Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-17
LESSON FOR AUGUST 19
THE BOOK OF THE Law.

LESSON TEXT-II Chronicles 34:14-33.
GOLDEN TEXT will not forget thy
word.-Psa. 1916.
|. The Book of the Law Found wv.
14-17), L. The occasion ". 14). 1t was
found while the work of repairing the
temple was going on. At what part in
the temple we do not know; perhaps
in the treasure house, for it was found
while bringing out the money to pay
for the repairs. Perhaps this was in
or near the ark, for the law was usual
ly kept in or by the ark.
2. By whom ". 14). Hilkiah, the
high priest, was the finder. 1t is
strange that the high priest was ignO-
rant of the place where the law was
found. 1t is u sad comment upon the
moral and spiritual condition of priests
and kings, since they were appointed
guardians of Gods law. 1t is, however,
always true that when one does not
want to have his life ordered by the
Bible he will put it out of his sight.
The disappearance Of the Bible from
our homes, and the neglect of it in our
study, is a certain sign of evil in our
lives. Be assured, however, that
though the law of the Lord be removed
from our sight it shall sooner or later
come before us to judge US. God has
declared that his Word shall not return
unto him void, but shall accomplish that
whereuntO it hath been sent.
3. Its disposition ". 16). Hilkiah
gave the law to Shaphan the scribe
who delivered it to the king along with
his report as to the disposition of the
money which had been collected.
II. The Book of the Law Read (vv.
| 18, %. 30). l. To the king ". 49,.
This was a most impressive scene, the
ling listening to the reading of the
law of God. 1t was the proper thing
to do, for those appointed by God to
rule over the people should be anxious
to know the will of God concerning
them. The piOus king, believing in it
as Gods Word, was anxious to know
Gods thought concerning the nation.
His interest became intense, as he was
made conscious of the apostasy of his
people from Gods law. His chief anXi-
ETY. was to know what was Gods pur-
pose as to the nation in view of their
ldolatry. 1t is a sensible thing to make
oneself intelligent as to his RESPONSE
bilities, even to know what judgments
shall befall those who have turned
from God. One should know the worst
while there is time yet to escape his
wrath, for repentance is the only door
of escape from perdition.
2. To the people wv. 20, 30). At the
direction of the king the priests, elders
and all the people were called together
to hear Gods Word read. This was as
it ever should be. People have a right
to hear what God has to say to them
as well as the king. To keep the people
ignorant of the Word of the Lord is g
great crime. The crying need of the
age, with all its boasted knowledge, fine
church equipment and cultured minis
try, is for the Word of God to be
brought to the ears of the people.
III. The Effect of the Reading of the
Law. wv. POPS; 31-33). When God:
Word is intelligently read and under
stood there is bound to be an impres
sion made.
1. The king rent his clothes ". 19l
The man who will honestly listen tt
the reading of Gods Word will b,
brought to his knees, for he will be con
victed of sin, and will take the place O
ESTABLISHMENT before the Lord. Th,
king first saw his own sins and con
| fnCcn6 ic n ci llny
one sees his own shortcomings ant
failures, and not primarily those o
others.
2. The king made inquiry of the Lort
through Huldah the prophecies wv. %
2S). His supreme motive in this In
quiry was to find out whether ther
was sJr1e way to avert the awful judg
ments which were impending, as sc
forth in the Word of God. After al
the human heart instinctively turn
from threatened woe to inquire whetf
er there is not way of escape. Along
side of the flaming, laundering Sina
was placed the Levitical system Q
offerings. Law and grace are not ia
removed. The law becomes our schoo
master to bring us to Christ. Throug
Huldah the message came that Go
had taken account of all their sins an
that judgment must fall, but JoSia
would be spared the sight of all God
visitation of wrath. The penitence c
. the king turned aside Gods wrat
from himself, but the nation would b
obliged to suffer for it's awful apostas,
3. The king made covenant wv. 8
32). This was to the effect that h
would walk in the commandments {
n the Lord. He also made the peopl
| stand to this covenant. He no dout
II acted from the sincerity of his hear
Il but it would seem that the agreeme1
Il of the people was through coercion.
Il 4. Further reforms ". 33). Josia
H now reached out as far as the nation;
II boundaries, took away their abomin
II tions and made Israel to serve Il
\ Lord their God. The fact that the Doc
II of the law was found implies that
Il had been lost. The way it had bee
IL lost is not definitely set forth, but n
II merous ways may be suggested. TT
il Bible is a lost book to many professir
il Christians today, maybe through Lac
II of interest in it, willful neglect or ne
Il lect through the stress of life's bus
IL ness and pleasures. May we not eaC
Il one inquire as to whether our Bibl
Il are lost? 1t may be that they are %
n to us through the perversiOn of the
ii meaning, wrong motives actuating o.
/ lives, longing after sin and the inte
1 ests of the world.
Had High Fever.