The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-16

He commanded Israel to seek the Lord. He showed his sincerity by dethronlng his own mother and burning the idol and grove she had established. He began this blessed work of reforma- ton at his very accession. The good ness of Asa was not of the negative kind. He was no contemplative re- cluse, but forceful and aggressive man, and according to current stan dards, by which alone he can be fairly Judged, he was e-eminently correct. He was not content with the moral reformation of his kingdom. he looked well to its military defenses building fortress cities and mobilizing an army of upwards of half million of we'll armed and drilled men.
 Humanly speaking, 1t would seem that Asa's piety and prudence ought to have been better rewarded But hardly had his excellent reforms been ef- fected before the invincible army of great world power invaded his territory -Zerah, the magnificent" led the army, the sheer weight of whose mum bers seemed destined to obliterate Judah. A modern analogy maintains in the inexhaustible numbers available in Russia, as compared with those Of Japan. Asa was not ignorant of the fearful odds against him, but he did
 
 person. He chose the field of battle with consummate skill. The narrow valley gave him every advantage. Hav- ing first done everything that military genius could suggest, he then had re- course to that trusty weapon of prayer.
 A finer form of prayer in case of national peril can no tbe imagined. It is brief, yet comprehensive. It is the drawing of draft on omnipotence The argument is that it is an indifferent matter of Almightiness that Asas army is outnumbered two to one by this heather horde. That Is nothing to Thee, Lord The kings prayer is heard and answered. A phenomenal victory Is won. The largest army of which record is made in Scripture, is irretrievably routed. One of the first of the world powers Is defeated by the tiny kingdom of Judah and 1t is the only instance of its kind named in the Bible. Not for three centuries did Egypt venture to send an army into Palestine.
 The Teachers Lantern.
 Less apology can be made for the idoiatry of Judah than that of Israel The temple was within its territory. It had all the priests. Yet in spite of these advantages Judah seemed to sink as deep in this sin as Israel. Three kings in succession fostered 1t.
 Asa's name signifies Healer" He was we'll named for he certainly heal ed his country of their disease. al- though his methods were heroic. He took away the altars of the strange gods. broke down the images, and hewed down the votive pillars which stood around as thick as forest trees.
 He seems to have met with little opposition. It illustrates the fact that vice Is naturally cowardly. A bold front need only to be presented to it and it sneaks away.
 Tn time of peace Asa prepared for war. The current form of fortihca- ton is aptly described, he built walls about the cities and towers, gates, and bars" Reproductions of this style of fortifcation are found in the bass relief of that age.
 The causes of the attempted invasion of Judah by Zerah may have been, CD Asa may have declined to continue as vassal to Egypt as Rehoboam had been: CD He may have refused tribute; (3) Zerah may have wished to punish Asa for organizing such an army; (4) or he may have been in quest of spoil The Bible delights to picture its he- roes in the act and attitude of prayer Abel beside his altar, Noah on Ararat, Moses hands uplifted against Anna lek. Daniel at his window in Babylon Peter on the house-top. Paul in the street "Straight,"-few of many in- stances! Among them all, the picture of Asa is second to none in effective ness.
 The Bible is terrible in its fidelity It pictures its heroes as they are. It does not gloss their faults. At the close of his splendid career Asa dimmed it all by making a foreign alliance He brib- ed the Syrians to attack Israel, and when rebuked by the prophet, he put him in the stocks.