SOLOMON’S WISDOM,

then Solomon said, “Divide the
living child in two, and give half to
one woman, and half to the other.”
Was Solomon cruel ? No, he wanted
to know who was the right mother,
He knew she would be very sorry to
see her child killed, and would ery
to have it saved; but the other
woman, who was not the true
mother, would not care so much.
And he thought rightly. The true
mother cried, “Oh, do not divide
the child. Give it to the other
woman, she may have it all; but O
do not kill it.”
woman said, “Yes, let it be divid-
ed;” for she did not care much for
the baby, because it was not her own
child. Then Solomon said, “I know
now who is the right mother of the
living child. It is the woman who
loves it so much that she cannot

 

But the other |

 

o~
_

193

bear to have it killed. Give her the
child, and let them go.” So Solo-
mon gave the living babe to the
right mother, and sent the women
away; and all the people wondered
at Solomon’s wisdom.

There is one parent who loves
His children more than any mother
can. Who is this? God, our
heavenly Father. He says to his
children, “A mother may forget
her little ones, but I will never
forget you.” Harthly parents may
die, and leave their children, or go
away and forget them ; but those are
happy children who have God for
their father, for He will never for-
sake them. David says, “ When
my father and my mother forsake
me, the Lord will take me up.”
Psalm xxvii. 10.

 

CXXXVI.

POLOMON'S Wispom.,

S|AS Solomon a very happy
\) king ? Yes, he had much
to make him happy. He
had riches, and posses-
sions, and honors, and
knowledge. Could these things
make him truly happy? No, but
Solomon had something more and
better*than all; he had God’s love
and blessing. Solomon was very
wise; he understood many things,
and wrote many learned books. He
wrote about animals, and trees, and
flowers. He knew the names and
the histories of them all. It is very
pleasant to have much knowledge ;
and when we learn about the won-

 

 

derful works of God, the beautiful |

animals and plants around us, and
the sun, and moon, and stars, which
we sce shining so brightly in the
sky, we should praise God who gave
them all to us, and thank and bless
Him. It is right to wish for knowl-
edge, and children ought to be very
attentive to those who teach them,
and very anxious to become wise.
But we must not be proud of what
we know. Solomon knew more than
any man ever knew, but he was not
proud. None of us know much.
We are all ignorant, and we ought
all to be humble. God alone knows
all things; the past, the present, the
future, every thing, every where, He
knows. How wonderful God is!