The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-15

REPROOF.--The men thus sent out were
reluctant to enter upon their work. Tn ,ir
Incidence may lie assigned to many
causes. IT was a lorg time since any such
thing had been done-at least a decade,
and the collectors might on that account
feel timid in making the approach, not
knowing what reception would be given.
The people had been contributing to the
support of Baal worship aud had con-
traCted habit not easily broken. Who
does not shrink from an unpopular cause?
To fly in the face of custom and senti-
ment. to ask gifts for that which has de-
cincd, requires much courage, more than
the average man possesses. But Joash
was not to be thwarted in his purpose.
He was not one of that sort who dban-
dons Il good cause on account of the
apathy or even opposition of others The
men who had been appointed to this SER
vice were called to account (verse 81. The
reCrcant officials must have felt chdgrined
at the stern reprCof administered by their
monarch. In these days men were so de-
pendent upon their superiors that any
breach of trust was liable to be attended
by serious consequences.
lNCENTINE-It was no ordinary mo-
tive that melted the king to the resolute
execution of his purpose. His personal
loyalty to God, combined with his desire
to restore the worship of Jehovah, would
have been sufficient to sustain him i'm so
laudable an undertaking. But besides
these considerations there was the unholy
conduct of his predecessor in contrast
with the righteous regns of Asa and Je-
hoShaphat. 1t was the act of Athalal,
"that wicked woman" and of her sons
that had broken up the house of the Lord,
and had destroyed or misused the sacred
things Cverse -. Athalah was IA muir
dCress OI Chron. NN, 100. She came to
power with hands stained in blood OF the
royal seed. She would have put Joash tn
death but for the interposition of Jehosh-
abeath, the wife of JeEoida. JOash there
fore felt that as nad beer spared through
the kindrcss of the priests household ne
was obligated to undo the mischief
wrought by this agent of Satan, that heI
name and influences might not be con-
| tinued in the land.
TREASURY.-IIavin stirred up the Of
GERS to do their duty the king prepared a
| treasury oversees and ~. a chest or box
/ was constructed with a hole i'm the lid Nl
| Kings xii. 81. This box was made cOnspiC-
| uous in several ways First, it was sci
| beside the altar on the right side as one
entered the house of the Lord, the place
| being chosen to attract the attention OF
all. Second the priests who kept the
door, who were the custodians and the
| conductors of religious exercises in theh
| outward or initial forms, were stationed
near this box. able at all times by the
| functions of xheir office to give it promi
nence. Third, this being done a procla
nation was made, not in Jerusalem only
| but i'm all parts of Judah as WELL that is
| throughout the entire land (verse ~, call
ing attention to the fact that the treas
| ury was established, and probably an
, nouncing the purpose for which moncN
was desired. BY these provisions it will
| appear that the kings method wal
| changed. In the beginnig he directed th'
priests and Levites to go into the cities
| and collect (verse -. Now he orders tn,
people to bring their gifts.
| OFFERING.-'rhe result OF this nev
method was gratifying. First, there wa
! general rejoicing among the princes an,