The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-09-15

L1AAtA>s
Not only because of the awful pun
ishment at the end. but because of the
barriers God puts in the way of sin
ners TO keep them from walking in
that way.
THE PROBLEM was to prepore ma
ton who would be fitted to carry on
the kingdom of God, to receive His
truth, TO accept the Messiah and pro-
claim salvation to the world. There
were now. two experiments, one with
the northern kingdom, about which
we have been studying; and the other
with Judah, which forms the subject
for the next quarters lessons.
/. The kingdom opened with the
most brilliant possibilities. Its terri
tories were much larger and more fer
tile than those Of Judah. 1t inherited
much of the glories, the power, wealth
and literature Of the kingdom which
had burst into meridian splendor un-
der David and Solomon. But it's first
king, q man Of large capacity and
great force OF character, but more
polite than religious, put in 1t at the
very beginning the leaven Of sin and
disaster.
2. There were reforms and reform
crs. especially Elijah and Elisha, who
flarlessly proclaimed the truth. faced
kings and taught the people.
8. There was o reforming king, Jehu.
jealous and cruel. doing good work
in a bad way. He rooted out the thorns
that choked the wheat, In the family
Of Ahub and the priests Of Baal.
I. There were schools of the proph
cts, teachers OF truth among the peo-
rle. They had no little religious liter
ature.
S. They had examples Of religious re-
vival and prosperity In the southern
kingdom.
6. At times God gave them prosper.
ity and wealth. that His goodness
might lead them to repentance.
7. They had many warnings, lesser
evils coming upon them for their sins.
These were the pains that told them Of
disease within.
8. God sent them special prophets,
Jonah, Amos and Hosea. who In every
way. by words by deeds. by visions,
by object lessons. warned and entreat-
ed the people.
But in spite Of all things they refused
20 repent; they continued their evil
ways, and at last they "ate the fruit OF
their own way and were filed with
their own devices" They "set at
naught all Wisdom's counsel and
would none OF her reproof," till their
"fear came rs desolation and their des-
o!ation as whirlwind."
Tho mills Of God grind slowly, yet they
grind exceeding small;
Though with patience He stands waiting,
with exactness grinds He ALL"
A National Application.-God has
given wonderful possibilities to our
nation, and we can make the ideal 10
be real II we will. Our only danger is
in sin and irreligion--in corruption,
pride. luxury, oppression, selflshness,
vice, neglect OF duty. God II doing for
the nations OF to-day more than for
Isvael. TO keep them from the down.
ward path. He gives prosperity and
comforts. He let's hard times come.
whose meaning is ever that we should
note where we have gone wrong, and
repent and do works meet for repent
nnce.
A Personal Application.-"The rise
nd fall" Of Israel 10 q picture Of what
Is going on continually among indi-
viduals. The whole course of tho his
tory Is a magic mirror In which SIN
ners may s,e themselvesj n panorama
OF their own lives, the bright hopes
and po, Utilities. the loving care Of
God. the numberless good gifts. the
varied training by Joys and sorrows,
the sins against Gods goodness, the
troubles that result, the warnings and
cntreaties by pastors and teachers, the
Word Of God, and In some cases the
persistence In evil TIL the irrevocable
ruin nt the end.