The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-08-03

JEREMIAH began 20 prophesy II. c.
t-b' In the 18th year OF Josiah soon after
JOSIAH began his first reforms. and he
prophesied 20 years. to B G. $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 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
II 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 Mogiddo On the
plain OF Esdraelon. was defeated and
Killed. Professor Kent calls this dis
aster unquestonably the most tragic
event in Hebrew history. The reform
party at once placed upon the throne
Josiahs third son. Jehoahaz. % 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 20 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 a character more suited TO
his purpose. In token OF vassalage
Ellakim changed his name Gin form.
but not in signifcance) to Jeholakim.
Jehovah raiseth up" He proved TO
be tyrant, Of whom jeremiah speaks
always In condemnation. Ills mag
niflcent 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 yillaeg three and one-halt
miles northwest from Jerusalem. His
father was Hilkiah, a priest mot the
high priest who was Josiah's sid He
was OF retiring eXQuisitely sensitive
nature, and yet had a spiritual courage
that trlumphed over all 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 pu, in the stocks.
He was publicly whipped He wss
misrepresented as an enemy. lie was
imprisoned several times But he kept
right on.
He was like an elm tree, whose
branches yield to every breeze. but
which no storm, not even one that up
heayes rocks from their beds, can
cause to move one hairs breadth from
its place in the ground Il is no won
der that he was sometimes discour-
aged, disappointed. almost despairing.
He has been called the weeping
prophet because he lived In such dark
and evil times. but the only wonder is
that he ever had such glorious CLEANS
OF hope, and that his prophetic eye
ever pierced through the darkness OF
the night tempest and saw the silver
lining beyond, and the rays OF the
coming dawn. He was "meliorist"
rather than an optimist He saw the
evil, but he was ever working TO make
II better Like a doctor In hospital
he looked at disease from the curative
In the beginning OF Jehoiakims
reign (B. c. 6OS) jeremiah makes an
earnest appeal TO the leaders and the
people, alblost like an inaugural ad-
dress, or the annual serr ION 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 civ but OF the
country are Rocking into
the court to Join In the Worship, The
reform was halting The kingdom was
by the heavy fine Of 100
talents OF silver and one of gold
(S220 000) which Necho of Egypt had
Imposed. II was a fttinl time for an
earnest appeal to repentance.
Jerusalem was acquitted by the
princes. They realized that he had
been the spokesman of God Then
some of the elders, the leading people.
nstanced the case OF the good king
Iezekiah He did not slay the prophet
Micah, who boldly threatened the de-
OF Jerusalem--that It's site
would become plowed field, and the
emple heap of ruins, ulless they re-
,ented Hezeklah did not kill Micah.
,ut on the contrary he led his people
o repentance, and the Lord averted
he danger.
The verses following tell us OF an
,ther prophet who fed from dauger
o Egypt, was followed by the ennis
aries OF Jehoiakim. brought back and
xecuted. This story is meant to show
ow serious Jeremiah's danger was
nd perhaps to contrast Jeremiah's
alth and courage with the tlmidity OF
Jriah, who yet did not escape his
nemies, but found sad end
1t is the strong adverie wind that
,akes the kite fly high toward heav-
n, provided that 1t is held fast by
IS cord. Without the string the ad-
erse winds would simply blow 1t to
IS fall and ruin. A heart fixed in
od and duty-held fast to them by
trong faith-can rise TO the highest
sefulness. can overcome every
am ntation