The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-08-10

1911
The reign of Josiah is in strikin
and pleasing contrast with that o
many Of his predecessors, especial,
that of his father, Anon, and grand
father, Manasseh.
|. Time Of Beginning ". u. He as
cended the throne when only eigh
years of age. At this tender age III
evidently had sense of the import O.
the service of Gods house. Thi'
sense must have been strong to en-
able him to withstand the corrupt In
fuences of his surroundings. The pre-
vailing idolatry influenced this boy
but influenced him in the opposite way
in which boys are usually Influenced
1t aroused his hatred for it. This
serves to demonstrate the fact that
circumstances do not necessarily de-
termine the direction a life may go.
Each individual has the ability to de-
termine the course of his life; and
moreover, his responsibility so to do.
1t is a most perilous thing to be
thrust into such a prominent position
while so young. However, sometimes
such responsibility has a SOLDERING eff
| feet, calling forth ones latent powers.
That his aspiration for God and the
right was genuine is proven by the
fact that he persisted therein for thir-
| ty-one years.
II. The Character of His Reign
(x, ha+ .;o1, ;r1,f
In the sight of the Lord, and walked
in the ways of David his father, and
declined neither to the right hand nor
to the left" He not only maintained
outward order and decorum as to the
worship Of God, but doubtless at heart
desired to please God.
III. Josiah's Reformation in the
Kingdom wv. Sd. He first set out to
root out idolatry from the land. This
was prodigious task, requiring great
courage and skill. He did this with a
strong hand. Without pity he swept
out from the land these denominations.
In the execution of this task he
1. Broke down the affairs of Baalim
". ~. This form of idolatry was first
brought into the land by Jezebel when
she married Ahab. The images seem
to have been such as would appeal to
the sensual nature of men; therefore
1t was but natural that the grossest
licentious practices should be asso-
ciated with this worship.
2. He broke in pieces the groves,
carved images, and molten images ".
~. He even made dust of them and
strewed it upon the graves of those
who had been offering unto them.
3. He burned the bones of the
priests on their affairs ". 81. He not
only showed no pity for them, but he
manifested q decided fierceness in the
of his task.
4. He extended this destruction to |
certain districts in. the northern king |
ION. 1t was not until all this was |
done that he returned TO Jerusalem |
(vv. 6, y. His reformation thus be-
gan at home, but was extended to the !
widest extent of his kingdom.
~. Josiah Repaired the Temple
wv. 8-13). Having rid the land of its
dolatry, he set himself to the repair
ng Of the temple which had been so
ong neglected. This neglect, coupled
With gross abuses at times, made IL
o be sadly in need of attention.
1. His deputies ". 81. This work
le intrusted to committee Of three
Shaphan, the royal secretary Il
Kings % :3); Masseiah, mayor OF
+br Jnr "a
historian of the nation. In the matter
# Kidding the city and country OF
dolatry Josiah took the lead in per-
on, but now the work had gone far
nough forward that he could work by
Ieputy. He chose his deputies from
mong '9aymen" instead of the priests
2. Method of procedure wv. 9-l3).
az Collection of money ". 81. 1t
would seem that for some time collec-
ion of money for temple repairs had
cen going on. Perhaps it was begun
n connection with the destruction OF
1olatry some six years before. The
gents in this work were the Levites.
hey collected it from all over the
ingdom even giving the remnant Of
srael an opportunity for fellowship
4 this matter. This shows US that
eligious interests of the people should
e sustained by all the people adherins
hereto.
(b) Money placed into the treasury
v. 81.
Hlkiah, the high priest, was the
.easurer. From this treasury the
verseers drew the money and paid it
} the workmen who repaired the tenn
lie.
(c) The overseers ". 12). Among
Re overseers were certain skilled mu-
clans. The duty of these overseers F
as to exercise supervision over the
arpenters, builders, and other art-
ms, and the helpers of all classes.
he musicians, by skillful music, in
ted the workman to diligence and
ctivity, thus tightening the burdens
Z their toll. Music in the soul while
orking bears a very vital relation
lip to the work itself.
3. The character Of the work ". 12). =
hey did the work faithfully. This is
fine thing to be said OF a set Of
orkmen.