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ders the mind sober at the period for attaining knowledge necessary in conducting the business of private life, and much more in the management of public affairs. It gives a character for integrity, which constitutes an essential element of success. It gladdens the parental bosom: "My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine." It inspires confidence in the divine care amid the trials and decays of declining age: "O Lord, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works; now also, when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not." And if the bright sun of life should be dimmed ere noonday, the darkness will have no terrors and death no sting.

"Remember now thy Creator-in the days of thy youth," if youth is yet thine; and if "the evil days" have come wherein thou hast "no pleasure," because of thy neglect of early piety, still, "Remember thy Creator," for he hath long remembered thee, notwithstanding thy ingratitude and forgetfulness of him. He is merciful and gracious, and may yet be found of thee if thou seekest him with all thy heart. Thy worn-out body and weakened mind are a worthless offering; but through faith thou mayest have the benefit of a nobler sacrifice, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

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the palaces of kings and princes, and a word of admonition to them from the character of Josiah would probably be lost. But there is a class of young persons for whose imitation it out of place to hold up his example. possessed of wealth in consequence of the death of their parents, sometimes think there is nothing for them to do but to seek enjoyment. They do not see the use of applying themselves to the acquisition of knowledge. They sometimes surrender up fine mental powers to sloth, and excellent opportunities for education to amusement and pleasure. Not seldom they become the victims of sensual indulgence, or squander their estates in gambling, extravagance, or wild adventure. And if they have prudence enough to avoid wasting their patrimony, they pass life in useless inactivity, making the gratification of taste, the luxuries of the table, or selfish ease, the great end of their being. Where they might be a rich blessing, they are a curse. Where they might be the pride and ornament of their friends, they are a source of keen anxiety and sometimes of disgrace. If young men so highly favored of Providence would yield themselves to the service of their Maker, and with the spirit of good Josiah devote their wealth and their energy to promote human happiness; if they would listen to the cries of poverty, and devise measures for its relief; if, sympathizing with the myriads still bow

ing down to dumb idols, .they would of their abundance aid in sending forth the heralds of salvation, purer joys would spring up within them, from the exercise of benevolence, than the fountains of earthly pleasures can afford, or the earthy heart imagine.

CHAPTER XVIII.

JOSIAH'S ZEAL FOR JEHOVAH.

SOME Who in childhood appear serious, and raise high expectations of future usefulness, disappoint the hopes of friends and dishonor religion by yielding to the temptations of opening youth. Not so the young Hebrew monarch. The blossoms were now ripening into fruit. As "he began well," he "continued well." In the twelfth year of his reign, which was the twentieth year of his age, "he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the carved images, and the molten images." In this he imitated the example of Hezekiah, whom he seems to have made his pattern in many respects. Indeed, the circumstances of these two kings of Judah, their characters, aims, and achievements are so similar, that a history of one is, to a good degree, the history of the other. Much of what we have said of Hezekiah might with equal pertinency have been introduced into the history of his descendant, whose life we are now sketching. We may therefore indulge the greater brevity in this part of our work.

With the exception of a short interval in the reign of Manasseh, idolatry had been the prevailing religion in Judah for more than half a century.

It had not only been permitted but patronized by the kings, and fostered by their zealous efforts for its extension. Since the reformation by Hezekiah, high places, groves, graven and molten images, and means of idol-worship in every shape, had multiplied almost beyond belief. If Josiah went up to the temple, it was full of "vessels made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the hosts of heaven.” In the two courts of the Lord stood the idol-altars which Manasseh erected, and at the very doors were stabled "the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun;" while the dwellings of those who practised the abominations of the heathen, were clustering around the sacred inclosure. the king looked down on the city, the flat-terraced house-tops were covered with multitudes burning incense to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets." If he passed beyond the eastern gates, on the heights of Olivet rose the altars originally erected by Solomon, and since renewed, for the worship of Ashtaroth, Chemosh, and Milcom, gods of the neighboring Zidonians, Moabites, and children of Ammon. And if he entered the valley of Hinnom south of the city, he would meet the devotees of Moloch, thronging to offer their sons and daughters on his bloody shrine.

If

Josiah set about the extermination of idolatry from the realm, with a hatred of the sin that fired his inmost spirit. Zeal less than this would never

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