The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-28
OPENING woRDs.-1sulal,. the proph-

OPENING NOTWITHSTANDING. the proph-
af rs, otarlshed IL judah U durSs the
three weeks we have studied pnrrtts 3 i o :
thso mercy mercy and pro mnie" Of God through
Christ, containing abstract state,
ens y pnepEes Fer s ano
eral weeks, beginning to-day, we shall
have passn ges III sacred history, where M g,
n various spiritual truths are ex l1iiaa !
IN the sreteThs KITES or suf fnnr
Of &c aod. 81 thers fdelittSy or dlsioyaiiy. as,
played the principles that were ", re trea rSa
cH hs hs bsdry s are
~ Instructive and conurmntory. Manns-
sch. OF whom We study, today su 't,I. u
cd Hese 81 q i the fifteen,h klm ~ h %
reign ana we shall not &c. consider any
EVIL ~ - i bfaN Verses j. D,1rho his.
densed statement showing the kings
general character written, therefore. nf-
ter his decease. In. 50 doing, nc, pu .l tIe
Sn one ' II ras pnfe e. sfa Sen
entered upon his duties at twelve years i
Of age On the death Of his e Iher' ni ana
continued until 67 years ~ af nc r ihnu
any any Who i'o preceded Kim. Strange e say
he had not 5profited BY his fathers eX,
.perienec whose life was prolong IS ~, IN
event which ought. TO have made q = ,t deep
impression upon the entire royal iam ny
But he aid evil In the sight Of the ! t6 6rr
rejecting tic obligations laid upon him m
Undertake Mosaic law, following aller
tho abomlnnble Of the ne neat1 hn
who, because Of their weK tsa,t nnu
2o). This summary account Is expanded q
In verses following.
jIIEATHEN WORSHIP verse :9'-Iu,trn-
LIZ egsar as ns Io
down the places dedcated ~ Ah ;rSes so
e nEs Syth cy weTe
established IN groves In the mountains and 1
1was es s%aat
s uITe 'delty.of the Cananitish nations.
and he introduced also various services Ge
the tnat Is e 81 nauye
Worship appealed strongly to the sensual
part OF man. many OF the exercises. !, be
tpSg g Ninr h'Saxy
xx:s-D and he diverted The religious. !, OBJ ,,
servnnces from Jerusalem Mnsre ,,r .mrs
bad "a ,1 been aPIpolnted WIN g piSN.e 81
This Step to establish, Worship in tn, the
groves was accompanied Dy eiihs
was more wicked still. The king entered
Into the temple, built by solomon, - an r,a
held III profound reverence by the people
a $ the center of their Ldevotions. and pol
iuted ut In a most shocking manner. re
may have been{Ignorant of what had been
said Of this holy place q Kings, VIII :29.
but If 80 he wass2not less blnsphelnous
There he erected affairs for heathen
deities and orthe heavenly host ,s =, ihus
ceremonies, appointed for Almighty God
under the Mosaic ritual These affairs
were }pIaced in the two courts,iln. full view
Of all who cameo The temple became q
heather temple, where AZ, the hhomiin! IA
and degraded the people, and this was
done BY command Of the king, who prosti-
tIIted hts power to this base purpose. The
defender Of the faith had oyerthrown i.
The vice gerent of God had betrayed his
= PERSONAL PRACTICES Verse g.
What has thus far been described was
official bad enough&to& cover his name
With eternal lnfamy. He who uses his
power In high place TO- subvert me
general purpose and injure the people Is z
traitor worthy Of death. But we learn
that what Manasseh encouraged others 10
do he himself did. He added his example
10 his decree. There are several partlcu- !,
lars of his iwickedness. s. First. he uedl-
Gated his own children to Molech me
tuteiary deity of the children OF Ammon'
inhuman ceremony against which the
Jsra elites had been warned I1av. xVlii2t, 4