The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-03


 xxix, 1s-31. December 4, 1904.
 Hezekfah ReOpens the Temple.
 After a monotonous succession of incompetence and viciousness in the dynasty of Judah. Hezekiah comes to the throne. It is like finding a lily on a dunghill. He stands between his Moloch- -worshiping father and his evil doing son, unsullied by either. He cultivated the arts of peace and en- riched himself and his people. He un- dertook extensive fortifcation and en- gineering works, especially the strengthening of the city walls and perfecting the water supply. He com piled a hymn-book for the Hebrew Church from the Psalms of David and Asaph, and made noble contributions to 1t himself if his sole-surviving hymn Usa. xxxviii, 10-20), may be taken as an example. But these are minor matters as compared with his wide-visioned statesmanship which un- dertook the unification of the dismem- bered nation under the original sacred charter.
 The times were very evil and ire ligious. The Chronicler tells of Is- rael's neglect of the temple in graphic phrase. They showed their backs to 1t instead of their faces. They shut the BOOTS, put out the ldInpS, anu CSdS- ed from incense and offerings. The sacred ritual was entirely discontinued Neglect of public edifice is a species of vandalism, slower, but ultimately as effective as the hammer of the icono- clast. When sweeper and artisan left off their daily work, filth accumulated and the holy and magnificent house was on the verge of dissolution.
 No reasons of State or policy de- tered the young king from at once mending this evil. He did not wait until he had tested the allegiance of his subjects or debated the matter with his counsel of princes. He immediate ly addressed himself to the task of restoring religion and strenuously squared himself to the difficulties in volved.
 The account of this house cleaning extraordinary is given with interest ing detail. The immense debris which filled the courts may be judged from the fact that it was necessary to clear 1t away first before access to the in- terior could be had. and that it re- quired eight days of incessant toll to achieve it. Eight days more were spent In the temple proper before the last load of filth was dumped Into the Kildron. The restoration of the furnt- ture followed-the brazen altar, the brazen sea, the layers. and the golden shewbread table and the vessels of va rious kinds. Some of these Ahaz had sacrilegiously cut to pieces. or had pol luted by using them at idol altars. This great and beautiful temple, itself a sermon in stone. each area of which, with its accompanying furniture, had its particular significance, was now ready for solemn reopening.
 With irrepressible solicitude the king hastened to service. The ritual of Moses and the orchestra and chorus of David were revived. There was first the expiatory service for the kingdom {: f. G.. the royal family: for the sanctu- ary itself. which had been polluted; for the priests who had been negligent and unholy. and for Judah, the whole mass of the people. Then the people praised with gladness and worshiped
 Hezekiah naturally wished to crown . this revival by observing the long omitted festival of the Passover. and to make 1t the occasion of a national