Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-03
AUGUST S, 1917.

AOGUST ~ 4SAFs
Chron. 50: g-I6.
GOLDEN TEXT-"Iet the wicked
forsaSe his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts; and let him return
unto the Lord. and he will have mercy
upon him: and TO our God. for he Will
abundantly pardon" Isa. 55:7-
One OF the most pulling questions
is Why the son OF such a good father
as Hezekiah should be as wicked as
Mannasseh- was. There were probably
fCsI- reasons for Il in his particular eX-
psr.snce.
Hezekiah was sick unto death. but
YOU will remember that on account OF
his prayer for longer life. God extend
ed his life for fifteen years Since
MaunaSseh was only twelve years old
when he began 10 reign, he was born
three years after Hezekiah's illness and
restoration. Ii would have been better
for Israel II Hezekiah's life had not
been extended II was meddlesome in
reference with Gods plans.
There was always an irreligious party
in Judah They were missionaries
in modern parlance- Mannassed was so
young that he could not assume the
responsibilities OF government alone
and was easily influenced by his advis-
Ors Unfortunately these men were re-
dictionaries. They argued that Heze-
Kan uA0 NEEu EUAlEEAN TOO SAEANNs AhaA
ne should be more liberal in his views.
That Isaiah was discTedited as a pro-
phet. as ASsyria, whose doom he had
prouhesied was still a dominating in
fluence in politics. and that the golden
age for Israel which he had promised
had not come. They were still tributary
TO Assyria- II was all right TO worship
Jehovah. but since the Assyrians had
been so successful. would il not be well
a a. g hat
would be the harm in adding the wor-
ship of these gods TO that of their
Deity2 So they overwhelmed HIM
Another season was. like so many
other young men. Mannasseh was climb
ing fools hill" boy OF twelve in
the east would be abous - Tar advanced
in his development as a boy OF fifteen
or sixteen in this country. lie would
be feeling his oats In throwing off the
restraint OF home and asserting his own
independence. he would be most likely
70 throw off the yoke which his father
had put on him. and go just the OPP
uosite to what his father had advised.
There is a physiological reason for this.
The physical makeup is undergoing a
complete change. and the mental char
acterfstfcs are sharing IN It This rs
the age of decisions and Establishments
II a common way we speak of ii as
ELlEnDlnE a 1901 nAAAs anu AAAAS was
what Mannasseh was doing
Probably the most potent reason for
Mannasseh's DETECTION was due to the
nature OF sin itself SIN Is the easiest
way. and il presents those things which
are most gratifying to the self life. The
Christian life has often been compared
to warfare, and the comparison is good,
because sacrifices have to be made. and
hardness endured. and enemies overcome
before victory is won. Mans sinful
nature drops into the ways OF sin which
crafty it righteousness appeals to
mans higher nature; but no man is
righteous naturally. So Mannasseh fell
into the easiest way. the way which
gratified the self life.
WHAT he DID.
He established high places all over 'the king
dom In other words he became poiytheist.
Instead Of holding % God he dropped into
the ways Of the people about him In worship
ping local deities. and many Of them. Then
he set up the Baalim; and the worship OF Bsal
and Ashtaroth was associated with everything
that gratffed the natural appetite. That which
one wanted TO do naturally wss made an object
a. mesns Of vorshfp- IL is easy to under
stand how easily, therefore, Judah dropped into
this sin. Then now in many heather eoun-
tries, unnamable practices were associated
with the worship Of their gods. -..-. i
Then manasseh went a step further than any
Of the kings before him, even wicked Ana .n
kingdom. the worship Of the heavenly host
lust what form this took il not perfectly clear.
tut IL is probable that IL was associated with
the deepest superstition he erected aIats IN
the two courts Of the temple itself 70 tne hos's
% heaven ,,,,
But this was not enough. for be re-estahlishe'i
the cruel ard brutal worship Of Moloch, and
msde his own children pass through the IRE.
offering them % this image. which had been
placed IN the valley OF Hinnum. Child murder
he encouraged in the name OF religion But
this was not enough. He introduced sorcery
and vftchcraft. and the consulting Of familiar
spirits and wizards Just the distincuon De-
see these i hsrf 20 determine tut 1t was
something Ike palmistry ard fortune-telhnS
and spiritualism % our tay- This Is peculiarly
interesting at the present time, because OF tue