The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-17
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.
Sent. 1s, 1sos-n Kings, xvii, 0-1s

Sept. 1S, 1S9S-II Kings, xviii, OILS.
The fate of the ten tribes has always been
playground for the imagination Great ingenuity
and learning has been shown in framing theo-
ries and defending them. All start with the
sumption that the tribes preserved their identity.
and were only modified in racial characteristics
by climatic and other conditions. How widely
divergent the conclusions of these theorists are,
Is apparent from the fact that some find the
missing Israelites among the Afghans. the Tar
tars, the HISTORIANS. the Jews of Malabar the
North American Indians, and, most singular of
all. the modern English. Thus one theory kills
another. and all conspire to teach us that the
lost tribes are lost.
The question Of is more practical than
that of locality. 'Why?" rather than width
er?' The question is answered in this Scrip
ture. 1t has been APPLY called the nations cpl
taph. written by the finger of the Lord. The
with the pretense that they were honoring Je-
hovah." But they soon threw away the cloak.
They built high places, set up images and pill
getting that for this very reason the heather had
been carried away. They were deaf to the
Lords entreaties by the voice of His prophets
They hardened in their disobedience and
unbelef They went to the utmost limit of
heathenish superstition and cruelty in offering
human sacrifices. The parental instinct was so
blunted that they burned alive their own chill
dren before Baai This brought upon them the
judicial anger of Jehovah. The order for their
national disestablishment decreed in the
court of heaven. Sargon. the Assyrian, was the
decree of Jehovah. who holds nations well as
individuals accountable for their deeds
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
Did secretly: They covered Jehovah with things
which not right-concealed him he could
not be recognized.-Bahr.
Tower-cty: In every place was some idola-
trous rite.-Clarke.
Lord to anger: Indignation that makes God
hate sin. punish it, and burn, against it.-Pente-
cost.
Hardened their necks: A metaphor derived from
them. hold their necks set in the way they de-
termined to go.-Ibid.
Did not believe: The original of all their sins.
They did believe Gods prophets.-Patrick.
Testimonies: His law is the testimony for
truth and against iniquity.-Alexander.
Left AS any other object is set up in
stead of God. all he values has persisted from
mans worship.-Lumby.
Out of his sight: The Holy Land, where Je-
hovah has his dwelling.-Bahr.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
First-The fall of empire is always an event
Of absorbing interest. 1t is a black background
against which the principles which make for and
against national perpetuity be well defined.
Second-The fall of Israel the inevitable
conclusion of its course of unrighteousness
Third-All that could be done was done to save
Israel from its fate. No nation ever had more
faithful or fearless reformers Amos and Hosea
were last in the succession; but like their prede-
cessors, unsuccessful.
Fourth-This history has remarkable confrma-
ton in the inscription at Khorsabad. entitled the
Acts of Sargon II besieged took, and occu-
pied the city of Samaria, and carried into can
tivity 272SO Of its inhabitants. l changed the
former government of the country and placed
over it Nieutenants of my own"
Fffth-Frhe Lor1's plumbline, which Amos saw
In his vision is still let down from heaven. Ma
tons must stand true to ii in order to insure
their perpetuity. Righteousness exalts a nation