The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-17

INTRODUCTION.- voice OF
Amos, the faithful witness for God,
was hushed. Jeroboam II, the reign
ing king, who heard the warning,
studied in our last lesson, went the
way of all the earth. A period of
anarchy followed, variously estimated
as to it's duration. The kingdom of Is
raal was tottering to it's fall. Zachar-
iah, Shallum and three others gained
the throne in succession, but only for a
brief time, severa! of them to suffer a
violent death. Another period of an
archy, and Hosea assumed the scep-
ter. Through all these changes the
people continued their mad course of
sin and folly. Perhaps they had for
gotten the predictions of wrath, and
had come to think that the old prophet
was q fanatic. But God had not for
gotten. psalm ciii, 81 Although He
had mercifully waited, giving time for
repetance, His purpose had not
changed. AT last the day of His judg
ment came, when the words of Amos
should be fulfilled. In the year 721 B.
c., 254 years after it's founding, the
northern kingdom, comprising ten
tribes of Israel, ceased as a nation, it's
territory being absorbed in the Assy-
rian empire. The brief record of that
downfall, and the influences that led
up to it, forms our lesson today.
SECRECY.-The purpose and plan of
the prophets in writing history were
unlike the purpose and plan of secular
writ ers. They sought chiefly to show
| the nature and results of sin, and in
| doing this they skctched the beginning.
| progress and end of sin, Uames i: 15,)
which is as important as to exhibit the
| various phases of disease. Hence, in
| our lesson, we are told that Israel be-
| gan it's wicked career secretly. (Verse
| 81 They practiced in private those
| things that were not right in the sight
! of God" 1t is a singular circumstance
that men vainly imagine they can de-
ccive the Almighty, that His eve does
not behold all their transgressons.
| (Ezek. viii: 12) They therefore make
bold to do in the darkness what they
would fear to do in the full light of
day. (Eph. V: 12) 1t is only when the
| doctrine of the Divine omnisCence
(Psalms cxxxix: 2-3,) is received and
made operative in human life that Sc
cret sins are hated most of all psalm
XIX 12) as being most dangerous tc
the person and most offensive to God.
| PUBLICITY.-But he who practices
sin secretly Is likely in time to do sc
openly. The thought that God see'
only what man sees will soon give
place to the thought that He does no.
see at all. Besides, what is done il
private quickly dominates the man
Hence after n period of hidden indul
gence, during which the outward form
of religion were maintained. ISrae
eventually cast off those forms an,
adopted others in harmony with tn
spiritual condition. (NCrses 10 and IL.
This was the next phase in the ma
tional development, making the cut
ward conform to the inward. Matt
xii: 33) In this way idolatrous wor
ship was introduced. Images AM
groves were set up in every high hill
and under every green tree. The re
ligious customs of the heather VIII
, dwelt in the land prior to the conques
were adopted, Notwithstanding thos
people had been consigned to destruc
tion. The reason Tor all this is plair
Heathenism was preferred to the in
stitutes of Moses because the forine
/ satisfied more fully the longings of de
praved hearts and ninistered to III
unholy appetites.