When prophets remonstrated, and Zechariah denounced God's venaeance on those who had forsaken him (2 Chron, xxiv. 19, 20), then Joaeh, unaccustom;<l to opposition, was so exasperated that he went the length of murder-murder of a hiah 0 priest within the precincts of the temple, by the cruel death of stoning, and murder of one for whom he ought to have had a special kindness, in remembrance of the vast benefits which he had received from his father (2 Chron. xxix. 22). It is quite possible-nay, prohablc-that Joash (like Henry II. in the ca~e of Becket) did not deliberately determine on the murder-that hasty words, uttered in extreme exasperation, were seized upon (Stan- ley) by his too-officious servants, and carried out in act before he coulrl retract them. But this only emphasizes his weakness. A well-intentioned prince, yielding to evil influences, sanctions the most atrocious crime that the temple ever witnessed (Matt. xxiii. 35) and through his weakness involves the nation in guilt greater than any that had been incurrtd by the doings of the most wicked of preceding monarchs. Vera. 4-8.-Inconvenience of setting priests and ministers to" serve tables." How- ever convinced we may be of the honesty of the priests and Levites concerned in col- lecting money at this time for the repairs of the temple, it is undeniable that their proceedings in the matter created distrust and dissatisfaction. We know too little of the monetary arrangements previously in use among the Jews to see with any real clearness what exactly the complaint of the laity was, or how far the priests and Levites had a satisfactory answer to it. Probably the rules given were not sufficiently definite; and it may also well he.ve been that the priests and Levites were not sufficiently versed in business transactions to understand completely what the rules laid down expressed. We must remember that, in the early Church, when the apostles had to occupy them- selves with money matters, it was not long before complaints arose (Acts vi. 1), a.nd the apostles refused any longer to " serve tables." The very foundation of society is a division pf labour. In an organization like that of the Church, whether Jewish or Christian, it is of extreme importance to disconnect the performance of high spiritual functions from the duty of receiving, apportioning, and disbursing large sums of money. This is so- l. BEOAUSE, AS A GENERAL RULE, THE MOST SPIRITUALLY MINDED OF MEN ABE THE KOST INAPT FOR THE DETAILS OF BUSINESS. Different qualities of mind, qualities offer- ing a strong contrast, and very rarely united in the same person, are requisite for suc- cess in business and for winning souls to God; also intimate acquaintance with an entirely different set of facts is in each case necessary. Spiritually minded men are in many instances woefully deficient in worldly knowledge, know nothing of book-keeping by double entry, and even find a difficulty in remembering the multiplication table. Their faculties are suited for something higher than" serving tables," and to employ them in such service is to waste valuable material in work for which it is wholly unsuited. II. BECAUSE, IF BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AilE ILL MANAGED, SUSPICIONS ARISE, AND GoD's MINISTERS SHOULD BE ABOVE SUSPICION. A minister's usefulness is gone if once he is suspected in money matters. It is seriously impaired, even if nothing is proved against him beyond incapacity and blundering. Many a clergyman has got into most serious trouble by undertaking work of a worldly kind, which he never ought to have undertaken, and failing in the proper management of it, though his hr,nesty was quite unimpeachable. Ill. BECAUSE THE TIME GIVEN BY MINISTERS TO BUSINESS MATTERS MIGHT BE BETTER SPENT IN THE PROPER WORK OF THE MINISTRY. This was what the apostles felt (Acts vi, 2-4); they wished to give themselves wholly to "the ministry of the Word and to prayer." Modern clergymen have, in addition, parochial visiting and reading to employ them, both making large demands upon their time, nnd impossible to l.,o shifted upon others. A congregation will, in ninety-nine cases out of e. hundrc,l, derive far more benefit from their minister having an additional hour a day, or two hours a day, for reading, than from his spending the tims in slaving at accounts, collecting the children's pence, looking after clubs, and bargaining for coals or blankets. The study of the Bible, with all the new light which is thrown upon it by recent schobrsl.iip anJ research, is imperative; and it is e.lso essential that a clergyman should be.ve such 11 knowledge of the current and tendencies of modern thought as is only to be maintained by very diligent reading of the popular literature, periodical and other, of the <l.ay, 250 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [en. xn. 1--21,
r,. BECAUSE IT PROMOTES HARMONY AND UNION IF THE LAITY ARE EMPLOYED nr TIIE JlUSINESS MATTERS OF THE DISTRICT, OB CHURCH, OR PARISH, In almost every parish or congregation there will be among the l11ity persons quite fit to underto.ko the ~nnctions 'Yhereof we have been speaking. And such persons will in most ca.,es bo gratified by bemg 11sked to undertake them. They will be glad to be associatecl with tbe clergyman in parochial matters, and to relieve him of a portion of his burdens. It will be a eatisfaclion to them to be doing some work for Christ and his Church, to feel that the)' are a part of the organization, and that by their gratuitous service they are furthering the cause of their Lord and Master. And the greater intercourse which will thus take place between them and their spiritual guides will foster good feeling and mutual regard and respect,