Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-08-10
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNlAYS0l00L
LESSON
by REV. p. b. FlTZWATER, d. D..
Teacher OF English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago.)
(Cooyright. 1917 Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR AUGUST IL
JosiAH'S GOOD REIGN.

JOoIAT1'o GOOO nEI1N.
LESSON TEXT-II Chronicles S4:l-l3.
GOLDEN TEXT-Remember now tn,
Creator In the days Of thy youth.-Eceles
l2:l.
The reign Of Josiah Is In strlkint
and pleasing contrast with that o
many of his predecessors, especial!
that Of his father, Anon, and grand
father, Manasseh.
|. Time Of Beginning ". y. He ms
cended the throne when only eigh
years of age. AT this tender age hi
evidently had 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
huences Of his surroundings The pre-
yaillng 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 n life may go.
Each individual has the ability to de-
ternine the course OF his life; and
moreover, his responsibility so TO do.
It is n most perllous thing TO be
thrust int 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 thlr-
ty-one years, the entire length Of his
reign.
II. The Character Of His Reign
". y. "lIe 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 fa-
Tiers. 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
t- IN hn
that which was right In the sight Of
God, not merely his felowmen. Doubt
less many could haye been found who
could have pointed out mistakes OF his
life. He definitely and positively adj
dressed himself to seeking after God
+ ". -. 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 unlmpaired 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
courage and skill. He did this with
strong hand. Without pity he swept
out from the land these denominations.
In the execution of this task he
/. Broke down the affairs of Baalim
". ~. This form Of idolatry was first
brought into the land by Jezebel hen
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
llcentious practices should be asso-
clated with this worship.
.. He broke in pieces the groves,
carved images, and molten images ".
~. He even made dust of them and
strewed 1t 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 a decided tierceness 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 Me 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
dom. 1t was not until all this was
done that he returned to Jerusalem
4 wv. 6, y. His reformation thus be-
gan AT home, but was extended to the
widest extent of his kingdom.
~. Josiah Repaired the Temple
wv. S-13). Having rid the land Of It's
idolatry, he set himself to the repair
ing Of the temple which had been so
long neglected. This neglect, coupled
with gross abuses at times, made It
to be sadly in need Of attention.
/. His deputies ". 81. This work
he lntrusted to committee Of three
Shaphan, the royal secretary I'll
Kings 22:3); Masseiah, mayor Of
Jerusalem; and Joah, the recorder, the
historian of the nation. In the matter
of Kidding the city and country OF
idolatry Josiah took the lead In per-
son, but now the work had gone far
enough forward that he could work by
deputy. He chose his deputies from
among "laymen" instead Of the priests.
2. Method of procedure wv. 9-19.
(a) Collection Of money ". o.. II
would seem that for some time collec-
ton of money for temple repairs had
been going on. Perhaps 1t was begun
In connection with the destruction Of
ldolatry some six years before, The
agents in this work were the Levites.
They collected II from all over the