeed thnt \;'iSh while liaten1ng to the rhocni aa it related ho\1 mon wonld one da~ fly throt c;h the aix and srtim unde r
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an~ much to hie amazement the P.hoenix said that tho wish ~i cht be granted, if Aan ~ould apply himself clo3ely to study und~r direction. Of oourse, K1n8 Aan r;a.s only too ready to attain thnt which had been den1 cd to every other human being, so he gradually turned over to his s~n many of tho respons1bil1tios connected i:- ith the kingly of!i ce, thus securing more and more timo i'or meGitntion and study. . As time wont on, KinB Asa built n sepulchre tmder the direction of the Phoenix and left nothine; nndo o t secure the success of the schomo . ThenT.bon he felt sure that his people uould in no ~ise suffer by h i s pnsaing out o:r their lives, he took a certain drug that brought on t he simili tude of dee:th. His son, who hr.d loved his father as few fathers \~er e ov·or loved, onrried out faithfully every one of the instructions that had boon given to him,. benoe the 'very great burning' already alluded to ea.rl"dJ.e r in this tale. Long and sincerely did that aon mourn for his i'nther, but oi' that grief Aaa was unaware, i'or he had gone immc dlately after he ·n ·.:-..d been laid on the bed of sweet spices to fnr distant lands ~itn hia belo e friend and companion. Thia all happened about the year 900 B.C., and inoe t1mt t iroo A s has :Liverl in all lands ann among all peoJ:lles. Whenever it bo,'rune nocc~ sary that a leader should ariso to direct the people in the richt uay , there would .lsa dwell ftr a period, takinG on the semblance of s rne individual and thr nt;b him bringing mc.ny ref.")r r:n t pass. Tbore i s e er reason to believe that he waa none rther than St .. Yo.lentinc , i'or legen<i says that wh en st .. Valentine u&a burned o.t tho stake by a mO>b, there aro"G a terrible s t orm t ha t drove every one to cover. Af t er it vras over > St. Valent i ne' s !ri en ~s s oarche d in the aahcs f or his banes: uith a v 2cn to preservi nB them, but all they could f i nd v:o.s a br trrht red heart. ~is they interprete d na meaning t'hnt 101':E sh.Ju.l d no;cr die , nnd y u see it llcvor has. f or LOVE has lasted r i eht u}} t o t he p-:-esentUmo and as yet
h wo no lack of: vjgor~ . . If the~P. 7€"!'2 t~mP., \lC should 1 ikP- to tell you something about thP. ther 1.ncarnat1ons of K~.ng Asa, of h] s g).CJrtous deeds on the sreat battle iel~s of the world, of his sage co~1sel in times of stress and u?heaval, f hlS \yrnderful work for the relief of the do\7ntrod.den and oppressed of 11_nat1ons, but al~ thest interesting facts will have to be postponed t1l ~nether occas 10n, for we are concerned just now most ')articulo.rly i th K1ng As a as he is today. Very few people are aware thnt King Asa is alive at the ~resent me, and as they are ~11 pledged to secrecy, it is not at all likely hat that ~he wor~d a! large will hear anything nbout him. Moreover, that ould b~ K1ng Asa s \71Sh in the metter, because he very much prefers to ork qu1etly when -~ecomplishing his purposes. He has seen so much of life hat the pomps and vanities of the world possess no attraction whatsoever or htm . Hi~ hope is to establish his kingdom in the hearts of his folouers, _and lf those who are enrolled upder his banner will only love and urust h~. he promises in return that prosp~rity and all other good things hall come to them. All ~oyal. subjects of King .llsa r1ill went, of course, to possess.:- a of h1s meJesty, so we append herewith the only authentic portrait .l
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' 11 yeur attention to the remarkable intell i gence nnd goodness deicted in his face. Xing Asa be'lieves. bas always believed, in the squarP deal. He didit rt get it hi!nself when he was a lad in the palace of his fathe r, so he has been strong for it eve~ since. It i s the first t~ing that he alPays insists on, whether the ci1:1al be betwe en his ovm peopl e , or rt;tween his mm. subjects ani those of a!J other ruler. King As a's nos~ is not i .~. is h e!1dsomest f e atu re, by an!r means , though 1t is a strong nose. His a:a0estors 'belonged toapeople t h at was not !iote d for htS a.ut i ful noses, so we must not be too critical. Such 1.ines a bout it , (.H'It!V e r , as are strictly GrC!c ian are above reproach and like so much -in reek a r t C:.ent'~ te both strength and re p os~. Hi~ eyes, a s yl'")u will ackn'lW1 dge, are deeply thoughtful, but they show, as we ll, a f ine con.rage that · an fl ash fire one moment, and be wells of sympathy the ne~ . But it is the mouth that is the strongest feature in Ki ng Asa ' s ~ce . Notice in the firm, straight line and the inscrutable Mona Li sa .ile. Y uf can see that anything that he will s ay will b e not onl ¥ v e r y t rth whiiA but alsc s -~rictly to the point, yet temp ere \: always vn t h ~)nrt esy A.nd kindness. Taken as a whole. the f uce i:-; des erving of cl ose tudy . It is the kind of face that grows on one, tha t senms to have n ew ~~li ties in it every time that one sees it, the k i n d of fa e tha ~ bPcomes ere attra~t ive with acquaintance, It is most assuredly a 'spea k1ng'
ik~nP. s s.
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One of King /Lsa' s Pr vy Council says t hat t he real sec~et of the "!1"ina.ti""n in the ') icture is the strength of cha r "c t er sh·,vm 1n e-' t!n T ·rJ~RmE"nt, ancl thisJ: member of the Council point s· out thP. "I wil:F' _th::tt stamped so indelibly on mouth, nose and e ye s ~ n ~ t once, 'rut 1~~ncr-- . 11-P \L.'n~n f:1ce is al't1ays an ind.ex of nharacter, ..·o 1 t 1s n ot surpr1s1nB t 0 .-~~ G. e c i Rion deeply chiseled on King Asa's fa ~e , but al~:ray the r sult f ~"'R. r efuJ tho ught :::Jnd supp lemented with a. des 1r e t l'") be . Just o all 13nli-l":IO c: his royal a c t s 'h ave b ~en, a t a l l t 1me s, ab nve rrrp r oach .. 7