The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-08-11

l>ESSON 1EA1-ll OnIOnlCleS
GOLDEN TEXT-Remember now thy
Creator in the days OF thy youth.-Eccles.
12:1.
The reign of Josiah is In striking
and pleasing contrast with that of
many Of his predecessors, especially
that of his father, Anon, and grand
father ManasSeh.
!. Time Of Beginning ". -. He as
cended the throne when only eight
years of age. At this tender age he
evidently had a sense of the import Of
the service of Gods house. This
sense must have been strong to en-
able him to withstand the corrupt in
fiuences 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 prominent position
while so young. However, sometimes
such responsibility has 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, the entire length of his
reign.
u. The Character of His Reign
". y. He did that which was right
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. Though ten
der youth in a position Of honor and
trust, he was not ashamed of his IA
theirs. He did not regard their ways
as too antiQuated for him. The fact
that he did not decline to the right
hand nor to the left shows that he was
acting from heart purpose and not
through the influences of his surround
ings. 1t Is to be noted that he did
that which was right in the sight Of
God, not merely his fellowmen. Doubt
less many could have been found who
could have pointed out mistakes Of his
life. He definitely and positively ad-
dressed himself to seeking after God |
". 81. He did this while yet young. |
He did not belong to that class who |
think they can live for self while |
young, and when old they will seek |
after and serve the Lord. He did this |
while he could give God the benefit |
Of his unimpaired strength Of body and |
mind. Much can be expected of such |
youths.
III. Josiah's Reformation In the
Kingdom wv. 80. He first set out to
root out idolatry from the land. This
was a prodigious task. requiring great
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
]. Broke down the altars~of Baalim
". A.. 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
It was but natural that the grossest
|icentious 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 II upon the graves of those
who had been offering unto them.
8. He burned the bones of the
priests on their affairs ". 81. He not
,nly showed no pity for them, but he
decided fierceness in the
execution Of his task. He also dis
played his contempt for them, for no
greater brand of infamy could be i'm
posed than the digging up of the bones
Of the unfaithful priests and burning
them upon the very affairs which had
been used for this idOlatrous worship.
4. He extended this destruction. to
certain districts in the northern king
1om. 1t was not until all this was
lone that he returned to Jerusalem
wv. @, -. His reformation thus be-
,an at home, but was extended to the
widest extent Of his kingdom. |,
w. Josiah Repaired the TENN.
wv. S-13). Having rid the land of ira ,
dolatry, he set himself to the repair- I,
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. II
l. His deputies ". 81. This work
he intrusted to a committee of three Ii
Shaphan. the royal secretary III
Kings 2:0; Masseiah. mayor of
'erusalemi and JOah, the recorder. the
historian OF thu nation. In the matter
If Kidding the city and country of
dolatry Josiah took ne lead in nor
ION, but now the work had gone far
enough forward that he could wo,,, hv
leputy. He chose his deputies FROM /
among "laymen" instead of the priests. n
.. Method of procedure wv. 9-13).
LAD Collection Of money ". o.. It
would seem that for some time collec-
ion of money for temple repairs had
'een going on. Perhaps IL was begun
m cOnupctiOn with the dact rucfiap 80