The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-15
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study Of the Inter
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed TO!
Oct. 80 HI, II: ZIG.

Oct. So Ki., IL: 1-16.
| Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated above.
In addition to reading above, one must not
neglect to read also = Chr, 81: 1-li.l
| We are to study the account of the repairing
of the temple at Jerusalem in the reigh of Je-
hoash. Solomon built the temple, and it was
dedicated about $50 years before the improve
ments under Jehoash.
| Jehoash was son of AhaZiah and Zibiah'
grandson of Jehoram and Athaliah, nephew of
| Jehoshaba who was wife of the priest Jehoiada.
His grandmother (Athaliah) was daughter of
Omri, King OF Israel, and so a sister of Ahab
| and sister-in-law of Jezebel.
1t was a fearful mistake, 4 crime, for Jeho-
ram, King of Judah, to marry Athalah She
was no friend to Judah, to Jerusalem, to the
| temple. to the true God. Though wife of
Judah's King, she was at heart and in practice,
a worshiPer of Baal.
| When her son (Ahazah) died she put to
death. she supposed, every ono who could
| lay claim to the scepter of Judah. But God
| had promised David the time should never
come when descendant of his should be want
ing to the throne While the slaughter OF all heirs
to the crown was Athaliahs purpose, Jehoshaba
seized Jehoash. an infant of but one year IN
age and carried him to the temple. Being the
wife of Jehoiada, she found no trouble in gain
| ing access to the temple and enjoying special
privileges within it. She then cared for the
young heir to Judah's throne for six years.
| Meanwhile Athalah ruled over judah.
When Jehoash was seven years old the priest
JehoiaGa took steps to inaugurate him King.
So well did he plan that Athaiah was slain and
Jchoash throned securely. Think of a sister OF
Ahab ruling Judah! What rejoicing when a
| descendant in David's line took crown and
| scepter!
There was special reason why Jehoash should
| feel peculiar interest i'll the temple. 1t had
| been his safe refuge from that wicked woman"
! q Chr, pa: y Athaliah, for six years. He no
tees the shabby condition of the building; $50
years would tell on any structure. Then we read,
| in 2 Chr, "a ~" The sons of Atha1iah = -" had
broken up the house of God and also all the
dedicated things of the house of the Lord did
they bestow upon Baalim." He decides to
repair the building; but money must be raised.
! Two plans were adopted.
We cannot tell how long JehOash had been
ruling before he determined on putting the
| temple into good condition. We notice, he was
first to call attention to its unfit state.
The first plan for raising funds was the set
ting apart several classes of offerings Articles,
which had been presented to the temple and
which could be converted into money, were to
be sold. All sums voluntarily contributed by
visitors at Jerusalem were added to the fund.
| Then, many, moved by an impulse similar to
that which prompted Jehoash, would gladly
offer extra sums toward such purpose.
| Further, all male Jews over 20 years of age,
annually paid a poll-taX of about 81 cents each.
1t was hoped to secure ample means for the
work from these sources. The priests were
urged to adopt this plan and to call the atten-
ton of every individual to the matter Every
priest and every Levite would have special
| friends and acquaintance. These should be
| visited and invited to help
1 aA and found hot
no fund was accommodating. The priests could
not have been enough interested. Probably
| not much money was raised. The 10 tribes had
| seeded, and nothing could be expected from
| them. Then Baalism found friends even in
the palace Religion was at low ebb. The
priests and Levites could probably secure, with
| all moneys paid, q very moderate support.
Jeboash saw another plan must be adopted.
| He seemed offended. He had been ruling Is
| years. and the temple was yet in shameful
| condition. He told the priests to hasten e
Chr, "a: 81, but years had gone by and moth
! ing had been done. He rebuked their slowness
and want of zeal. The priests were pleased to
| be relieved of the responsibility of securing so
large fund. Jehoiada prepared chest, and
bored Il hole in the lid. This was first placed
within the temple walls, but at length it was
put just outside the gate CT the temple. The at
tention of the people was stirred up, and they
were urged, in memory of David and Solomon,
out of love for their nation, and especially from
| regard for Jehovah, to be liberal. Each day the
chest was found with generous offerings and
| emptied. tho contents put in bags. The OPEN
ing and the counting were by two persons, who
would thus be restraint to each other against
| any temptation to dishonesty. We read i'll 2
| Chr, p: IL, "Thus they did day by day, and
| gathered money in abundance"
Carpenters, maSonS, stOnecutterS braSiers,
blacksmiths were put to work. Men who stood
| in such high esteem in the confidence of society
| that their bills were not examined, nor their
| accounts audited, were secured as oyerseers.
They dealt faithfully"
| 1t is noticed in the 10th verse that the in
| comes of the clergy were not cut off nor dimin-
ished because the laity were repairing the
| church.
The chests contained more money than was
needed for the repairs, and such sums remain
| ing were devoted to the purchase of plate of
| gold and silver needed in the worship of the
temple. e Chr, 24:14) There was call for
such utensils; for Chr, "a: T. shows Athaliah's
| sons took from the temple much of the plate
| ware and transferred it to the house of Baal
What has this history to suggest for our
admoniton and encouragement?
| !. Do what is right ia Gods sight. We have
many merely human standards of right and
| wrong. Study Gods ideas in these matters.
2. indifferent religiously, bestir yourselves.
Wake up to duty.
| 3. Rebuke wrong Jehoash called on Jehoi-
ada and chided him for his slowness in repair
| ing Gods house.
4. Realize your individual influence. Jehoi-
| ada kept Jehoash in proper spirit for years.
| As soon as the priest died the King lapsed into
idolary. Many left to themselves go to ruin.
Everyone has influence. Exert it for good.
S. Trust God. See how he, by saving Jehoasf,
preserved his promise to David. How for
tunate, providential rather, that Jehoshaba,
aunt of Jehoash, married the priest, and SO
gained freedom of the temple. Then Jehoiada
was just the man to inaugurate the King.
| 6. Ministers should attend exclusively to the
spiritual interests of the parish and leave to the
| laity the secular. 1t is not their duty to re-
| pair. They should remind the laity if there be
any neglect.
Z. Do not marry unadvisedly. Athaliah's in
| fuence in Judah was very harmful. Study fit
ness; seek similarity of tastes and religious
preferences. Let piety in sutton have greatest
weight in your choice or acceptance
| 8. Keep doing right. Jehoash did right only
during his uncle's life. (Read 2 Chr, "a II
| 22)
! 9. Be liberal in offerings for religious pur-
| poses. The people brought to excess.
10. Do away totally with evil; leave no room
| for idolatry.
IL. If repairing church property, do not do
| SO at the expense of the pastors salary. (Read
verse 16.)
| IL. BE faithful workmen-honest employees
| Establish such a reputation for fidelity, in
| dustry and economy that il will not be neces-