Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-09-22
THE WAY OF TRANsGRESSORs is
HARD.

HARD.
Not only because of the awful pun
ishment at the end, but because of the
barriers God puts in the way of sim
ners to keep them from walking in
that way.
THE PROBLEM was to prepare 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; aud the other
with Judah, which forms the subject
for the next quarters lessons.
l. The kingdom opened with the
most brilliant possibilities. Its terri
tories were much larger and more fer
file 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 its first
king, a man of large capacity and
great force of character, but more
polite than religious. put in it at the
very beginning the leaven of sin and
disaster.
2. There were reforms and reform
ers, especially Elijah and Elisha, who
fCarlessly proclaimed the truth. faced
kings and taught the people.
3. There was reforming king, j ehu,
jealous and cruel doing a good work
in bad way. He rooted out the thorns
that choked the wheat, in the family
OF Ahab and the priests of Baal.
4. There were schools of the proph
cts. teachers of truth among the peo-
Tle. They had no little religious liter
allure.
5. 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.
Z They had many warnings, lesser
evils coming upon them for their sins.
These were the pains that told them of
disease within.
s. God sent them special prophets.
Jonah, Amos and Hosea, WI 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
TO repent; they continued their evil
ways, and at last they tate the fruit Of
their own way and -.ore filed with
their own devices" They set at
naught al Wisdom's counsel and
would none Of her reproof," till their
fear came as desolation and their des
o.ation as a whirlwind"
THE mills Of God grind slowly. yet they
grind exceeding small:
Though with patience He stands waiting,
with exactness grinds lie all"
A National Application.-God has
given wonderful possibilities to our
nation. and we can make the ideal to
be real if we win. Our only danger is
in sin and irreligion-in corruption
pride luxury, oppression. seihshness,
vice, neglect Of duty. God is doing for
the nations Of to-day more than for
Israel. to keep thea from the down
ward path. lie gives prosperity and
comforts. lie lets hard times come,
whose meaning Is ever that we should
mote where we have gone wrong and
repent and Do works meet for repent
ance.
4 Personal Applications "The rise
and fall' Of Israel is a picture Of what
Is going on continually among indi-
The whole course Of the his
tory is a magic mirror in which sim
ners may see themselves; panorama
Of their own lives, the bright hopes
and possibilities, 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 IL some ca es the
persistence in evil till the iri gocable
ruin at the end.