(Continued From Page 197.)
Manasseh, the second boy-king, was twelve years old when he began to reign. He was the son of the good king Hezekiah. But little Manasseh grew up to be so wicked a man, that he did worse than the heathen.
He built altars for Baal, etc.—he profaned the temple of the Lord by setting up a graven image in it—he made his son to pass through the fire—he used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit—and he shed very much innocent blood. O! those were awful days! too dreadful to dwell upon, and to think that he was a son of the godly Hezekiah, and grew up to be such a monster of wickedness. Perhaps little Manasseh often sat upon his father’s knee, while his father told him, about the works of the Lord. No doubt, Psa. 44:11<<To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.>> We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. (Psalm 44:1) was true of him.
“We have heard with our ears, O God our fathers have told us, what works Thou didst in their days, in the times of old.”
Could Hezekiah then have foreseen how wicked his beloved son would grow up, would it not have brought down Hezekiah’s gray hairs with sorrow to the grave?
Perhaps little Manasseh in those days did what many boys and girls are now doing. I do hope that not one of my readers are among the number of those who make up their minds to seek the Lord someday: but they do not seek Him now.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Well, the Lord became very angry with Manasseh, and the Assyrians came up, and they carried Manasseh away, a captive in chains, to Babylon. Then, when Manasseh was afflicted, he repented.
How sorry he must have been as he thought of his past life! Dear young reader, I beseech you, take warning. Had Manasseh sought the Lord when he was a boy, how much good he might have done before he became a man. We never can make up for lost time.
(To be Continued.)
ML-04/11/1920