The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-12-21
LESSONS OF COMFORT.
Dr.. Talmage Draws a Text from
Rescue of Joash.
The House of David Saved from Ex-
tinctiOn by JehOsheba's He
roio Deed-Work of Soul
Saving.

some comforting lessons ana show
that all around US are royal nature
that we may help deliver. The text i
2 Kings 11:2, 8: "Jehosheba, tn,
daughter of King Joram. sister o
Ahaziah, took Joash, the son of Aha
ziah, and stole him from among th'
kings sons which were slain, and they
hid him. even him and his nurse, il
the bedchamber from Athaliah. sc
that he was not slain. And he was
with her hid in the house of the LORD
six years"
Grandmothers are more lenient
with their children's children than
they were with their own. At 40 years
of age If discipline be necessary chas-
tisement Is used, but at 10 the grand
mother, looking upon the misbehayior
OF the grandchild. is apologetic and
disposed TO substitute confectionery
for whip. There is nothing more beau
tifUl than childhood. Grandmother
takes out her pocket handkerchief
and wipes her spectacles and puts
them on and looks down into the face
OF her mischievous and rebellious de-
scendant and says: 81 don't think he
meant to do II. Let him off this time.
I'll be responsible for his behavior In
the future" My mother, with the
second generation around her, bois-
ferrous crew, said one day: 81 suppose
they ought to be disciplined, but l
can't do 1t. Grandmothers are not flt
70 bring up grandchildren" But here
In my text We have a grandmother Of
a different type.
have been at Jerusalem, where the
occurrence Of the text took place, and
the whole scene came wildly before
me while l was going over the site OF
the ancient temple and climbing the
towers of the kings palace. Here in
the text II Is old Athaliah. the royal
murderess. She ought to have been
honorable. Her father was king
Her husband was a king. Her son
was king. And yet we find her plot
ting for the determination Of the en-
tire royal family, including her own
grandchildren. The executioners'
knives are sharpened. The palace Is
red with the blood Of princes and
princesses. On all sides are shrieks
and hands thrown up and struggle
and death grosn. No mercy XIII,
kill But while the ivory floors Of the
palace run with carnage and the whole
land IL under the shadow of great
horror a heet-footed woman, a clergy
mans wife. Jehosheba by name,
stealthily approaches the imperial
nursery, seizes upon the grandchild /
that had somehow as yet escaped /
massacre, wraps Il up tenderly but in /
haste, snuggles II against her, flies
down the palace stairs. her heart in
her throat lest she be discovered in .
this compassionate abduction. Get her
out OF the way as quick as you can,
for she carries a precious burden, even
a young king. With this youthful
prize she presses into the room Of the
ancient temple, the church Of olden
time, unwraps the young king and
puts him down, sound asleep as he is
and unconscious of the peril that has
been threatened, and there for six
years he Is secreted In that church
apartment. Meanwhile old Athaliah
smacks her lips with satisfaction and
thinks that all the royal family are
dead. But the six years expire. and
Il is time for young Joash to come
'orth and take the throne and to push
back into disgrace and death old Ath-
allah.
The arrangements are all made for
political revolution. The military come
ind take possession Of the temple.
wear loyalty to the boy Joash and
tand around for his defense See the
harpened swords and the FURNISHED
hields Everything is ready. Now
Ioash, half affrighted at the armed
ramp of his defenders, scared at the
of his admirers, is brought
orth in full regalia. The scroll OF au-
hority is put In his hands, the coronet
{ government is put on his brow, and
he people clapped and waved and
uzzaed and trumpeted. "What is
hat?" said Athaliah. "What is that
ound over in the temple2" And she
les to see, and on her way they meet
er and say; why. haven't you
eard2 You thought you had slain
Il the royal family, but Joash has
ome to light" Then the royal mur-
eress. frantic with rage, grabbed her
lantle and tore 1t to tatters and cried q
ntil she foamed at the mouth: "You
ave no right TO crown my grandson. {
on have no right TO take the govern
tent from my shoulders. Treason,
While she stood there crying that
ie military started for her arrest. and '
le took a short cut through back j
oor Of the temple and ran through the {
'yal stables, but the battleaxes of the n
ilitary fell on her in the barnyard. d
Id for many a day when the horses 0
ere being unloosened from the chariot Z
ter drawing out young Joash the o
Try steeds would snort and rear pass s.
& the place as they smell the place of +
e carnage. p
The first thought l hand you from b
is subject is that the determination Il
righteousness is an impossibility. v
hen a woman is good. she is apt 10 be g
ry good. and when she is bad she is q
It TO be very bad. and this Athaliah p
rs one OF the latter sort. She would nj
terminate the last scion of the house h
David, through whom Jesus was to m
me. There was plenty Of work for u