Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-29
Recovery.


Books were so few in number that the
discovery of the sacred manuscript Gre
ated great sensation in the nation. How
1t was lost We do not know. In all prob
ability the copy recovered was the one
that the law required to be placed in the
ark Of the covenant. 1t may have been
hidden during the prosecutions of Ma
nasseh to prevent its destruction, or mis-
placed in some one of the NANNY rooms
of the temple and thus lost for a long
period. Corruptions in the statement of
the law had occurred in the oral trans
mission of its teachings from generation
to generation. The recovery of the lost
copy Of the law corrected the common
version just as the discovery of the man.
uscript copies of the Scripture in the
temples, mOnasteries and converts have
given to us virtually correct text of
the Bible. We owe debt of gratitude to
the scholars through whose labors we
have recovered the genuine text of the
original manuscript There are some mi
nor difference Of readings in these manu-
scripts due to mistakes of the copyistS.
Not one of these variations affect a sin
gle truth or doctrine taught by any
church. The essential teachings of Chris
tianity do not depend upon any of the
passages that have various readings. 1t
was no mere accident that led Tischen-
dorf to discover in the waste basket of
the convent Of st. GATHERINGS the forty
three leaves torn from an ancient copy
Of the Septuagint. The story of his dis
covery OF not only this portion Of the Old
Testament, but later in the same convent
upon Mount Sinai Of the Codex Sinaiticus
last found it is one of the Oldest copies
of Gods word in existence. Because or
its antiquity, completeness and value 1t
is one of the greatest literary treasures
OF the world.
The only one that can rank with it s
the copy of the New Testament that has
been preserved in the Vatican library at
Rome. The first copies have been de-
stroyed long ago by the ravages of time.
but in marvellous manner God has pre-
served for us His word. Hilkiah, the
priest, was busy in trying to carry out
his knowledge Of Gods will when the
providence of God led him to discover
the lost book. he who will live up to his
light will receive, as did Josiah and his
assistants. larger knowledge of God. If
we neglect to study its sacred pages we
will soon become careless concerning our
own life. Indifferent as to the needs OF
| others. and it will not be long before the
neglected book viii be lost and we our
selves brought to the verge of destruc-
ton The Greek monks of the convent
| OF st. GATHERINGS neglected their great
treasure, and it was virtually lost until
Tischendorf discovered it, The great
1
helped him secure it. In like manner
! Chaplain, the kings secretary, brought
! to Josiah the book discovered in the tenn
| pic and read ii to the king.
= x = :;
Reading.
Patton tells us how an aborigine chief
| came to him when he had completed tie
| translation of the Bible into the native
| speech and demanded that the mission
| airy make the book talk. DR.. Patton
read it to him and the chief wept. The
! Bible has unique power in that all men
who listen to it's message find personal
! one that reaches his soul. Josiah, when
he heard the words of the law rent his
clothes. He was filled with distress, dis
may and despair.
| He felt the rebuke that rested upon his
! people and himself for their terrible neg
| lect. The king who had sought to do the
| will of the Lord was prepared to hear
| Gods voice. The soul that goes from his
place of secret prayer to join the congre-
| cation in the worship of God will surely
| receive a blessing in the service. The
| truth of the law entered into the heart OF
| the king and gave him strong desire to
bring not only his own life but that OF
the nation into line witt. the require
ments of God. In this emergency Huldai
| the prophecies was summoned into cCun-
! Gil. She replied that Jerusalem and its
| Inhabitants We're doomed, because of tllei:
| incorrgible and great wfckedness-accord.
/ ing to the words of Moses-but Josiah
| because of his tenderness OF heart, hu-
| mility and penitence, 81 oud pass away In
peace before the final Judgment descended