The Elbert County tribune., 1911-07-28
JEREMIAH TRIED
AND ACQUITTED
ssday School Lesson fer Ausssts. 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
LESSON TExT-Jeremiah rs.
MEMORY VERSES 1a-tI

same year and reigned eleven years, Il. G.
hos to 59T.
PLACE-Jerusaiem and Judah.
JEREMIAH began to prophesy b. c.
ZIG. In the 18th year of Josiah. soon after
Josiah began his first reformsi and he
prophesied 40 years. to b. c. $50. the year
that the Temple was destroyed and Jeru-
salem burned to the ground.
We turn now from the career and
character of good boy who became
a good king. to a bad young man who
became bad king: while the same
prophet Who aided the first for Is
years tried now to stem the tide of
evil favored by the other during the
IL 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 Necho of
Egypt marched along the seacoast Of
Palestine northward to meet the
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, 23 years
old, evidently because he resembled
his father, but as soon as the victor
ious Necho returned from the Euphra-
tes he reversed the arrangement. car
ried Jehoahaz in chains to Egypt after
a reign of only three months. and left
on the throne his elder brother, Ella
kim, 25 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 significance) to Jehoiakim.
Jehovah raiseth up" He proved to
be 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 mot the
high priest who was Josiahs add. He
was of retiring, exquisitely sensitive
nature, and yet had spiritual courage
that triumphed over Eli weakness. and
compelled 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. But he kept
right on.
In the beginning of Jehoiakim's
reign (B. c. 60S) jeremiah makes an
earnest appeal to the leaders and the
people. almost like an 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 100
talents of silver and one OF gold
(s22O ,00O) which Necho had imposed.
Jerusalem was acquitted by the
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 the prophet
Micah, who boldly threatened the de-
struction of Jerusalem-that its site
would become plowed field. and the
temple heap of ruins, unless they re
pented. Hezekiah 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 fed from danger
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 Jeremiah's 8
faith and courage with the timidity OF
Uriah. who yet did not escape his
enemies. but found sad end.
1t is the strong adverse wind that
makes the kite fly high toward heav-
en-, provided that It is held fast by
its cord. Without the string the ad.
verse winds would simply blow 1t to
It's fall and ruin. A heart fixed in
God and duty-held fast to them by a
strong faith-can rise to the highest
usefulness. can overcome every
temptation.
Revival work and decision days,
wisely used, are the most effective re-
lnforcements of the common powers
that move to the choice of the better
life. One of the strongest influences
against choosing the right lies in the
gang spirit, the power Of popular
leader and band Of associates.
Every child, like the young king Of
this lesson, is born into world where
many good influences and many bad
ones are awaiting his choice of the