The Raymer enterprise., 1911-04-13
Sunday sels.l L..,sa ,fss April q, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper

places was allowed 10 go on. Theso
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 Athaliah. In the Tenn.
pie lived his best friends. There he
had been crowned. No wonder he
came to love those courts, and to sor-
row over their dilapidated condition.
Joash called together the priests
and the Levltes. and bade them draw
from the regular funds for the Tenn
pie restoration. This money Of the
dedicated things, the money conse-
Grated to religious uses by tho people.
was obtained from three sources:
Money Of every one that passeth tho
account; that Is. the poll-ta1 Of a half.
shekel paid by every male Hebrew
above the age Of 20 whenever a cen.
sus was taken. Money that every
man Is set at; "All 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 tho church,
have little heart In their work. "The
facetious Sydney Smith had two
yokes Of oxen on his little farm in
Yorkshire to which he gave the
names Of Tug and Lug Haul and
Crawl These would be appropriate
names for large class Of church
members who put no heart into their
Christian work. It Is mere tug and
toll and task to them.
There Is lack Of cooperation. A
minister called upon a member who
had been neglecting the week.night
service. and went straight up to the
fireplace In the sitting room, and
with the tongs removed a live coal
from of the fire. and placed It on the
hearth. then watched It while It turn.
ed from the red glow Of heat to a
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. It is all summed up
In one cause, tho 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.
ed them, with some Indignation,
"Why repair ye not the breaches Of
the house?"
A very simple plan was adopted.
appealing directly to the religious
zeal Of the people. A wooden chest
was taken, and a slit was made In the
lid for the money to pass through.
This was set beside the altar. How
did Joash's plan succeed? Admirably;
It brought In much money. People
like to give directly to a cause, to
know Just how their money is 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 1t up In
bags. 1t was then given to the over.
seers Of the work. and they paid It 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 is made only by fix.
ing upon a goal and allowing nothing
to turn one aside till the goal Is
reached.
The crown Of Joash's life was what
he did for the house Of God. Such
work will be tho crown Of any life
that undertakes It. There Is room
In Gods house for all kinds Of work.
ers and all degrees Of skill. Even
the youngest scholar In the Sunday
school can make . helpful contribu.
ton to the Temple service.
Work for the church should be pro
gressive; We should become more Of.
ncient church workers every year.
To this end II is necessary that We
begin young, Just as singers and
piano players begin young.
"Jack Of all trades and master Of
none" Is as true Of church work as Of
work in secular callings. Every
young Christian will be wise II he sc.
lects some line Of work for God and
cultivates It a. his specially. II may
be singing. or teaching. or social
work, or administrative work, or
evangelistic work. or the use Of the
pen. Whatever II Is, he cannot make
the selection too early or begin too
soon on his preparation. II will be
tho very best work Of his life, and II
deserves the best years Of bis
life and the fullness Of every one Of
his powers.