13, 14 (1 Kings 11:4-8). Memorials of Apostasy—Goodness alone is true greatness. Everyone will transmit a heritage of good or of evil. On the southern eminence of the Mount of Olives were the memorial stones of Solomon’s apostasy. Huge idols, unshapely blocks of wood and stone, appeared above the groves of myrtle and olive. Josiah, the youthful reformer, in his religious zeal destroyed these images of Ashtoreth and Chemosh and Moloch, but the broken fragments and masses of ruins remained opposite Mount Moriah, where stood the temple of God. As strangers in after generations asked, “What mean these ruins confronting the temple of the Lord?” they were answered, “There is Solomon’s Mount of Offense, where he built altars for idol worship to please his heathen wives” (Letter 8b, 1891).{2BC 1039.3}

13, 14 (1 Kong. 11,4-8). Mindesmærker for frafald. - Godhed alene er sand storhed. Enhver vil overføre en arv for godt eller ondt. På sydsiden af Oljebjerget var mindesstene for Salomons frafald. Umådelige afguder, utildannede blokke af træ og sten, viste sig over myrte- og olivenlundene. Den unge reformer Josia, udslettede disse billeder fra Astarte og Kemosj og Molok i sin religiøse iver, men brudte stykker og masser af ruiner forblev over for Moria bjerg, hvor Guds tempel stod. Som fremmede i efterfølgende spørgsmål blev der spurgt: ”Hvad betyder disse ruiner der står over for Herrens tempel?” fik de svaret: ”Det er Salomons anstødsbjerg, hvor han byggede altre til afgudstilbedelse for at behage sine hedenske hustruer " (Brev 8b, 1891).