The Holt County sentinel., 1911-04-21
J0ASH REPAIRS
THE TEMPLE
Soaay Sehss, Lsssss fss April -, 1911
Specially Arranged Tor This Paper


l Chron. 2s.s
TIME-ln the twenty.third year Of
Joashs reign. s6t n. e. tBeechcr). 81 B.
G. tHastines). Joash was slain in the
fortieth year Of his reign. N7 u. g. Bee
cher. 500 H. G. ,Hastings,.
PLACE Jerusalem, and the Temple.
K1NGS-iinzacl Is king OF Syria. Je-
hoahaz has succeeded Jehu In Israel; In
Assyria Shalmanezer H. has died and
mssh-ratufnan hRs come To the throne.
Joash did that which was right In
the sight OF the Lord while Jehoiada
the high priest was alive. but after
the death OF that good man Joash al.
lowed the people TO become idolaters
again. Even during Jehoida's life,
moreover. the worship at the high
places was allowed TO 20 on. These
local sanctuaries were held to be con.
ducive to true religion. The Temple
was his boyhood home, his safe ref.
uge for seven years from the murder.
Gus cruelty Of Athaiiah. In the Tenn
pie lived his best friends. There he
had been crowned. No wonder he
came to love those courts. and to sol
row over their dila pidated condition
Joash called together the priests
and the Ievites. and babe them draw
from the regular funds for the TEN.
pie restoration. This money Of ths
dedicated things. the money conse.
Grated to religious uses by the people
was obtained from three sources:
Money OF every one that passeth the
account: that is. the poll.tax OF half.
shekel paid by every male Hebrew
above the age Of 20 whenever 4 cen.
sus was taken. Money that every
man II set at: IAN the assessments.
Money that cometh into any mans
heart TO bring: The free.will offerings
OF the people for this purpose. which
might be large.
The church workers. even when
they take thought for the church.
have little heart In their work. The
facetious sydney Smith had two
Jokes OF oxen on his little farm In
Yorkshire 10 which ne gave the
names Of Tug and Lug Haul and
Crawl These would be appropriate
names for a large class OF church
members who put no heart into their
Christian work. II In mere tug and
toll and task to them.
There In q lack OF cooperation. A
minister called upon member who
had been neglecting the week.nisht
service. and went straight M TO the
fireplace In the sitting room. and
with the tonss removed q live Goa,
from on the fire. and placed II on the
hearth. then watched II while Il turn.
ed from the red glow Of heat to
black mass. The member In question
carefully observed the proceeding.
and then said. "You need not say
single word, sir; I'll be there on
Wednesday night" No church fire
can burn brightly II the Goals are pull.
ed apart.
Though many other reasons might
be given for the failure when church
work falls behind, Il 10 all summed up
In one cause. the absence Of Christ.
Getting Christ into the people will
solve the problem Of getting people
into the church." and getting them to
work when they are there.
With the frankness and openness
with which all church matters should
BE- treated, Joash sent for Jehoida
and the subordinate priests and ask.
Cd them. with some indignation.
"Why repair " not the breaches Of
the house?"
A very simple plan was adopted.
appealing directly 10 the religious
zeal Of the people. A wooden chest
was taken. and . slit was made In the
I'D for the money to pass through.
This was set beside the altar. How
| did JOssh's plan succeed? Admirably;
II brought In much money. People
like to give directly to Q cause. to
know Just how their money 10 spent.
They are far more likely to respond
to special than TO general appeals.
The kings secretary and the high
priest went together to the chest
counted the money. and put II up In
bags. II was then given to the over
seers OF the work. and they paid II out
TO the carpenters. builders. masons and
the men that furnished the timber.
hewn stone. and iron and brass. Moth
ing was spent on mere ornaments
everything was devoted to the solid
repair OF the fabric. In all church
work progress IL made only by fx.
ing upon q goal and allowing nothing
to turn one aside till the goal IL
reached.
The crown of Joash's life was what
he did for the house Of God. Such
work will be. the crown OF any life
that undertakes II, There IL room
in Gods house for all kinds Of work
ers and all degrees Of skin. Even
the youngest scholar In the Sunday
school can make q helpful contribu.
ton to the Temple service.
Work for the church should be pro-
gressive; we should become more Of.
hcient church workers every year.
To this end II Ia necessary that We
begin young, Just - singers and
plano players begin young.
Jack OF all trades and master Of
none" IL a. true Of church work - Of
| vork IN sacular callinRa Bvarv