Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-04

deities were worshiped. oftentimes with
| lascivious rites. to be rebuilt. They
were condemned by the law.
He worshiped Baal. the sun god. He
also Joined with the devotees of the
groves" These were wooden images
connected with the unspeakably vile
worship Of Astarte. These symbols were
| usually surrounded by groves, that con-
cealed all manner Of abominable prac-
tees. Manasseh's deepest sin was in
tars to the worship Of the celestial
bodies in the very courts Of the temple.
His commercial and political relations
with Assyria may have led Manasseh
equality with Jehovah in the temple
courts.
The valley Of Hinnon once more be-
| came the site Of the furnace Of Moloch.
where the king violated the expressed
command of Jehovah by Offering his
children as sacrifices. The hands of the
great brass image being made red hot,
the children were passed between them,
| and In this way were supposed to be
consecrated to his horrid and cruel
service. Manasseh practiced augury,
sorcery and used enchantments He en-
couraged palmists, crystal gaEers, ven
triloquists and wizards. who professed
to reveal secrets. recover lost things.
dreams. He encouraged all forms Of
faith without reference to the char
acter or principles of the various rell-
gions. MacLaren says that "Manas-
laneous multitude of deities was
an unconscious confession of the insuf
hclency of each and all of them TO All
the void of the heart and satisfy the
spirit"
The Lord rebuked the king and the
people whom he had led into iniouitv
ana idolatry. The reaction of sin upon
the soul causes men not only to lower
their standards. but to harden their
hearts so that they refused to listen to
the long and disastrous epoch Gods
prophets-Hoshea, Joel, Nahum. Hab-
akkuk and Isaiah-spake unto both
Manasseh and the nation, but thew re-
FUSED to heed. Instead, He visited his
wrath upon them by shedding "inno
cent blood very much.' SO that, accord
ing to Josephus, Jerusalem was over
flowed with blood. Tradition has it
that in the reign of terror" Isaiah
was sawn asunder.
Because of their itlolatry and iniouitv
and refusal to heed Gods messengers.
the Lord brought upon them the can
tains of the host OF the King OF AS
syria; which took Manasseh" and led
There is tablet In the palace of Khor-
sabad which scholars believe depicts this
scene. The inscription has been oblit-
Grated by time, but the people appear
to be Hebrews. Behind the prisoners
stand four persons, of which the first
two are bearded. and seem to be ac-
cusers. the remaining two may be ex-l
ecutioners. and behind them is another
of the same race as the other captives,
his hands are manacled. and on his
ankles are strong rings fastened to- |
gether by a heavy bar" |
From the cuneiform records of As
1t Is evident that Manas sch |
was involved in a rebellion against the
King of Assyria. To master the up
rising against him the Assyrian kingl
made one Of the most remarkab BILE
in all oriental history. Turn
ing away from the usual military
roads. he crossed the Tigris and Eu-I
pirates rivers. marched over the Syro-
chastised and punished them by carry
Ing vast numbers into captivity.
Manasseh. Frustrated by his own in
iquity, was member Of that great
caravan whose possessions Of cattle
and camels driven to Nineveh was 20