The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-05-13

THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
"A Pleasant, Interesting. and Instructive
Lesson and Where IT May he found-A
Learned and Concise Revicw of tho
Same.

IL Amos could be called distinctively the
country preacher. then In some fair degree
we may designate Hosea as the city preacher.
He 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.
IL would be interesting To study the char
acteristics OF this proclamation. 1t was
bold. sharp. searching; at once wonderfully
picturesque aud beautiful, and marvelously
strCng and trenchant. In the lesson before
us we have "a good specimen OF the proph-
cts marked methCd OF appeal.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
An empty vine. Spreading we have
written in our margin LuXuriant, says
the Revision. Poured out is one OF tho
meanings given: hence the translation,
empty. so at lisa. "a: 1, "Nothing but
leaves" is the significance OF it, Accord
ing to the multitude. The remainder Of
the verse Is Il double quartette OF vocables,
one set balancing the other; like, many
fruits, many affairs; fine grounds. fine idols.
-Imagcs or idols, !. e., something set up.
At Gen. IS: Is, il is rendered pillar.
Divided. or. "Divide and conquer" The
word originally means TO lick, hence to con-
sumo or plumber. hence TO divide. 1t il
translated part at 1 Sam. 30:24. ("They
shall part alike.") At . Chron, 2s: n, it is
rendered portion.-Faculty. First mean-
ing. laid waste. The Douay so preserves it,
1. e.. perish. The sense of guilt or fault IL
n divided Specification. At Hosea 10: 1, it
l. this same word that Is rendered offended.
What then should king do? The pass
age is Il difficult one. The literal of the
Hebrew is, And what should king do for
us? Very much like, What is the good OF
king anyway?
falsely, making covenants. this being tho
sum OF their words. The word covenant IL
from the root, TO cut. suggestive of tho
original mode, like our word, indcnture.
-iemlock Hebrew, rosh the word for
head. At Deut 81: -. it is rendered gall
("grapes Of gall"); AZ Deut. %: 80, poison
("the poison OF dragons'D "Poppy" is pre-
ferred by one Of our leading critics.
Beth-aven. House of vanity, or idols,
see V. s below. The word given I'm derision.
by the faithful. to Bethel.-Mourn. From
the word meaning to droop or fall, expires.
sive OF mourning. The priests thereof
that rcjoiced. 1t is suggestive to note that
this word "rejoiced" means literally to cir
Gle about or dance.
present. In contempt god for II
gift!-sing Jarcb. The Douay adopts the
etymology OF the word from the verb 10
avenge or contend. See variations -
Counsel. Worldly prudence.
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 wing 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 I'M
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
Door; abundance OF LEAKAGE, no fruitage.
This fig tree is very beautiful covered as 1t
is with leaves. "LuXuriant.n as the Re-
vision suggests. Has il any fruit hid among
the leaves? No. Cut it down; it is empty.
This life is very high and lordly. Large
display i'm outward adornment; much OF
the appearance of vitality. Is there any
benevoence. tender love. kindly deeds?
No. There is no fruit. The vine is empty.
Why cumbercth it the ground?
| will make Ephraim to rifle. We have
written IL draw in our margin. Riding Is
exactly what Ephralm was not to do--not
any longer Her days OF riding, so to speak,
were ended, Now she is 20 be ridden. Her
portion heretofore has been comparatively
easy one. She has been II 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 it 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 %
us. Let us have a care. Where gentle
means fail. other modes of discipline arc
sometimes resortcd TO.
Sow To yourselves in righteousness, reap
in mercy. The song tells truth:
"As we SOW, so shall we reap,
IN the tide OF coming years,
Whether 1t be joy or sadness, veal or woe;
Then this truth In view still keep,
While the hours arc going by,
We shall gather ut the harvest what we
sow
And there is nothing Of the heresy of
Al.
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. in measure ample
and gratifying, grace, mercy, the peace and
Joy OF God.
Thou ddst trust i'm thy way. 1t is mans
own way that leads TO such l)ss not Gods
We are responsible rs II race, for the ills to
which we have fallen heir. GAIL we. like
sheep, have gone astray; we have turned
every one To his own wav." Our way, Now.
what IS Gods way?n Here-"and the Lord
hath laid on him the iniquity OF us all"
Yes, right across our earthward way lies
the heavenward path. "And n highway
shall be there, and way, and IL shall be
called The way Of holiness" o blessed
highway from gloom To gladncss. from
death to life! Cease to trust in your own
"Out OF my bondage. sorrow and night,
Jesus ] come. Jesus i Gomez
Into thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus | come TO thee.n
Said the afilanced OF Philip Henry when
they objected that his lineage was low and
no one knew where he came from: "But |
know whore n is going and want To go
with him. "And the ransomed of the Lord
shall return and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads; they
shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow
and signing shall flee away"
Lord thy way. not ours,
So shall Bethel do to you. Sin Is its own
avenger. AS Gail Hamilton. Is IL not? has
said, there is "day of Judgment" here and
now. Our Bethels, our alters of iniquity
rise up TO execute sentence upon us. Gods
ministers are many and varied, but they all
work for righteousness. And at the last.
men shall acknowledge rectitude OF the
judgment. IL Is not Gods wrath. IL is sins
fruit. Bethel was named for Cod home OF
GCd IL was called at the first. Israel made
IL "A home OF vanity, idolatry, satanry. And
this house they pulled down upon their
heads. sin Is not to be trined with. IL
keeps count. II bides its time. and then it
kills. "The Lord rcbuke thee. o Satan.n