The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-15
READING FOR THE DAY.
Sunday school Lesson for Nov. ea. 1873.

Sunday-School Lesson for Nov. 22, 1885.
HBZEKIAHs GOOD REIGN--2 KINGS XVIII, liz.
Golden Textile did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord. Kings xvi,3.
We have now to study the history of a strong
religious man, who did his work grandly as
statesman warrior and king. We have come to
the closing period of the kingdom of Israel,
when the ten tribes were taken captive. From
this time on their history is shrouded in mys-
terry. All that remains of the nation which was
80 mighty in the time of Solomon is now con-
fined to the little kingdom of Judah But Judah
still held possession of Jerusalem. The Temple
had been despoiled Of its wealth. and the palace of
Its treasures, and the people expected to pay
iage annual tributes to Assyria AS often hap
pens at such times, the services of religion were
neglected, the priests fell into heather supersti
tions, the judges became corrupt, the mobiles
were cruel the nation was lawless and violent.
At such period HeZekiah, the strong and the
good, came to the throne 1t was time for
faith and herosm. The lesson contains the story
of his reforms and victories. He broke the power
of Judahs enemies and the nation again became
rich and strong. Great focks and herds once
more covered the hillsides, the vineyards and
c0rnields multiplied, and prosperity was uni
yersal The king strengthened the defenses and
dug great reservoir for waterin the city known
TO this day by his name. Hewas the first to col
lect the sacred books and to preserve in connected
form the, inspired writings.
His name a grand one, meaning ''the
strength of jehovah" His father Ahaz, was
one of the meanest and worst of Judah's kings,
and we have doubtless in his case beautiful
Illustration Of the power of good mother. His
mothers name was Abb, and her influence had
neu.ralized that OF the father. Hezekiah's char
acter had been strongly and nobly fashioned, and
when he was twenty and five years old he began
to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years
in Jerusalem. We must in this connection read
the fuller description of events given in Chron.
xviii, xxi.
APPLICATION.
Being good in spite of circumstances-Man
boy or girl complains of a bad home, wicked
father, no encouragement to be good. Hezekiah
had the worst of fathers, corrupt and bad asso-
ciations-a very dark look ahead. But in spite Of
it all he became one of the nobest of kings and the
best of men,
How to have a genuine revival-Since the
Roman Catholics and the Protestant Episcopal
churches now plan and work for religious reviv-
ais in their churches this fact will help some good
people who have heretofore doubted whether they
were just the thing Revivals are Gods way of
reaching large numbers of men.
He broke in pieces the brazen serpent-There
are forms, and usages, and rules that have come
to have the authority of Gods law and there
are men who think more of the forms than of the
spirit. There are to-day dead forms and rules on
the books that ought to 60 the way of the brazen
serpent
The Lord was with him, and he prospered-
There is no safe, genuine prosperity that is not
by Gods favor There is wealth and power that
men gain without Gods favor. But it is cor
rupting and dangerous, and will be ruinous.
He rebeed against the King of Assyria-The
church and the Christian ought to antagonize
the world great deal more than they do.
The golden text gives the secret of Hezekiah's
strength, greatness and success. Let any man
persistently follow that rule, and he will have all
the money, and power, and prosperity that are
best for him to have