The Green Forest tribune., 1911-08-04

We turn now from the career and character of good boy who became good king, to bad young man who became bad king; while the same prophet who aided the first for IS years tried now to stem the tide of evil favored by the other during the Il years of his reign.
 Thirteen years of labors to make his people serve and obey God have passed since Josiah entered upon his Egypt marched along the seacoast of Palestine northward to meet the armies of Assyria Foolishly and need lessly espousing the Assyrian cause, Josiah met him at Megiddo on the plain of Esdraelon, was defeated and killed. Professor Kent calls this dis aster unquestionably the most tragic event in Hebrew history The reform party at once placed upon the throne Josiah's third son, Jehoahaz, 23 years old, evidently because he resembled his father, but as soon as the victor AOdS ANO1lO ICllil hCd H VIII tAC A-uPtl o tes he reversed the arrangement, car ried Jehoahaz in chains to Egypt after a reign of only three months, and left on the throne his elder brother, Ella kim, 25 years old, rightly judging him to be of a character more suited to his purpose. In token of vassalage Eliakim changed his name Gin form, but not in significance) to Jehoiakim, Jehovah raiseth up." He proved to be tyrant, of whom Jeremiah speaks always in condemnation. His mag nificent palace, built by forced labor, his murder of the prophet Uriah and his persecution of Jeremiah show his character
 Jeremiah was native of Anathoth, a little -villaeg three and one-half miles northwest from Jerusalem His father was Hilkiah, priest (not the high priest who was Josiah's aid). He was of retiring, exQuisitely sensitive nature, and yet had spiritual courage that triumphed over all weakness, and compelled his body to the most diff ficult and dangerous duties. He never failed He was the butt of ridicule and scorn He was put in the stocks. He was publicly whipped. He was misrepresented as an enemy. He was imprisoned several times. But he kept right on.
 He was like an elm tree. whose branches yield to every breeze, but which no storm, not even one that up heaves rocks from their beds, can cause to move one hairs breadth from its place in the ground. It is no won- der that he was sometimes discour- aged, disappointed, almost despairing. He has been called 'the weeping prophet because he lived in such dark and evil times, but the only wonder is that he ever had such glorious gleams of hope, and that his prophetic eye ever pierced through the darkness of the night tempest and saw the silver lining beyond, and the rays of the coming dawn. He was "meliorist" rather than an optimist. He saw the evil, but he was ever working to make it better Like a doctor in hospital he looked at disease from the curative standpoint.
 In the beginning of Jehoiakims 8 reign (B c. 608) Jeremiah makes an earnest appeal to the leaders and the people, almost like an inaugural ad- dress, or the annual sermon preached in Boston on the inauguration of the governor of the state. The prophet stands in the court of the temple. The people not only of the city but of the surrounding country are Hooking into the court to join in the worship. The reform was halting. The kingdom was Impoverished by the heavy fine of 100 talents of silver and one of gold ($220,000) which Necho of Egypt had imposed. It was a fitting time for an earnest appeal to repentance.
 Jerusalem was acquitted by the princes. They realized that he had been the spokesman of God Then some of the elders, the leading people, instanced the case of the good king Hezekiah. He did not slay the prophet Micah, who boldly threatened the de- struction of Jerusalem-that its site would become a plowed field, and the temple heap of ruins, unless they re- pented. Hezekiah did not kill Micah, but on the contrary he led his people to repentance, and the Lord averted the danger.
 The verses following tell us of an- other prophet who fled from danger to Egypt, was followed by the emls- saries of Jehoiakim, brought back and executed This story is meant to show how serious Jeremiah's danger was and perhaps to contrast Jeremiah faith and courage with the timid1ty of Uriah, who yet did not escape his enemies, but found sad end.
 It is the strong adverse wind that makes the kite fly high toward heav- en, provided that it is held fast by its cord. Without the string the ad- verse winds would simply blow it to its fall and ruin. A heart fixed in God and duty-held fast to them by a strong faith-can rise to the highest usefulness, can overcome every temptation.
 Revival work and decision days, wisely used, are the most effective re, inforcements of the common powers that move to the choice of the better life. One of the strongest influences against choosing the right lies in the gang spirit, the power of popular leader and a band of associates. We need to counteract this downward mower by the atmosphere. the motive