The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-07-27

TIME-B. Q. 621, In the 18th year of
Iosiah's reign, when he was % years old.
Stage ~ OF the last lesson.
PLACE-The Temple and Palace at
Jerusalem.
PERSONS-Josiah the king. Huldah
the prophecies. Hilkiah the high priest.
Shaphan the scribe or secretary
with hundreds OF millions Of Bibles
IN existence and several millions more
printed every year, 1t is somewhat diff
6cult for US to imagine how knowledge
of the written Bible, and of the exact
tenor of it's teachings could be lost.
Some facts will help us to understand.
There we're at that time very few
copies of the sacred books In exist
ence They were very expensive. Il
was customary for these copies to be
kept In the temple, while the copy
which (according to the law was
made for the use of the king, would
most certainly have perished under
such kings as Manasseh and Anon.
1t is plain that the finding OF this
book was not the discovery OF some
thing unknown before, but the rescu.
ing of the temple copy Of the law from
the hiding place in which 1t had long
lain" II must have been the ancient
copy Of the law. and not book writ.
zen. as some critics think, by unknown
persons In the reign of Manasseh,
never seen or used among the Jews
before.
When they brought out from the old
chests in the temple the money con.
tributed for repairs. which had been
deposited In the safest hiding place,
Hilkiah the priest. who had charge OF
the money, in searching the chest
found at the bottom a book of the law
of the Lord, the law given by Moses.
Hilkiah delivered the book to Shap-
han, King Josiah's secretary of state,
as the fitting person to show II to the
king. When Shaphan reported the
contributions and the work on the TEN.
pie he brought the book with him, told
how II had been found, and read It to
the king
The king heard the book read, and
he assembled the elders and priests,
and the Levites. They made public
covenant and pledge. The king him.
self first made a public covenant be.
fore the Lord, to walk after the Lord.
and to keep his commandments, with
all his heart.
This was very similar to the great
meeting under Joshua on the slopes Of
Mount Ebal and Gerizim eight centu'
ries before, on taking possession of
the Promised Land. The same motives
we're presented, and the same cove
nant made.
The covenant was made under the
power of the strongest and best mo-
tives that could be brought to bear
upon them, when their minds we're up
lifted into clearest vision, above the
smoke and clouds of earth. That was
the right time to make decision. God
has given us feelings on purpose to
move us to decide Alright.
Josiah restored the regular temple
services under the priests and Le
vites; and he celebrated passover
such as had not been celebrated from
the days of the judges that judged Is
rael. nor in all the days of the kings
of Israel, nor of the kings of judah
From all parts of the land the people
focked up to the renovated temple and
Joined with every demonstration OF
gladness In the eight days festivity
prepared for them Thirty thousand
males of full age attended. During al
these days the services of the temple
choir were brought into requiistion--
the singers of the famous clan Of
Asaph chanting, In relays, the psalms
for the season, appointed centuries be
fore by David, Asaph and Jeduthun.
The Bible may be lost today by neg
lecting it-neglecting to read 1t daily
Neglecting family reading and prayers
Neglecting to read its stories to little
children. BY disobeying 1t. Disobey
ing Its precepts dulls the conscience
and the whole moral nature, so that Il
may be said, Eyes have they, but
they see not, ears have they but they
hear not"
BY being SO absorbed In worldly
things that while he heareth the wore
with his ears, "the care OF this world
and the deceitfulness of riches, choke
Inc WOIu, anu uS bSSoHlClh uhli uiI
full" BY keeping the Word far from
daily life, so that all its blessed truths
are admired but not geared on to righ
action.
BY making the Bible unattractive
have heard a number of ministers reat
the Bible so poorly that people were
not interested in 1t, listened careless
ly, and liked 1t less than II It had beer
unread. Then the printing of the Re
vised Version Is 80 solid as to be un
attractive and difficult to use. BY les
sening its authority It makes a vas
difference in the power of the Bible
whether It is received as only tn,
thoughts of men. or as a message from
God. BY neglecting all the light tha
IL shining upon It from many sources
Find the Bible-Get acquainted will
It. Read it. Study it. Know what Il
In It, One of the best things in tn,
Sunday school, in the Epworth League