of David,
the feud between Saul and David and the idyllic story of the affection
of David and Jonathan. Brief readings from all of these should
illustrate the papers or talks upon them. Notice the other famous
friendships in history, and compare them with that of the two Hebrews.

The subject of witchcraft may be briefly touched upon in connection
with the old story of the Witch of Endor, and its singular persistence
through the history of all nations down to the present time.

David's lament over Saul and Jonathan should be read and compared with
other elegies, and also that over the death of Absalom; notice the
difference in spirit between them.

The life of Solomon is full of unusual touches. Read his dream, the
story of the judgment about the infant, and then the majestic dedication
of the Temple, the last, one of the stately pieces of literature of the
Bible. The visit of the Queen of Sheba may be read after this, and the
allusions to it in literature noted.

V--THE DIVIDED KINGDOMS AND THE EXILE

The divided kingdoms furnish many episodes of literary value. The
stories of Elijah and Elisha have a marked dramatic quality; the
incident of Naaman and Gehazi is a bit of romance; the fall of Samaria
is a tragedy, as is the fall of Jerusalem, about one hundred and fifty
years later. There is a bit of interesting work which some clubs might
like to undertake, the comparison of the literary style of Kings and
Chronicles, one colored by the prophetic and the other by priestly
ideas.

The subject of the Exile may be used in one meeting, as it relates
itself to a considerable part of Hebrew literature, especially in
poetry. One prose passage may be read, the brief book of Esther, which
has always been of great importance to the Jews, and full of interest.

VI--HEBREW POETRY

This has no regular rhyme, nor is it divided into feet like the
classical poems of Greece and Rome. Instead it has a certain stately
sweep, a rhythm, which is the very essence of poetry. In structure it
may be compared to Walt Whitman's rhythmical prose.

As the stage was unknown to the Hebrews, the drama was strange to them
also. The book of Job is the principal poetic exception to this,
although some authorities place the Song of Solomon as a versified drama
also. Observe here the difference between the Hebrews and Greeks, and
give reasons for it.

Occasional bits of ancient folk song may be found in the historical
parts of the Bible: