Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-15

II Kings, II :1-2O.
Golden Text: Blessed are they that keep His
| testimonies and that seek Him with the whole
| heart. Psalm 1872.
eN11f E turn away from the record OF
| D(DH Israel to study one of the most
wv vivid and dramatic events in
| the history OF Judah during the divided
| kingdom. The story is a bloody one,
| with a revolving picture, because a
| strongwilled, coarse and imperious wom-
an introduced Baal worship into Judah.
Jehoshaphat was responsible for this
| fatal mistake. when, in the height Of his
prosperity. filled with dreams Of uniting
| both kingdoms under one ruler, he visited
Ahab and brought about the marriage OF
| his son, Jehoran, with Athaliah, the
| daughter Of Ahab and Jezebel. Thus,
| through a well-intended marriage, the
| curse that came to Israel upon the Tyrian
| marriage of Ahab was extended to Judah,
both nations being bound together in
| their sin of disloyalty to God. The re-
| suit of the marriage was disastrous 1t
| brought the house of David almost to
| the point of extinction by bringing upon
it the doom OF the house Of Ahab, fore
told by Elijah. 1t also brought the curse
of Ahabs house into direct conflict with
| the promised blessings upon the seed OF
David BY Jehu's execution of judgment
most of them were removed. After the
early death of Jehoram and her son
Abaziah, Athaliah waded through blood by
series of assassinations to the throne of
Judah. With one blow she apparently
destroyed all of the royal family of
Judah.
Saving the Boy.
There is no age SO dark with crime but
what there is hope that the seed of re-
iigion, righteousness and reform will take
root, spring forth and bear fruit. God
rolls away the stone and the new life
springs up As Christ did on Easter morn
ing. Athaliah did not succeed in destroy
ing all the house of David because there
was one true woman who sought to save
the young son of AbaZiah, whom his
bloodthirsty grandmother would have
destroyed with the other members Of the
royal family. The greatest work today
is saving boys of our generation: Larger
results flow from their salvation than
from the salvation of men. The man that
Is saved in all probability had the truth
planted in his heart in youth The boy
can be trained as was Joash when he is
safely folded in the church. There hid
in the storeroom of the temple was the
hope Of David. the cause Of good gov
eTQment 6uQ OF GOQ. Inc DaDy wrapped
In swaddling clothes in the temple was
protected as was his great descendant
when Herod was Staying the thousands
by the power of God. The child was
saved by heroic endeavor of a good wom
AN. Back of every great man will be
found a noble woman. whose life has
nodded the boy when she rocked him in
the cradle. 1t was.a woman whose gen.
ius hid and sustained the baby king in
the temple. The house of God still Of
fers the best protection for us. God
watches over u.s. He will take care Of
you if you trust Him. He will help you
save the boys If you love Him. Not only
can you win boy for Christ easier than
man, but he can be trained easier.
Saving a man you save soul, but saw
ing boy you save life with all of his
power of consecrated personal service.
In her great work of saving Jeash, Je-
hosheba was assisted by her husband
Jehoiada, who abruptly enters the arena
as a champion of God and leader of the
revolution that restored the house Of
David.
A Patriotic Priest.
He is the central figure in the lesson.
In the northern kingdom. where the