Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-07-28

The greatest material treasure the
world has ever known was found in
an old chest one day. 1t came about
in this way: Josiah had given orders
for the repair of the temple. Following
the plan of Josiah. the money needed
had been collected by the Levites from
the people of Judah and many of the
cities of Israel. 1t had been turned
over to HiIhich. the priest, who had
stored it in chests about the temple UNI
til 1t should be needed. one day he
opened one of these chests to get the
money and found something of far
greater value. 1t was an old roll of
parchment many hundreds of years old,
which when unrolled was found to be
the temple copy of the Scriptures which
had been prepared under the direction
of Moses 1t was extremely valuable
in itsel- as an old manuscript, but 1t
was l. countless vaIue because it con-
tanned the beginnings of the revela
ton of God to His people.
The wonder of it is that it had not
been looked for before. The command
had been that each king should have a
copy of 1t made for himself, which he
should read and study that he might
know Gods will and walk in its way.
But 1t is rather certain that for at least
a hundred years and probably more, 1t
had been lying in that box unused. II
has been suggested that come TO be
there in this way: That when Ahaz
was ruthlessly destroying the holy
things, some pious priest took 1t out OF
the ark and hid it in this box to pre-
vent it's destruction. At any rate ii had
mi N
for many decades.
Can you imagine the excitement that
was created by the find? Hilkiah's
very words show something of Tive
found le book of the law of Jeho-
vahp' Then Shaphan, the scribe, and
Hilkiah, the priest, and probably 9TH
ers, got off in some secluded corner and
examined 1t eargerly. They must have
read it through then and there, for later
Shaphan seems to have selected those
passages of it to read to Josiah which
were best suited to the conditions ex-
listing.
Then Shaphan took it to the king. Note
the manner in which he announced it to
Josiah. He was somewhat guarded. he
said: Your servants have done all that
you nave commanded as you ordered it,.
In emptying one of the boxes, Hilkiah
found a book, which ! have brought
you"
He concealed his excitement very we'll
He wanted to let the book burst upon
the king in all its strength and beauty
without any cloud of doubt to have
arisen in his mind as to whether 1t was
really the book OF Moses or not. AS
he read the effect produced was greater
than he had expected Josiah heard the
instructions for the passover, and real
lied how they had been neglected. He
heard me blessings provided for faith
fulness, and appreciated that they could
not claim them He heard the curses
read that should come upon king and
people should the people forsake Jeho-
vi for idols, and he realized that con-
ditions were such that escape seemed inn
possible. His distress. became agoniz-
ing, and he tore his clothes after the
eastern manner of expressing grief.
HIS SALVATION.
Josiah lost no time. He sent com
mittee to the representative of God to
enquire what should be the outcome.
1t is rather remarkable that this person
was not jeremiah nor Zephaniah, but
Huldah. woman, the wife of one of the
officers of the temple and who lived
in one of the rooms on the edge of the
temple area. These men were pious and
Godfearing but God did not limit Him
self to them; He uses all kinds of in
struments in accomplishing His work