The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-15
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

SUBJECT Asa's Good Re
GOLDEN trEXT': Help us
Thoe-II. Chron. 14:11.
BY Rcv.5J. d. Gilbert D. D., Secretary
l-~--~-~~,~~~~~> -~-~>>> 49,
INTRODUCED The history Of Israel
was twice written by inspired 3inetl--i u
s y se ee sws SGks
c gnFs ss piEis sra Nohe1na and issssr
Both records made Davia y e,,n,,, t,,e
i neenseoue,,ces OF SIM while tile priests
sought TO maintain the INSTITUTIONS , g
religion. OF which they we're I tle
fnined 10 the northern half Of tie ki Ils
dom. created by tho rebellion Under y e. Gr-
oboan,, and carried into perpetual ca s ~.
nl,ity and disaster. This quarter we shall
be occupied with selected passages , per per
taining TO the southern hall Of THO e ~.
pirc, called the KINGDOM OF ,uaan n;,n Mto -
be- be- overthrown The differences between
the northern and southern Kingdom was
that the former had more II ireq 1, ossn1e
attained to many OF the cnioincd virtues
and much OF tho consequent peace ..lno y.
the Mosaic economy ~. 9ne q theso
a.
vas rged & .Mo w fRsd0 Kings Reno
looam and Abijah. the first ana the SsG-
o Never ai for David sake. God bore
with their offenses Kings, Ky: 90, aa,u
granted many favors During the E, sWen MY
one years q ineir a re q an attempt
10 regain the5revolted tribes. rss.lting IN
a measure Of success, so that the SOY 4ns.,
eregnty Of 1d1 was a Ssn Sawhed
upon tho land at the death Of "a p1Ja II,
who was succeeded by his som Asa (verso
ID, a man of rectitnde,, who, abandoniln,S
that which was right in Tho sight of the
Lord (verse % 1t is not easy to account
for tho character OF the, man If g y n !,
little ought to have been expected On
the paternal side there were three gen
eratons OF sin. On the maternal side we
little aye Ina ms nd 9I herefore
heathen.i He is a rare man who brea KS
away from all the early Influences! re-
sists the tendency Of blood and .eou 3,a1 !
valiant defender and promoter OF re hll- -
SiCONOcLAs ST. Fortunately the history
does not pause with a mere reference
to the character OF King Asa. Hs was q 2
man Of deeds, and he employed his hlsh
office in advancing the cause 81 reils lol,.s
He began with the destruction 81, the h ai1
been set up Verse 81 1durlrl the three
preceding reigns, undoing what SOLO mon
in his later what R e = ,a
received the royal approval Of an entire
generation He evenBdeposed his mothers
from tho rank Of queen-mother-7a POSI-,
Rings Kin i ilE:isAbceause she had set up
an idol for impure OH les Il Kings, Ky:
13), and he cut down and burned her
brook Hebron, just as Moses had treated
the golden calf. EXODUS. xxxxii: 20 he
cut down the groves III which. worship
had been ffered heather diYinitles, rs ,H-
5votions that had been Offered. = Q broke
down the images, or. W hat is "a }pettef
rendering, the statutes, the public reg}H q,
lations for the conduct OF Hreti- 70
glon. q East 81.
REFORMER.- Having thus overthToYnz
4 all forms and appliances for the wors hip
the reformation or Reconstruction Of the
religious system introduced bys Moses
He Issued a proclamation Verse d call
seek the Lord He desired a spiritual re-
turn, turning away from the sabonhna
ton. tho yielding OF the heart IN an ear. ear
nest inquiry after the God Of their
moral and ceremonial law, together with
all the commandments, thus touching
every side Of the life Of the peoplte11clvli,
doing he restored the ancient order OF
things, and made his kingdom. so far as
it was possible at that. time the k lin
OF David, his @illustrious ancestor. It is
no wonder that.as a. result the text de- 3
clares that 5"the kin dom was 9 uieta#
Syerse y e % bg o. otnerWse
dom and the goodness Of their sovereign,
and under he wholesome laws delivered
from heaven exodus, KID, Justice and
security and plenty once more gladdened
= tPR 1'eSS; + with the overthrow
Of idolatry and the re-establishment Of
been expected. there camea desire and
an opportunity for external improvements.
+ a righteous king always seeks the vel
always lss % p no aa w5thout
difficulty Asa secured the operation of
his subjects, who had learned to trust him
na ad IF rs
We're Sc, &c 10 ' work building fenced cities;
Walls. towers gates and lbars anpea;red
steamships. libraries, hospitals, schools
and CHURCHES But in that day, when en-
first concern Of a rghteous people was
security against enemies, The times Of
prosperity were therefore i. employed II. IN
order IN Asas thought--rig hteousness.
craftsmanship Of the highest order. 11
MILITARY.--While serving G cd and
trusting him, King Ash did not depend
Wholly upon P Pr srb power r.d for the ma
parent N the building Gf fenced I'd !, citie aa
ideas OF certain modern peace societies.
lie knew that as long as men Weretrnd e.
the control Of evil passions they would
fight. Hence he had an army. an inn
mensc one It was. of wn!cll any sovereign
in Europe would be proud. tYcrse 81
Three hundred Thousand ont OF the tribe
of Judah, and nearly as many a, more from
a6sorbed lin The Kingdom OF 5 ga an
They were armed part with spears and
part with bows the inplemerts. as, q war var,
tary support was IN run harmony With
tions. Israel went out OF Egypt q we'll
organized army, (I1x. n: 49,. Joshua en-
tered Canaun and conquered It, Josh, 81:
:9) David, the poet, tho man after Gods
own heart aA The warri9r Who sloW
foes (Psalms Xviii: 3a,) "A
IGN EN- r sS, Asa s preparations for VA r
fr.v