Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-07-20
JOSlAH'S
O
Sunday School Lesson for July e, 1911
Specially arranged for This Paper


TIME-Josiah began to reign B. c. eas,.
in the 345th year Of Judah as a separate
kingdom.
He reigned 81 years, till B. c. Cos.
PLACE-Judah and Jerusalem. But his
reforms extended over a considerable part
of the territory OF the Northern Kingdom,
which had become extinct in 722-71S, SN
years before Josiah came to the throne.
Josiah was the grandson of Man
asseh, whose career we studied in our
last lesson. He was born at Jerusa-
lem, B.. c. GAG. His father was Anon,
who followed the example of his Ia
theirs earlier years. He reigned but
two years, when he was murdered by.
his courtiers in his own palace. The
people rose against the conspirators
and made his e~ight-year.o old son king
in his place. Josiah's mother vas
Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah.
They belonged in Boscath, a town near
Lachish in southwestern Judah, in the
plains toward the Mediterranean sea.
While King Anon was an idolater, and
his court was corrupt, it is possible
that Josiah's mother kept the true
faith.
He began to reign when he was
eight years old. Like his grandfather,
Manasseh, he must for several years
have been guided, and his kingdom
controlled by his mother or by prime
ministers. The worshipers of Je-
hovah must have been in control at
the palace, the wise and religious
teachers of the true God and the true
religion. So that for the first sixteen
years of his life the young Josiah must
have been under good influences, while
he also would know of his fathers
tragic death, and his grandfather's
sins, ~suferings, and repentance. And
his ancestor, David, was ever before
him as his ideal. his hero. his saint.
About the time when Josiah was
twenty years old, and in the twelfth
year of his reign, when he had begun
his reforms, there came an invading
host from the far east like a cyclone,
IN overwhelming scourge. jeremiah
foretells them in vivid pictures. But
Herodotus tells us who they were, the
Scythians from the regions Over eau
casus, vast nameless hordes of men,
who sweeping past Assyria, I'M
checked, poured upon Palestine. We
can realize the event from our knowl
edge of the Mongol and Tartar inva-
sions which in later centuries pursued
the same path southwards. Living in
the saddle, with no infantry no chari-
OTIS to delay them, these Centaurs
swept on with a speed Of invasion
hitherto ilnknoWn, In $50 they had
crossed the Caucasus, by 626 they
were on the borders Of Egypt.
The prophet, jeremiah, describes IN
lion is come Up from his thicket;;'
''The destroyer Of nations is on his
way" Behold he cometh as clouds,
and his chariot shall be as the .whirl-
wind;" Their CULVER Is an open sep
u1cher, they are all mighty men,"
'They are cruel and have no mercy;
their voice roareth like the sea; and
they ride upon horses, set in array.
as men of warSagainst thee
It is essy to see how this terrible
invader, coming so near, just as Jo-
s1ah was beginning his reforms, must
have interfered with his plans.
Josiah began his reformation in his
twelfth year, but the invasion of tho
Scythians 500 after this beginning
interferred with the work. The saw
age and cruel host came close to
Judah's borders. Scattered bands may
have entered the kingdom. Terror
reigned. Defenses must be strength
ened. Outsiders rushed to Jerusalem
and the fortified cities. How far the
reformations had progressed we do
not know. But the chronicler having
recorded the beginning simply goes
on with the story, as is frequently
done by historians.
The restoration Of the Temple was
intrusted to a committee of three
Shapan, the secretary of state; and
Maaseiah, the governor of the city,
the mayor OF Jerusalem; and Joah
the recorder, the keeper of the rec
ords, the historian. The temple built
by Solomon, was completed 800 years
before. It was repaired by Joash 24O
years before Josiah began his restora-
ton. The ravages of time, with neg
lect and abuse during the sway OF
idolatry must have rendered it sadly
in need of repair. It was during these
repairs that the Book Of Law was
found.
The work interrupted by the Scyth-
ian hordes is now resumed with great
~ increased intensity and enthusiasm,
through the new conservation Of king
and people, due to the finding of the
! Book Of the Law.
The first condition of salvation for
individuals or nations Is the putting
away OF sin at any cost. The second
is the building up Of the good. He
that confesseth and forsaketh shall
find mercy.
Ye Are the Temple Of the Living
God. What Repairs Does This Temple
Need? Cleanse away the remains OF
~selfshness, and cast out all the works
OF the flesh" Set up the family altar,