Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-08-02


prophesied 40 years, to B. c. 5S6, the year
that the Temple was destroyed and Jeru-
salem burned to the ground.
We turn now from the career and
character of a good boy who became
good king, to bad young man who
became a bad king; while the same
prophet who aided the first for 1S
years tried now to stem the tide of
evil favored by the other during the
II years Of his reign.
Thirteen years of labors to make his
people serve and obey God have
passed since Josiah entered upon his
great reform. The Pharaoh Nccho Of
Egypt marched along the seacoast Of
Palestine northward to meet tho
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, % years
old, evidently because he resembled
his father, but as soon IS the victor
ious Necho returned from the Euphra-
tes he reversed the arrangement, car
ried Jehoahaz in chains to Egypt after
reign of only three months, and left
on the throne his elder brother, Ella
kim, rs years old, rightly judging him
to be of character more suited to
his purpose In token of vassalage
Eliakim changed his name Tin form,
but not in signifcance) to Jehoiakim,
Jehovah raiseth up" He proved to
be a 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,
little villaeg three and one-half
miles northwest from Jerusalem. His
father was Hilkiah, priest (not the
high priest who was Josiah's add. He
was of retiring, exquisitely sensitive
nature, and yet had spiritual courage
that triumphed over all weakness, and
compelleds 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. BE he kept
right on.
branches yield to every breeze, but
which no storm, not even one that ulS
heaves rocks from their beds, can
cause to move one hairs breadth from
its place in the ground. 1t is 10 won
der that he was sometimes disc 2ur'
aged, disappointed, almost desp' ing.
He has been called "the weeping
prophet" because he lived in such dark
and evil times, but the only wonder 1s
that he ever had such glorious CLEANS
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 a "meaorist
rather than an opt.mist. He saw the
evil, but he was ever working to make
it better. Like dnctor in hospital
he looked at disease from the curative
standpoint.
In the beginning of Jehoiakim's
reign (B. C. 60S) jeremiah makes an
earnest appeal 10 the leaders and the
people, almost like all 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 focking into
the court to join in the worship. The
reform was hating. The kingdom was
impoverished by the heavy fine OF loo
talents of silver and one of gold
($22O,COOj which Necho CT Egypt Lao
imposed. 1t was fitting time for an
earnest appeal to repentance.
Jerusalem was acquitted by ths
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 tie 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. Rezekiah 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 oanger
to Egypt, was followed by the ennis
saries Of Jehoiakim, brought back and
executed. This story is meant to show
how serious Jeremiah's danger was
and perhaps to contrast Jerelniah's
faith and courage with the timidity OF
Uriah, who yet did not escape his
enemies. but found a sad END.
It is the strong adverse wind that
makes the kite fly high toward heav-
en-, provided that 1t is held fast by
its cord. Without the string the ad.