Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-13

when they had called upon God, He had
heard and responded. That was their
condition then; God had been forsaken
for the idols, varied and manifold; they
were without teachers; they were with
out law; there was no peace within or
without, cities were constantly striving
against each other, and nation against
nation. God had allowed these things
to come into their lives to vex them
and turn them to Him, the only source
of peace. He urged Asa not to be dis
couraged. nor to relax, but to continue
his constructive work. for God would
surely reward him.
Azariah, for such was the prophets
name, did a great work then, and in the
way a preacher should. He, Eealized and
held up before the proper civil authori-
ties the great ideal which should be
striven for. He had studied the peoples
need, had seen thes degradation which
sin had wrought, had contemplated God
and had become convinced that it was
only as they turned to Him would their
political troubles cease. We know moth
ing else of him; an obscure man who
had a vision, who spoke it, and did
his duty, by pointing the king and peo-
pie TO God as the solution of their diff
culties. Who can measure the extent
of his influence?
THE GREAT REVIVAL.
A great revival followed. Asa renewed
his attack upon the idolatrous worship
Under the guise of religion the most
shameful practices were being done. No
could come to the land that
had any element of permanency as long
as these continued. He droYe out the
Sodonites from the land entirely; He
braved the anger of the court by break
ing to dust and burning an idol that
the queen-mother had erected. Her in
fuence was fer reaching of course and
1t required courage to take the step,
but he did. He even went further. and
deposed her.
The altar in the temple had been desc
Grated. 1t was not alone necessary to
put away idolatry; the worship of Jeho-
yah must be renewed He restored the
altar, and called a great assembly of
the people at Jerusalem. Not only was
Judah present, but many of those of
Ephraim, Manasseh,k and Simeon came
to him, for they were sick of idolatry
and saw that God was with Asa.
1t was at Pentecost that they gathered
at Jerusalem. and made vow to Jeho-
yah. They sacrificed peace offerings to
God, burning the fat of 200 oxen and
1000 sheep, the meaN6f which was used
to fed the vast assembly as they feast
ed unto the Lord
The revival was thus remarkable; it
not only affected the outward life OF
the whole nation, but the inner life as
well, as also the inner life of some of
the other tribes of Israel. The people
realized that the thing of prime i'm
portance to secure peace within and
without, to solve their national as well
as Individual problems. was to seek
Jehovah with all their heart. And when
they did seek Him with their whole de-
sire. He was found of them. and they
rejoiced with great joy. All of this was
accomplished because one man had a
vision and one man did his duty fear
lessly.
My brethren. that is the solution. too.
of our individual and national problems
to seek Jehovah as individuals and as a
nation with our whole desire. How can
this be accomplished? If like Azariah
you have vision. speak it. and like Asa
you see your duty and do it feariessly.