Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-11
the news of the book. and pleaded theirs
| and the people's cause.

! the news of the book. and pleaded theirs
and the peoples cause.
THE SIN-HARDENED KING.
The king, hearing of it sent Jehmudi
to fetch the book, and read 1t to him. 1t
was in December, and the king was oc-
cupying the warmer and more protected
part of the palace, known as the winter
house. Before him burned bucket of
charcoal to temper the chill December
air. When three or four pages had been
read, he called for them, cut them in
bits with a penknife, and throwing them
on the glowing enlbers watched them
burn with glee. Elnathan and Delaiah
and Gemariah fthe father ofvthe young
man who had firste reported the matter
to the princes and the son of Shaphan.
Josiah's ,officer) pleaded with him not
to do this. They were patriots; they
loved their land and people, and how
ever much they regretted the necessi-
ty of submitting to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
they were willing to do 1t to save their
country. But their appeals were fruit
less. Jehoiakinm ordered Jehudi to con-
tinue. and after every three or four
pages he would cut them up and, burn
them in the brazer, until the whole was
destroyed. H.
Not only did he not care for what
he had done, but his heart was so hard
ened by his sin that 1t made no I'M
preston on him at all. Furthermore. he
was angry and ordered the arrest of
both Baruch and jeremiah. He did not
accomplish this. however, for the Lord
hid them. and saved them out of his
hand. $500
THE BOOK REWRITTEN AND EN-
LARGED.
| Gods command to write the book had
been an evidence of His love for these
people and even for the king He had
said to jeremiah that hearing 1t the peo-
pie may repent, and thus I may forgive
them. He was limited by them. He
wanted to do many things for them, but
they would not let Him. His desire and
effort now Is to make another effort
with the hope that they may let Him do
for them what His love prompted. The
burning of the book was a spurning of
that marvellous yearning love. But even
now see how great His love is He or
ders the book rewritten just as 1t had
been before, with the same warnings
and pleadings, breathing out the same
intense longing for them. But 1t is also
to be enlarged. There Is to be added to
it a special warning to Jeboiakim be-
cause of the special sin of spurning that
love- The great sin of Jeboiakim and of
Judah was that God warned and pleaded
with them, but they hearkened not"
Are you guilty Of that same sin? God
has been pleading with you through His
word, written and spoken; have you
hearkened? Or have you spurned It?
Many have followed Jeboiakims example
and have actually burned the Bible, but
it is the most widely published book in
the world today. Some have refused to
believe it. have sought to discredit 1t.
and have thus been guilty of his sin of
rejecting this manifestation of His love.
Some who have been professed followers
of His have cut out those portions which
did not please them, and even others
who are more pious have read but failed
to obey. 1t is not necessary that we
have a penknife and brazier to follow
Jehoiakim's wicked example. Unbelief
in, neglect of. or failure to obey. Gods
word is all that is necessary
My friend, If you have been guilty of
this sin, remember that "the word of
our God shall stand forever" regardless
of your attitude to it It Is an effort
of His love to warn you of the dangers
and to show you the way, so that He
may-note the words-He may forgive
and fill your life with the blessings His
/ Father-love prompts.