The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-05

icles xxxiv, 1-1S. August c, 1905.
 Josiah's GeOd Reign.
 The pendulum of national life in Ju- dah swung often to heathenism. and staid there inveterately. Some power full personality must needs rise to neu- tralise the magnetism before the chosen people could return to even the semo- lance of the pure faith. Such con- dition now maintained. There were horses and chariots dedicated ito the chief of the planets. and priests were burning incense to all the host of Heaven. Sexual force also was defied ana phallic signs and symbols were displayed. As the northern Kingdom was practically plotted out. and the places of the exiles taken by pagan for- eigners, the whole of Palestine was to all intents submerged by the polluting streams from heather fountains.
 It was the hand of young man that was to loosen the pendulum of national life from the magnet of heathenism. It proved an uncommonly skfllful hand as well as a resolute and strong one.
 Josiah was a lily on dunghill. He exhaled the fragrance of pure spirit above the lascivious putrescence of his times. He donned the purple al years. and straightway gave himself to God. History is silent about the in fiuenees which immediately surrounded him. But as his father is known to have been a contemptible weakling, 1t Is supposed that this Is another instance in which the hand that rocked the era dle ruled the world Aside from this there were few advantages in the boy s environment. There was no Bible. for the Book of the Law was lost. There was no regular public worship of Je- hovah It had been two hundred years since any repair had been put upon the nractfpatlv 1T, ruins and the ritual suspended.
 Yet in the darkness of the hour the rare and radiant flame of the pure the astic faith shone out, and that not with an intermittent or waning luster. but with an ever-augmenting radiance The young king was not simply negatively good. he was positively aggressive against evil. He was not only pious he was powerful The record is sig nifcant. At eight years he began to reign, and at the same time seek after the God of his fathers. When he had reigned twelve years he began to purge Judah. He thought that what was worth doing at all was worth doing well. He also gave personal attention to the work. It was done in his pres ence. Down came the high places, with their altars. The images, both carved and molten. were pulverized and strewn upon the graves of those who had wor- knlpeu them III Slkn Ol lAt liuPof of that worship. One other object les son was given. It was made necessary by the crudity of the age. Graves of the priests of Baal were opened and their bodies burned upon the very al- tars at which they had officiated. The young reforming king carried his havoc of heathenism even into the almost for kaken northern kingdom. In the ruins of the chief cities of four of the tribes. at least, he did that which he had done in Judah. only when his program was finished did he return 10 his own cap itol.
 Six years later. as a natural consum- nation, he undertook the great task of repairing of the temple-the money and material having been collected in the interval, and all the plans matured. He showed great and practical wisdom in associating the public officials with himself. All should see and know that this was a national undertaking and not a private enterprise of the king The narrative indicates an orderly method of procedure and the overseers are honored by having their names en. tered in the sacred record. And the men did the work faithfully" Signi- ficant, Sufficient
 Josiah shares the laurel with Heze kiah. These two kings of Judah among all of them, were in all respects worthy successors of David, theil father IL is very simple. but undei all the circumstances, very expres siye notation. They did right. The! turned neither to right nor left