The Washington herald., 1922-05-07
Lauds Hezekiha's Efforts
To Restore Faith in God
Bryan Points to Need of Return Of World to
Whole-Heated Belief in Power
Of Almighty.
d, WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.

by "lLLtAh S1NNhNoS Dh A+s'
A very pleasing picture and
much needed lesson for today. That
Is what you will hnd IL you will
turn with me for a few moments to
the thirteenth chapter of Second
Chronicles.
King Hezekiah the Good of Ju-
dab. about whom the Old Testament
historian writes. deserves to be
counted among the idealists, and
there is a fascination about his
vision of a reunited race. as set
forth by the chronicler.
He longed to see the kingdom OF
Israel and Judah one-they had
been separated for $50 years-and
he chose the only way Of bringing
them together. namely, a revival of
their interest in the one God whom
the two factions worshipped. He
sent to all Israel and Judah and
wrote letters to the half tribes Of
Ephraim and Manasser inviting
them to come to the house of God
at Jerusalem and keep the Passover
unto the Lord God of Israel
The passover, the great feast Of
the Jews. had not been observed in
latter years as it had been earlier.
and. with disregard for the things
held in common. came increasing
enmity between the two seGments
Of the Hebrew people.
From Dan to Beersheba," or
from "Beersheba to DAN" a phrase
used to include the entire land from
north to south. the proclamation
was carried by runners and great
preparations were made Nor the
feast.
Yielding to Lord His Remedy.
Hezekiah not only admitted the
sins of the fathers. but she used
their sins to stimulate a new spirit
Of faith and worship. while he
pleaded with the people to return
to the God of their fathers, he
called attention to the punishment
visited upon those guilty of apos-
tasy: God gave them up to DESC
lation. as We see"
Hezekiah's remedy was very SIM
pie. Yield yourself unto the Lord.
and enter into his sanctuary. which
he hath ssnctifed for ever: and
serve the Lord your God" Here
are the three steps necessary.
Surrender of self comes first.
Their fathers had been stiff
neCked," a term used to describe
habitual resistance to Gods appeal.
No use for them to enter the sane
tuary until the spirit of rebellion
gave way to the spirit Of reverence.
Is there anything unreasonable in
such requirement? The Com
mandments begin with, Thou shalt
have no other gods before me"
This implies surrender to the Heav-
emily Father. God must have the
first place: even self. the false god
that has the largest number of
worshippers. must be put aside that
Jehovah may have the supreme
place.
Christ reiterated this requirement
when He condensed into one the
comma ndments that relate to mans
duty to God and proclaimed as the
first and great comma ndment. Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart. and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind"
Results Of Love Of God.
The entering of the sanctuary
naturally followed surrender to
God.
As long as one is insurgent
against his Creator. he does not
I feel at home among the obedient.
Just as soon as the proper relation
/ ship is established between man
and his Maker he finds il easy to
be a coworker with worshippers
like himself. Love Of neighbor
/ follows closely after love OF God
That is the natural order. and be-
cause It is the natural order the
brotherhood OF man is not to be
expected until the Fatherhood of
God is acknowledged.
When one surrenders himself to
God and unites with his brethren,
service is not only natural but nee