Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-10
The Field Of Holy Writ
Save for my daily RANGE.
Among the pleasant fields OF Holy
Writ
| might despair.
-Tennyson.
,lntcrnational Sunday School
Lcsson.)

. chron: XXX l-e7. May Il. ie2a.
Golden Text God is gracious
and merciful and Will not turn
away His face from YOU Il yc re-
turn unto Him. Chronicles
IIrzckinh Lends His People.
History hnrdly affords n more con-
vincing evidence OF the supreme and
prhctlcai hearing OF religion upon the
welfare ana destiny of Il nation. II
1s an I)ld Testament commentary upon
the New Testament text, seek first
tho Kingdom OF Goa and NIL disc VIII
pc added. On the accession OF iieze-
KAN To tho throne the Kingdom was
IN inc last stages of decay. lis treas
ury empty. tie land exhausted. its
army demoral!zed. its invinciolo
WIS. men would have suggested tha'
the future he mortgnged TO appcasn
IN" enemy. that an alliance be mad"
with Egypt. or that ali tho small
imp"rllrd nations he asked TO pool
thclr resources againat the common
Zoe. but the proposition to tax"
precious time IN the attempt 10 gal
vnnizc a sacred but utterly dead ccrc-
inony could easily DO made tho butt
Of ridicule. II did actually raise a
laugh; The chronicier tells 81
Isracls neglect Of the temple in
graphic phrase. They show"d their
backs 10 IT, instead of their faces.
The shut the doors. put out ,h"
offerings. Neglect OF public cdiNcc
Is "a species OF vandalism. slower but
ultimately ms Effective as the hamm"r
artisan let, OF their daily work nth
accumulated. and the holy ard mag
ninccnt house was on the verge OF
dissolution. But nothing daunt"h
the noble spirit OF iiczckIah. fortified
M 81 was by Isaiah. lrraers greatest
prophet one Of his fret acts was TO
reopen. cleanse and mend the Lords
house. and get It's furniture ready FOR
= REQUIRED %
tinuous labor before tho laat load Of
debris and NTH from tho inncrmost
ritual or Moses ami tho orchestra OF
David were hastily revived. ana King.
princes. and people praised with glad
ness and worsh!ped. Thus the
way was paved for a general and
complete renaissance OF religion.
Hczekiah naturally wished 20 crown
ihis revival b? observing tho long
omitted festival OF the Passover. and
ia mako II the occaEion Of national
reunion Of the dismemhcrcd empire.
This b" could do without having sin
ister motives a6cribcG TO him, for the
northern Kingdom was already cx-
tinct The Kings carefully wOrdch
nrrc-t "as o&tc!rh ~ c!!rS ifo=:ffis;,
from Dan 10 Bccrsheba Enough re-
The simple. beautiful. significant rio
OF tho Passover was observed again
under hHppy auspices. \ crusade
agains, m" falls" rite naturally FOL
and IDOLS went dow n into that com
mon receptacle Of the oyBcouring. the
ohasm az Kldron.
Under the study lamp.
Tho repeated periods OF neglect 81
the temple on the part Of tho Jews
should not Eurpr!s" any one over
much Christians have been equally
guilty Dean Millman himself tells
us how curing the reign Of Queen
lyii::aboth laden mules We're Tod
through a!sles Of St pauls Cathedral
bargains etruck. burg!arics planned
and servants hired there. 4
racrc1 cdiNce may lc looked upGn rs
q barometer. showing the religious
temperature ~ a nation ut any period
We'll kent. "mbcllshcd, guarded and
used. y nd Gates "a Nigh state OF
grace, nut vic" versa n low stato
~ 81. r"tcr'S Cathedral IN Rome 2
s'nnli army IL kept constantly en-.
rlpycd IN cleaning and repairing
Enough IL spent annually 20 huilf
several ordinary churches. Tho col,
"ny or wgrkmen and carctHlScrs liv.
, IN lt'l" villnE" ON the ample ant
tpli' roof. " work Was ruspendct
signs. " decay would appear imme
hiHt"ly. li"zckiah - ono Of III,
cN"r-liEinE heroes II Hebrew history
bright light OF dark age pnr OF IN.
ihr"" perfect Kings Of Judah
lI"I"E lhH's invitation and summon
Iln IN" h'sipri" treatment which
every urgent reiIr Ious appeal re
CFt+"si SON" Knocked others excused,