Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON !, THIRD QUARTER. INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 2.


Gracious Invitations, Hosea Ia 1-o--
Golden Text: Come Let Us Return Unite
the Lord. Hosea o; 1. (studies In the
old Tsstament.)
1t is suggested that 1t win be most
helpful TO study the prophet as a
whole and not merely the few verses
selected for the lesson. as we need 10
know about the prophet, the circum-
stances in which he prophesied, the
mission which he was To accomplish,
his method of work, the great truth
which he enforced, his place in the
kingdom of God.
Hosea was preceded by the prophet
Amos Prof Cornell says: ITO Amos
proposition God is Justice, Hosea adds
God is Love. Not as IL Hosea was any
the less sincere i'm the Judgment OF
the evils of his people; on the contrary
he shows himself even more deeply
affected by them, and his descriptions
are far more sombre and ominous than
those of Amos. But God is kind
Father and Furnishes His child with a
bleeding heart for its own good, so
that afterwards he may enfold il all
the more warmly in His arms" An
other writer declares Amos is ethical,
while i'll Hosea the religious elements
predominant.
Great prosperity and wealth had
come to Israel, but these In those days
as well as in modern times, without
the blessing of God. prove curse.
luxury and vice went hand in hand,
and moral and political decay was the
natural result liosea's wife proved un-
true to him, having been swept away
from the path of rectitude by the tide
of immortality, SO the prophet knew by
the most bitter personal experience
that the leaven of corruption was
working in the hearts of the people.
Hosea loved his wife "as never wife
was loved in Israel" once at least, and
very probably oftener he forgave her:
after the sixth year she became
stranger to her husbands home, and
then drifted, like others of her class.
into slavery" With all her faults,
Hosea loved her still, and when she
was sold as a slave he bought her
back. and restored her. penitent and
humble. TO his home. 1t has been well
said that this experience of Hosea's
taught him the divine feeling of grief
and love for his people, and made him
able to proclaim Gods message to
them with great power They had
fallen by iniquity. and he called upon
them to return 10 God.
g. "Asshur shall not save MS, we VIII
not ride upon horses; neither Will we
say any more to the work of our hands
Ye are our gods; for in Thee the father
less find mercy"
A sincere return to the Lord signifies
that we will no longer lean upon or be
entangled with those things which
have separated us from Him; so Israel
was no longer to look to Asshur (As-
SYRIA for help. nor ride upon horses
which came from Egypt, and so would
not go TO the Egyptians for help.
A. 81 will heal their backsliding,
will love them freely; for mine anger
is turned away from him."
The Lord not only heals the back
sliding, but restores his penitent chill
dren to the fulness OF his love and ia
vor.
s.As the dew Verse - Cambridge
Bible says is better rendered "as the
night mist: i. e., the masses of vapor
brought by tie damp westerly winds
of summer. The baleful effects of the
sirocco are often felt IN Palestine dur
ing the rainless heat of summer. but
nv the beautiful provision of night
mist all hardy forms of vegetable life
are preserved
6. Ellis branches shall spread and
his beauty shall be as the olive tree,
and his smell as Lebanon
1.-THE beauty of the olive is one Of
the most characteristic and beautiful
features of all Southern scenery" A
lelielItsl perfume came from the olive
and the vine and the sweet smelling
,.1.. in
hucnce and attracting power of those
who enjoy the approving smile of God
In the eighth verse repentant Israel
speaks thus.
"Ephraim shall say, What have
to do any more with idols? | have
heard Him and observed Him; | am
like a green fir tree. From me is thy
fruit found
Israel found to her hearts sorrow
that it did not pay TO leave the true
and living God for strange idols. To
this note of praise and exultation the
Lord replied, prom me is thy fruit
found" The church to-day needs fire.
qdently to be reminded of this same
fact.
o. ''Who is wise. and he shall under
stand these things? prudent. and he
shall know them? for the ways of the
Lord are right. and the just shall walk
in them. but the transgressors shall
fall therein"
The truly wise are those who not on
" hear and understand. but also obey
the voice of the Lord. There are
many who are prudent in temporal af-
fairs who act very unwisely about
things eternal. They lean to their
own understanding or are Influenced
by the ways OF the world, and do not
heed the great truth that the ways
of the Lord are right" if they contin-
ne in their transgressions they shall
fall by the way and be utterly con-
founded. 1t Is not so with the Just:
fhnN. hnn.n hon ri fIIn Nninn Of the i ord