The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-09-09
SINFUL INDULGENCE.
Sunday School Lesson in the Inter-
national Series for September
II, 1s9s-Amos, Oils.

BIASED upon Peloubets Select Notes.l
GOLDEN TEXT.-They also have erred
through wine, and through strong drink
are out of the way.-Isa. 2S7.
THE SECTION includes the study of
the prophet Amos AND his work.
TIME.-About the middle OF the eighth
century, B. G. $50. In the reign of Jero-
beam II. (Amos I'D, and from the cir
eumstances 1t must have been the latter
half, 7S0-773. com. chron.. or S65-746. rev.
ehron.
PLACE.-Amos was a native of Tekoa,
six miles south of Bethlehem. The scene
of his labors was Bethel, royal ana
religious center, IL miles north of Jerusa-
EXPLANATORY.
I. The Situation.-After long pc
Rod of decline and partial subsection
there came a period of great outward
prosperity and extension. The three
victories over Syria which Elisha had
promised Joash from his dying bed had
been gained. His son and successor,
Jeroboam H., extended his conquests
till the kingdom reached to the Leb-
anon mountains on the north e Kings
1925; and together with judah the
two occupied nearly the extent of ter
itory that belonged to the united
kingdom under David and Solomon,
from Lebanon to the Red sea. God
through His prophet gave great VIC
tories, an enlarged country and uD-
told wealth and peace with the sur
rounding nations, in order that the
goodness of God might lead them to re-
pentance. Wealth accumulated, but
men decayed. Society from the high
est to the lowest became corrupt. God
sent various warnings to the people.
"Some were physical = famine,
drought, blight, locusts, earthquake;
and some were political-battle, de-
feat, invasion, captivity" Kent.
II. DeQunciation of Sins.-1. "At
case Mszs6n:" Those whose prosper
ity has made them insensible to dan
ger.''-Mitchell. Like Jonah in the
storm, they are asleep and dreaming
beautiful dreams, unconscious of their
danger Zion. Jerusalem, the capital
of Judah. ''Samaria:" The capital of
Israel "Chief of the nations:" Israel
and Judah.
2. pass We" over the Euphrates "un-
to Calneh:" A large city. Klamath"
A city of Syria, on the Orontes, north
of Lebanon. Gath" A Philistine city
on the southwest. BE they better"
than you? God has greatly favored
your nation, yet how you have requited
Gods goodness.
( 3. "Ye that put far away" in your
thoughts and expectations "the evil
day. and act as if you did not believe
Gods Word.
A. Beds of ivory" etc.: Expressing
luxury and selfshness.
6. Drink wine in bowls:" Because
they were larger than the vessels or
dinarily used in drinking.-Mitchell.
''Not gBieved:" AS long as they had
their luxuries they had no patriotism,
no care for country or for the poor.
Z. go captive with the first:" Since
all lesser troubles had failed to lead
them to repentance, there was moth
Ing left but captivity, which was hast
ening on apace. Within about 80 years
this was fulfilled.
8. "Will l." the Lord God, deliver
up:" The Assyrians could have done
no evil unless God had permitted it.
Had the people been brave, moral,
united, full of religious zeal, Assyria
could not have conquered them; and
Gods providence would nave watched
over them.
God tries many ways to keep back
people from going to their own ruin.
Temperance means self-deniaI. self
control in the presence of temptations.
No one is good without self-denial in
something, self-control in all things.
Yielding to luxury and appetite at the
expense of higher things always means
decay and ruin.