The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-16

CONTEXT ..Jeroboan IL began g reign
week. Elisha a and Il, o9 ths prophets ful-
Then came a elas s Of irregular men, those IS
| various ,avocat ions-incn who had no
training In the schools, and who on that
account were more responsive TO the Holy
had more Of the al divine Preparation. one.
! Of these wus Amos, from whose book We
saudy 9ns Ct the sar bn e not
herdnan Of Tekea (Amos ED. ine q e .
n earlier history. g Samuel xly:22 u H se
eame w PSnrnnF o zeal To de 81 eas
pie Of Judah and Israel, both kingdoms
w 's sominonee our lir study in the middle q
TO- the Kingdom, 81 Israel: I. . ~,
Of discomfort ana alarm In Israel. For
elgn wars had been waged with disastrous
results. Internal dlssensions had arrnyeu
TSe ruers we're RS9pf case not knowing
whensor how trouble, intrigue and rebel-
lion might come The 'thoug ;n. ro, Were
Of security. IT was an opportune moment
for the. prophet to utter words Of conf
fort This he,dd delivering Goas m SIt
one way to national order. peace and
prosperity and that IVES n to return ret s to
h a1yde Of G3d wie
have f9ts been It'll Seek Ne and
ieus peopeln w call oo give so up heir idols
and their sins. to return to their old
allegiance ana seek IN all sfe9a|r,iy ne
was the same teaching tina t was delivered
entail ef tha prophets. Gsaiahs ". Y. q GSor
against every promise there IS a warns
ing. The latter is. quite as %necessaryaas
the former. Life is made up Of altern q.
nation the danger that instead of seeking
the Lord who only could deliver, therc
would be a seeking for help where It
years. Bethel was the place appointed
ob OBJ na.a.t rs na ings XII; ss p9
1ase G' tRat i had been made famous
great events, one In the time of joshua .iil
archai History. Genesis, xxi: $3.l There
deities whose favor was supposed 70 re re
some who returned TO the same legality.
The prophet points out the folly q. such
a. course, and urges me 9peoPf,Ied no not -
sired security which was sure TO fail.
IT., has ever been a weakness with men
to seek to other means cans rather t thn 40 20
II POWER NV z, and % Amos
shGws Why H pe9Pre vain
forts SO commonly made. with such dis
astrous. results. He argues IF from r. the lie
strength p9wert q Goa .nar e re
a ii: b A TRrse iastrssiqns q ajyins
given f stars
Two two CONSIDERATIONS that had attracted 50
mosh atsntCn sseon dno19nt s wSss
Son Of day and night is under God d.
rection. He turns the darkness into INTO
m0rnng nd mke5 ff rain n rses
and falls as lie aappoints. being gathered
from the ocean and preciptated upon the
land. AS He, is God Of almighty IN ,3 power,
pie, who after their defeat in battle are
able to return and storm the stro2h hggod LOT
masters of 1t. How utterly foolish Is 1t
to turn to idols for nat ional defense! How
evidently wise to seek the Lord LORD VINO IS
al PHERSERsIr Verse 10; There Is
next an abrupt trans. ton n.the pr e n,s
thought After dealing general terms
and prosperity, urging all ITO 2, trust Je-
plorable condition into which. the people
fallen ney e1lg tbe Se
GERS Of Justice, who sought to punish for |
wrong-doing. Every civil case was adj
justed BY elders, who sat the gate
OF the city and heard witnesses uuthi
": 1l) and the verdict was entitled to
respect as much as are the decisions O. |
our courts. But these Judges We're hated I
and the witnesses who gave true testi-
mony were abhorred simply because by /
this method the guilty were punished. i
III like manner the faithful teachers OF
religion were d!spised (eyen@as the King I
OF Israel regarded Mica,ah, and esteemed.
this man OF God rebuked the monarchi
for his sins. This spirit marked the low
depths of depravity, the surprising per-
yers:ty. into which Israel /, had allen,
lJUDG M ENT-( Verse ~. Every evil
deed brings upon the offender its own
appropriate penalty (Heb. II: ~ Retri-