The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-17
Third Quarter, Lesson XII. Amos V, 4-15. September IS, 1904.
 ISRAEL REPROVED.

It Is to be regretted that the words minor, or less, have been used to desig nate the twelve prophets with whose writings the Old Testament closes. These minifying terms. certainly not given by inspiration, may perhaps in part account for the too general neg lect of this portion of the sacred Scrip lures. Reference Is, of course, not to the contents, but only to the compara- tive brevity of the books. From a lit- erary, doctrinal, or spiritual standpoint the writings are to be admired. Of Joel. for example, 1t has becn said: His style Is clear and elegant" of Hosea, He Is pathetic. animated. sub lime;" Micah has the poetic beauty of Isaiah and the vigor of Hosea" Ma hum Is surpassed by none in sublimity of description-his book consists of a single poem which opens with a sol emn description of the attributes and operations of Jehovah" Malachi's language is vigorous pure, and beauti- full. His reasoning Is concise and CO., gent
 Amos, to whose book our attention Is attracted, is the peer of any in the college of prophets. He was of lowly origin. He has been called the peas rough hills of Judea, near the edge of the great desert. He was untrained in the schools. He says of himself:
 No prophet I.
 No prophets disciple r.
 He calls himself one of the herdsm>S of Tekoa. Part of his rustic occupa- tion was to gather the fruit of the sycamore. To find a market for his fruit and focks he must needs go into ha kin1dnfn1 of "A h.. served the degeneracy of the people. On his return. and In the solitude of the wilderness. he had opportunity to mediate upon what he had seen. His heart was stirred. He must needs re- buke the people. It was woe to him if he did not. In his own strong lan- guage he said, The Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophecy unto My people Israel" It is the surprise of the critic that from such an unlikely source such an elaborate and exalted work should come. Professor Cheyne does not hesi- tate to compare Amos to Dante. and say that the freshness and appropriate ness of his imagery entities him to as high a place In the history of iitera- ture as in that of theistic religion. Carl Friedrich Keil points admiringly to the rhetorical power of AInos-rts wealth ana ueptth or thought, VlVaClty and vigor. his bold antithesis. his po- etical roll rising into actual rhythm. Some one has picturesquely and ap- propriately described Amos's prophecy as a thunder storm. rolling over all the surrounding kingdom, touching Judah and finally settling down upon Israel.
 Some one has called this particular period in the history of the kingdom of Israel its Indian summer, because of its glory and also the nearnesS of the winter of It's desolation. The an- cient limits of the Kingdom and all its splendOr lost under former kings were regained under Jeroboam II. Great wealth was suddenly poured Into the coffers of the princes and nobles. It was the wealth of conquest. the spells of war not the rewards of the peace full arts of commerce and agriculture. With riches gained in such manner came the temptation, to oppression and luxury. The poor were oppressed (viii,D, the ordinances of religion thought burdensome (viii5), and idle ness. luxury and extravaganza were general Uii1j). You will search in vain the whole range of literature for a more graphic description of self indulgent people than Amos gives. They enthrone violence immediately. but consider the day of reckoning as indefinitely postponed. They recline upon ivory divans. They stretch themselves upon their couches beside their banquet-tables, laden with every delicaey. They use for an ignoble purpose the instruments which David invented for the worship of God. Or~