'l'he fact of the surlden discovery of "the book of the Law of the Lord by Moses" (Dcut. xxxi. 26; 111s0 10-13) loses its wonder perhaps for ourselves, as we look hack on that history, as compared with the other extraordinary fact and appalling thought, that H had been lost, so lost that its very existence, the tradition of it, seemed as a thing unknown to Josiah. Counting the years of the reign of Manasseh, of Amon, and those which had already ela.psed of Josiah, we may say that the sacred manuscript had been lost for some eighty years. In point of fact, some pious priest among the degenerate rank-and-file of the priests had probably carefully hidden it at the begin- ning of the iniquities of Manasseh. The wonder nevertheless is still left, that no quest of it, no litera.l active search for it, seems to have been made, and no perpetuation of the tradition of it even, by priest or prophet, seems to have been at hand, for Josiah to have had the opportunity of availing himself of it. It is not impossible to surmise partial explanations to meet the difficulty, but the surprising fact is full of significaoce. Practically the incident amounted to this-that to Josiah was vouchsafed som0 '' republication of revealed religion." And his treatment of the novel, the startling message of revelation is a very parable in itself. We may for the .tezt of this parable, to call it such, be reminded of the reputed words of "father Abraham," in our blessed Lord's parable of the rich man and Lazarus, when he says of the five brethren of the rich man in torments, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." They had not heard them, i.e. had not practically heeded them. But Josiah hears and heeds. And are we not confronted very happily and very Ruggestively, though in very brief, with these examples of the just demands of revealed religion, justly met? viz. when we read how- l. JOSIAH " HEARS" IT, II. BELIEVES IT. III. REVERENTLY FEARS IT, AS HE PERMlTS IT TO BINK INTO HIS VERY son, AND DOES NOT RESIST IT, NOR TRY TO DROWN IT, NOB PUT IT OFF TO BE TAKE:. L'ITO CONBIDE!l.ATION AT A MORE CONVENIENT SEASON, IV. WITH ALL URGENCY MAKES FULL INQUIRY, AND THAT IN THE BIGHT QUARTERS RESPECTING ITS FULL AND MOMENTOUS IMPORT, V. DILIGENTLY GUIDES HIMSELF PRACTICALLY BY IT. VI. CALLS WITH THE VOICE OF A TRUE PREACHER ALL AROUND HIM TO HEAR AND HEED THE BAME, AND WITHOUT A QUIBBLE OR DELAY TO ENTER INTO COVENANT WITH THAT GoD, WHO so REVEALS HIMSELF, HIS TRUTH, HIS WILL, IIIS COMMANDS, AND THE FEARFUL OR OTHERWISE THE AWE-INSPIRING SANCTIONS BY WHICH THEY ARE ACCOM• PANIED. The rich man, the five brethren of the rich man, Judah and Israel, and countless millions upon millions of others, would have been saved and blessed had they been followers of Josiah. How many of modern days, how many of ourselves have neglected, are neglecting, and are making a mock of sin, because of neglecting the simple, faithful example of Josiah, as to the way to receive God's revelation of his truth and will for our Ii ves !
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 3 (first part).-Piety in youth. That Josiah "while he was yet young, •. began to seek after the God of David his father" is to us an interesting fact; it provides an example to the young and an incentive to those who have charge of their welfare. Respecting piety in youth it is well to consider- I. How MUOH THERE IS TO COMMEND IT, 1 . .All life belongs to God, and therefore this part of it. Unto him who gav~ us our existence and all our ~owers, and i_n whom we live and move and have our being, surely the whole of our life belongs; 1t cannot b0 withheld without wrong, without keeping back the "glory due to his Name," th0 gratitude and the love and th0 service due to himself. Therefore does this part of it along with the rest. And it is certain that when life is past and we come to have it in review we shall be most happy in the thought, if we can but cherish it, that our youth also was spent in the fear of God, in the love and service of Jesus Christ. '' 'Twill plea.se us to look back and see That our whole lives were thine," II, OHRONIOLEB, 2 • 418 THE SECOND BOOtt OF THE CHTIONICLES. [on. xxxrv. 1-33.