Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-01-26

| Central Truth:-The Lord prOspt
his true servants.
This lesson begins with the reign o
Jehosophat, the son of Asa. His father
reign had been long, and Tor the mos
part, one OF peace and prosperity. Th,
principal act of his reign which was dis
approved of by God, was his alliance
with Benhadad, heather king. whef
he was threatened with an invasion b,
Baasha, king OF Israel. For this ac
which seemed to imply want of faitl
i'm God, who had so signally interposeo
In his behalf, in the case of the Ethiopian
invasion. he was severely rebuked by
Hanani, the prophet, which SO incenset
Asa that he cast the bold seer into pris
on. However he continued faithful anG
untiring in his efforts to suppress idol
airy to the end ofhi reign; which lasted
forty-one years. lie was on of the bes,
OF the kings. His son Jehosophat sue
ceeded to his throne about B. C. 9l6, in
the thirty-ftthsyear of his age. He too
was good man ard walked in the ways
Of his father Asa, anG bis ancestor David.
And his administration was prosperous
He took special interest in the religious
instruction OF the people, and sent out a
body OF Levites to teach them the lawful
God, under the direct supervision Of the
princes of the kingdom, which was both
wise and patriotic.
gin honor:of this conduct, Ged gave him
special reverence among the surround
ing nations, and kept him in peace with
all bis neighbors.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
l. righteousness exalteth natiOn.'
This was abundantly illustrated in the
history before us. The wise and good
policy OF King Asa was initiated and
continued by his son and God still bless.
ed the kingdom. 1t grew and prospered
in every element of national greatness.
Peace was maintained with all the neigh
boring peoples; no pestilenee invaded
the land; wealth flowed i'm upon them
constantly; the kingdom was highly re-
spected by others, and the people were
all united and happy under their king.
it is "A fine picture which We see here Of
prosperity.
And the secret of it is not hard to dis
cover. The king alld his people both
feared the Lord. They hOnOred God,
and God honored them. He always
does.
What lesson for nations is here!
What lesson for Us! Our first hundred
years were very prosperous, because our
fathers feared God, and honored his
name, his institutions, and his word.
among the features Of our
earlier history, were the Bible, the Sab
oath, the worship Of God. Ii these are
not as fully honOred in our day, it is be.
,ause we are turning aside from the ways
)t our fathers and herein is our danger.
2. The dissemination Of Gods word
among their people should be encOur-
aged by all who wish we'll to their cOun-
ry.
None of the acts Of Jehosaphat was
worthy of great and good ruler, than
his provision for the instruction of the
,coDle in the word Of God. He took |
special pains to give TO this measure the
ull weight of the royal authOrity. lie
made arrangements to have the Levites. |
whose peculiar duty it was. 90, under |
he sanction of the princes, to all the |
people, with the Pentateuch, or five
,ooks Of Moses. and instruct them thor |
,ughly therein. And the effect Of this |
vas eminently profitable.
1t is wise thing for the rulers Of
and to interest themselves In the re-
igIous education Of the people. There
nay be differences Of opinion as 10 the
,est mode of doing this. But no candid
hinker will deny that Bible-ieadlng |
md Bible-lOving people will be an or
lerly, law-abiding, Peaceful and prosper
'us people. No look i'm the world pre-
ents so clearly and authOratively the |
mutual relations of the government anu |
he people. No book more clearly de- |
Ines the duties and obligations OF good
No book more fully vindi- |
ates the authority of lawful rulers. Ii
. the best treatise OH political economy
n the world. And no where is the gov |
rnment so stable, or the rights OF the |
,eOple SO well secured, as where the Ri. |
lie is most thoroughly circulated, and its
ruths brought TO the homes and hearts |
# the community.
1t is not the duty of the state to teach |
he people any particular form Ut re.
igiOn. But il is her duty to See that the
,eople are trained in the best methods,
Or good citizenship. She cannot expect
he children to grow up to respect and
hey the government. il they are never
aught that civil government is an Or
finance of God, sanctioned by His word,
nd 10 be Obeyed as religious duty.
The stale cannot consistently punish |
rime unless she has provided that her
ubjecis shall be instructed as to the |
distinction between right |
nd wrong. Lying, perjury. drunkenness.
heft and murder are branded as crimes,
y the enactments of the state, and the |
Whole force OF her power is given to the
nfoi cement OF the penalty against them:
hOuld she not provide that her children
hOuld be taught why these are crimes,
nd on what their prohibition is based |
he Bible gives this instruction, and the |
Bible is not a sectarian book. and there is |
70 good reason why it should be ex-
lnded from the public schools OF a
people.
3. How much more favored is the hum
lie Sunday school scholar in our day
han even the kings. OF Israel and Judah, !