The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-10
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
JUNE II. -s45Is
Lesson Text: THE Book Of the Law.
Found" III Chronicles. xxxtv,
14-2S-Golden Text. Psalm
cxix., 72-Commentary.

wrought good and right and truth befoee
the Lord, and did it with all his heart txxd,
I, 20, 2D.
he was succeeded by his SON Manassefl
who reigned forty five years, and for Q part
OF his reign tried to do as much for the deyh
as his father had done for God: but being
taken prisoner and carried to Babylon, h6
repented and became changed man and boz
ing restored to his throne and kingdom, hs
sought to restore the worship Of the tugs
God. His son Anon reigned two years ana
did evil. he was. succeeded by Josiah, hin
son, in whose reign our lesson Is found.
I5 II have found the book Of the law g
the house of th5 Lord" Thus said Ailhahs
the priest to Shaphau, the scribe, as hegaya
him the book. It is probable that this Is thes
book referred to in Deut. xxi, M-26, and q I
and others had made good use Of 1t, but s
had been for the most part neglected, and CO.
useless as many family Bible to-day ling
upon parlor table.
10. "And Shaphan carried the book TO thof
king" As Shaphan went TO report to thg7
king concerning the accomplishment OF th1
work he took the book with him, having dra
read 1t for himself Ql Kings un., 8. BuS
before he refers to the book he gives 90:
count Of the work that it is being faithfully,
accomplished. Josiah, the king, was M
already acting according to some OF its PFC.
cepts, although he was not acquainted wttkI
its full instructions, and Shapnan no doune,
knew that he would be glad to see the bcok
and know It better. But his giving 1aiktr
full account of work faithfully done befoee
speaking Of the book Is very Suggestive: II
YOU desire to give the word Of God TO cna
who is ignorant Of it, it will be much mEe.
apt to be received and read II, as busin0k
man, your life testi6es to its effect upon your
self in producing faithful service.
II. 'They have gathered together tha.
money that was found IN the house OF tia;
Lord. and have delivered it into the handst
of the oyerseers, and to the hand Of tho
workmen" A remarkable statement Is naad1.
concerning the workmen at this time: as:
we'll as the workmen in the days OF TINT.
other king who began to reign when but =
boy. It is said that no reckoning was Kegs
with the men into whose hands they gAy1s
the money because they dealt faithfully tts.
Kings xii, Is; xii, q. We do not rea6
that there was any lack o. money, or anyE
urging the people IL give, or any extraore
nary efforts to raise the necessary amountss
for holdipg the offerings indicated, the ya-ss
nntary gifts of the people proved sufhcteMf.
for the work. God will always thus provides
for his own work whenever he Is relied upon
IS. 'Hikiah the priaat hath given ma 9
book. And Shaphan read in 1t before tna
king" Nothing so grand was ever read be-
fore peasant or king as the word OF the King
of Kings, and no greater honor could be con-
ferred upon any mortal than to be moutm-
piece for the Lord God Of Hosts. ~
10. And it came to pass, when the king
had heard the words of the law, that he renk
his Clothes" By the law is the Inowiedee
Of sin Rom. ill.,. 2U. and as Josiah heard tAa;
law Of the Lord he saw as he never had b.
fore how great the sins Of the nation were
His heart trembled at the word, and there
fore he was o blessed man Qsa. Xvi, ".
What a contrast between this king who fent
his clothes when he heard the word OF Goa,
and that other king who, when the word was
read to him, cut it with penknife and threw
it into the fire lJer.. xxxvi., 2-sD!
20, 81. go, inquire OF the Lord Tor me,
and for them that are left in Israel and in
Judah, concerning the words of the book
that is found" These men were appotnted
by the king to ascertain more fully coneern-:
ing these words. Here is priest and q king
but a prophet is wanted who will make plain
the word Of the Lord. y
"Grsat is the wrath of the Lord thAtis
poured out upon us, because our fathers favu
not kept the word Of the Lord to do after all
that is written in this book" There is more
GEdn enough III any VI tue idst StA Cuopeos g
Of Deuteronomy or in Lev XVI. to cause
Josiah to have uttered these words; and H.
was manifest to all that many OF these curses
had already actually come upon the land
and upon the people because Of their sins.
%. "And Hllkiah and they that the king
had appointed went to Huldah, the prophe-
tess" This was in the eighteenth year of
Josah's reign, or five years after Jeremiah
began to prophecy der. l., p. and we won
also prophesied in Josiah's reign (zsph. J.,
II, but for some reason the messengers go 10.
Huldah, who dwelt in Jerusalem. 1t may;
be that neither Of the others was In the CITY
at the time. This Is the only connection N
which her name Is found in the Scriptures
and it is ouly mentioned here and in II KiggI
xii, II. =
2S. "And she answered them, Thus saith
the Lord God CT Israel, tell ye the man thaf
sent you to me- These men were only the
messengers Of King Josiah. tleir business
and carry back correct answer. Happy ara.
all messengers who are privileged to carry q
Thus saith the Lord"
a. Thus saith the Lord, Behold win
bring evil upon this place. all the curses that
are written in the book" There comes
time when, both in the history OF nations
and of individuals, Gods spirit ceases to-
strive (Gen. vi, 81. and the long restrained
judgments are allowed to fall. This is stilkt
the Gay of mercy, but soon the Lord Jesus
shall b. revealed from heaven in vengeanca
on them that know not God and obey not tho
gospel III Thess. l., {, 81.
25 because they have forsaken me. and
have burned incense unto other gods. Many
were the entreaties by Moses and Joshua not
to forsake God, and solemn the warnings as
to what the result would be if they forsook
Him (see Deur. xxi, IT, II; Josh. xiv,
20l. And yet that very thing they did, 50
that the prophets and Psalms are full oE
lamentations because Israel forsook the God
of their fathers.
%. And as far as the king OF Judah, who
sent you to inquire Of the Lord, so shall ye :
say unto him." The evil spoken Of was 70.
come upon the ungodly people, but the Lord
knowsth them that are His III Tim. H., l@, 5
and no evil can befall them. y
u. Because thine heart was tender, an1
thou didst humble thyself before Coo when
thou heardst His words" The Lord ls nlgn
unto them that ara ola broken heart. e
not despisa God resisteth the proud, bug
giyeth grac. to the humble.
%. "Behold, will gather thee to thy
fathers, and thou shalt 1e gathered to thy
grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes SEQ
all the evil" Josiah was not to witness tho
sufferings of his people nor the desolation OF
his land. It was Gods will for him that 10
should have a peaceful death and burial
while his spirit went to join the company oe
the redeemed VINO had passed over before
him. That he died in battle was owing 90
his willfulness and his refusing to heed ths,
words of God through Necho (chap. H1v-r
q, a9. We bring much evil upon ourseiyes
which God would gladly spare US II we "era;
onIu -Tosson HeJrSr
& NATIVE OF Borneo sto:e ham
mock belonging to an English mis-