Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-05-14

AN INTERESTING AND INsTRUc-
TIVE LESSON.

III Amos could be called distinctively the
country preacher, then Ia some fair degree
| we may designate Hosea as the city preacher.
lie had much TO do with the great centers
| of population; he had much To say OF the
large cities and TO the people dwelling there.
1t would be interesting 10 study the char
| acteristics OF this proclamation IL was
bold, sharp. searching; at once wonderfully
picturesque and beautiful and marvelously
strong and trenchant. In the lesson before
US we have good specimen of the proph-
cts marked method OF appeal.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS
An empty vine. Spreading. we have
written In our margin. Luxurlant, says
the Revision. Poured out is one OF the
meanings given; hence the translation,
empty. So at lisa. "a: I, 9Nothing but
leaves" is the significance OF it.-Accord-
ing TO the multitude. The remainder of
the verse is double quartette OF vocables,
one set balancing the other; like, many
fruits, many altars fine grounds. fine idols.
Images or idols, !. O., something set up.
AT Gen. 2S: Is, IL is rendered pillar.
Divided. or. "Divide and conquern The
word originally means to lick, hence to con-
sumo or plumber. hence TO divide. IL is
translated part at l Sam. 30:24. (9They
shall part alike.") At 2 Chron, %; 81. IL Is
rendered portion.-Faculty First mean
ing. laid waste. The Douay so preserves II,
!. O.. perish. The sense OF guilt or fault Is
divided Specification. AT Hosea 10: I, IL
is this same word that is rendered offended
What then should a king do? The pass
age is a difficult one. The literal of tho
Hebrew f., And what should king do for
us? Very much like, What is the good of
n king anyway?
In making covenants. Hebrew, swearing
falsely, making covenants. this being the
sum Of their words. The word covenant Is
from the root, TO cut. suggestive OF the
original mode, like our word, indenture.
-Hemlock. Hebrew, rosh. the word for
head. AT Deut 32: 81, IL is rendered gall
("grapes OF gallo; at Deut SO: 80, D bison
("the poison OF dragons") "Poppy" is pre-
ferred by one of our leading critics.
Beth-aven. House of vanity, or idols
see v. below. The word given in derision.
by the faithful, to BetheL-Mourn. From
the word meaning to droop or fall, express
sive OF mourning. priests thereof
that rejoiced. 1t is suggestive TO note that
this word arejoicedp means literally to cir.
Gle about or dance.
A present. In contempt god for n
gift!-King Jareb. The Douay adopts the
etymology of the word as from the verb to
avenge or contend. See variations -
Counsel Worldly prudence.
Cut of. First meaning, TO make silent.
1t is rendered destroy In the fourth chapter
and fifth verse of this same prophecy, At
Use sessa abs unoone-'' D---roam Ihe ieNi-
con gives fragments as the meaning, splint-
ers. AS IL of the broken pieces of some
thing. Strangely enough IL is translated
wrath at Nun. 1853.
Aven. Probably for Beth-aven. Aven
means vanity, hence applied to idols.
Thorn and thistle. Significant of neglect;
also a curse.
From the days of Gibeah. Or, according
TO the familiar Hebrew idiom, More than in
the days OF Gibeah. (Ju1ges 10: TO-
Overtake them. Or reach as far as them.
But now at last their sin has found them
out.
Taught. or trained Cultured and petted.
Il ha Wa al
the Hebrew; hence the Douay renders taughr
TO love, l. G., Ephraim had been brought up
to easy work.--Passed over. Possibly In
the sense of strokihg. Or, it may be, the
idea Of making an exception. The word
often means to forgive, !. e., she had Inn
munity from the heavy yoke.--I will make
Ephraim to ride. Rather, TO drive; or be
ridden. See Revision. (Variations) Used
OF draught horses.
Reap in mercy Literally, In the month of
mercy, l. O., according TO mercy. See Va
riations.--Break up your fallow ground.
Same word repeated; like fdllow the fall
lows, or. till the tillage.--It is time. Or,
the time Is to seek the Lord, as IL that Is
what time is for.--Till, Expressing con-
tinuance.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
Israel Is an empty vine, he bringeth forth
fruit unto himself. And that is the sign of
emptiness, self-service The vine that
keeps ever feeding itself; bringing forth to
itself is leaf laden rather than fruit laden
Such indeed is the rendering of the Douay
(Varlations.) Fruit is always in the un-
selfish trend. 1t is thought for another than
self. This man that is heaping up for him
self, be he never so rich. is after all very
poor; abundance OF LEAKAGE, no fruitage
This fig tree is very beautiful covered as it
is with leaves. "LuXuriant," as the Re-
vision suggests. Has IL any fruit hid among
the leaves? No. Cut 1t down; IL Is empty.
This life is very high and lordly. Large
display in outward adornment; much OK
the appearance of vitality. Is there any
benevolence. tender love. kindly deeds?
No There is no fruit. The vine is empty
Why cumbereth IL the ground?
will make Ephraim to ride We have
written IL draw In our margin. Riding Is
exactly what Ephraim was not to do-not
any longer. Her days of riding, so to speak,
were ended, Now she is to be ridden. Her
portion heretofore has been a comparatively
easy one. She has been favored heifer.
given easy tasks, treading out corn and the
like. Her fair neck has scarce been touched
by the yoke She has been, as IL were.
gently handled. Petted indeed has she
been. Now all Is changed, and along with
blowing Judah and clod- breaking Jacob,
Ephraim shall have her share of hard,
grinding toll. The Lord has been very mild
and easy with the most of us-with all of
us Let us have care. Where gentle
means fail, other modes OF discipline are
sometimes resorted to.
Sow TO yourselves in righteousness, peap
in mercy. The song tells truth:
aAs we SOW. so shall we reap,
In the tide OF coming years,
Whether IL be Joy or sadness, veal or woe;
Then this truth In view still keep,
While the hours are going by,
We shall gather at the harvest wnat we
SOW.
And there is nothing of the heresy of
earning by works here. The seed that is
sown is not earth seed, IL Is celestial seed
As the mercy is Gods, even so IS the right
eousness Not work righteousness. but
Christ righteousness. AS we put into the
life these heaven-sent seeds OF faith, hope
love, we gather forth, I'm measure ample
and gratifying, grace, mercy, the peace and
joy of God.
Thou didst trust in thy way. 1t is mans
own way that leads TO such loss, not Gods.
We are responsible, as race, for the Ills to
which VIC have fallen heir. 9All we. like
sheep, have gone astray; we have turned
every one TO his own way.n Our way, Now,
what is Gods way?r Here-sand the Lord
hath laid on him the iniqulty of all.p
Yes, right across our earthward way lies
the heavenward path. @And a highway
shall be there, and n way, aud IL shall be
called The way OF holiness o blessed
highway from gloom 70 gladness. from
death to lifel Cease to trust In your own
way. Take Gods way.
.Out OF my bondage. sorrow and night,
Jesus come, Jesus l come;
Into thy freedom. gladness and light
Jesus 1 come to thee.p
Said the affianced of Philip Henry when
they objected that his lineage was low and
know where he is going and I want to go
with him aAnd the IN naomed Of the Lord