Evening star., 1911-06-10
Spiritual Service.

kingdom caused the invitation to be re-
jected by the masses who had turned to
worship other gods. but many spiritual
soul heard the call to return to Jerusalem
to worship and responded so that there
assembled a great multitude to keep the
passover. The time had passed for strict
ly observing this memorial feast In
truth, SO far as the ritual requirements
are concerned, there were many irregu-
larities. 1t was observed at the wrong
time and for two weeks instead OF one
week. Many Of those present were unfit
to worship because they had not complied
with the ritual requirements. Their pres
ence was full Of peril, but God heard the
kings prayers because He looked not at
the outward appearance, but the heart.
The ritual observances were made for
man, not man for the ritual. The emer-
gency and need of man was considered a
sufficient excuse for violation of the rules.
AS long as men worshiped God in the
spirit their worship is acceptable to Him.
The kings prayer removed the danger of
pestilence or peril such as came to Uz-
ziah, the kings grandfather. so that God
accented the worship of every one that
the God Of his fathers. though he be not
cleaned according to the publication of
the sanctuary God looks at the heart,
the motive and spirit of service. God is
a spirit and they that worship Him
must worship Him in spirit and truth"
X X X y
Popular Program.
The plans Of Hezekiah struck a popu-
lar chord in the great congregation that
assembled In Jerusalem. They revealed
their sympathy by a popular movement
to destroy. as did the Puritans in later
times, everything that in their judgment
was antagonistic to spiritual worship.
Every dolmer and menhir erected in
Judea was destroyed. The rude stone
monuments that had even been used in
the worship of Jehovah were broken
down. Every dolmer. or single stone.
erected to God. and menhir two or more
stones with fiat top for sacrifice). no
matter how sacred were their associa
tions-they were all DESTROYED.
Even the serpent that Moses lifted up
of sacred association, was broken up.
because men had come to worship the
serpent and not God. They prolonged
the period Of worship so that with song
and spiritual service they glorifed God.
The service was re-esta blished on the
lines Of David. The songs Of the temple
were collected The king himself added
to the sacred collection. That their hearts
were set on the worship of God was
proven not merely by word Of praise. but
by consecrated giving to Gods service.
The student of Hezekiah's reign. who
was the last Of the kings OF Judah to pass
over In peace. will realize the secret OF
his success as reformer was because
in every work that he began in the serv-
ice Of the house of God and in the law
and in the commandments to seek his
God he did 1t with all his heart" The
man who puts his heart in his work Is
the successful man. He Is the accepted
man with God. Those that reaped the
blessings of Hezekiah's great passover
were those who disregarded the letter
Of the ritual. but in their heart worship
ed and glorifed God. He still seeks
such to worship Him. Man looketh on
the outward appearance, but God looketh
on the heart. Is your heart right with
God? Hezekiahs place In history was
determined by his consecrated. continu-
Gus efforts to glorify God and do His
will. The basis Of his life work was
the religion OF Jehovah. He sought
Gods glory first and God exalted him.
He will do It with you.