The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-10
THE sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.
For September Is. "Isreal Re.
proved

For September Is. "IsreaI Re
proved"
COMMUNICATIONS II began TO reign
IN Israel in ST. b. c. seventy years after
the translation O, Elijah. as studied last
week Elisha and other prophets fulfilled
their mission and passed away. Then
came a class OF irregular men. those whom
vacations. men who had no training in
the schools. and who on that account were
| more responsive TO the Holy Spirit Ea--
the divine preparation ons OF these was
Amos from whose book We study to-day.
one OF the earliest. II not the earliest. %
this class He had been 4 herman o..
| pursuit for & time az least. and came
with burning zeal 10 deliver MESSAGE
| and Israel. both kingdoms being regarded
| As OF the chosen people We commence
| our study IN the middle OF his book with
passage that pertains to the kingdom OF
Israel
sEcCRITY-Cverse - I: was a time 0.
| cisconter: and alarms IN Israel Foreign
wars had been 1aged with disastrous re-
suits Internal dissers.ols had arrayet
| classes Of people aSains: each other. The
rulers were III at ease. not knowing when
or how trouble. intrigue and rebellion
might come The thoughtful were look
/
security Il was an opportuns moment for
the prophet 20 utter words OF comfort
This he nd BY delivering Gods message
and declaring that there WAS but one way
20 national order. peace and prosperity.
and that was TO return 20 the loyal se-v-
ice OF Coo. TIE wise man had set forth
81, but Il seems TO have been forgotten.
Seek re me and We shall 1--we" was Gods
word 20 q rsbellious people. call 20 give
10 their idols and their sins. 20 return TO
-Eatr OfI 1lfAztarr- arr e@ak IN all SIN
ceritv the favor and protection OF the Al
mighty. II was the same teaching that
". ~
DANGER-vsrses and 81 Over against
every promise there Is a warning. The
latter 10 quite as necessary as the former.
r:fe II made up o: alternatives TO be
chosen. There hung over the nation the
danger tha. instead OF seeking the Lord.
who only could deliver. there would be
seeking for help where IL had been vainly
the place appointed FOR the worship OF
calves set up by Jerohoam 2 g. SO II
Neither enter into G!Ea!. TOR Vet into
Beer-sheba. places that had Been made IA
nous by great events. one IN the time Of
g 1shla ,, Sesa w 80 Ss s,her Th IN sA ia
gone abroad popular belief IN local
ce.t!es. whose favor was supposed 20 be IN
dicated by soeciai events and sought by
some who returned 20 the same locality
The prophet points out the folly or such
Course and Urges the people not to resort
TO any such method OF finding desired 50
Guilty. which was sure TO fail IL has
ever been n weakness with men 20 seek
10 other means rather than - God By
such acts they provoke the Almighty TO
wrath
PoWER-tVerses :. ana 81 Amos next
shows why the people should seek the
commonly made with such disastrous re-
suits. He urges from the strength or pow
er OF God that he Is worthy 20 be trusted.
an argument frequently employed In Scrip
.ure. Eph- III. 90 Three illustrations Of
divine power are given First he l.aketh
or controls the seven stars and orion.
the two consultations that had attracted
so much attention In the ancient world
dob NxXviii. 81 Second. the succession
OF day and night Is under Gods direction.
makes the light 10 fade away in darkness.
Third the rain rises and falls a. he ap-
points. being gathered from the OCEAN and
precipitated upon the land As he Is
God OF almighty power. shown by his Won
derf1l dealings in nature. 50 he gives
strength unto his people. who after their
storm the strong fortress. TO make repri-
sails and TO become masters OF IT, How ut
terly foolish 10 it 70 turn 70 idols for ma
seek the Lord Who Is Almighty,
PERvERsrrY-Verse 10y there Is next
an abrupt transition In the prophets
aSSss 8. ass Ss:o q IN
hovah, Amoc procseds to e1hisa. the de-
plorable condition into which the people
had fallen They not only treated one an
other untustly. but they hated the officers
Of justice who sought TO punish for
wrons-do.ns. Every avn cass was i'd
the city and heard witnesses ruth iv. :.
and the verdict WAS entitled to respect az
much as are the-dectsions OF our courts.
nesses who gave truthful testimony were
abhorred simply because by this method
the guilty we're punished In Ike man
cespised. even as the King OF Israel re-
garted Micaiah. and esteemed him an
enemy q Kings xxi, 3. because this man
sins. This spirit marked the low depths
into Which israel had faiien. from which
JUDGMENT Verse III Every evil
deed brings upon the offender It's own ap-
propriate penalty. Heb. Il. - Retribr-
lion Is certain under every s item Of r
may escape for time but the conse-
quences Will sooner or later overtake
them Sc universal su !. ,hi, law that there
calls attention 10 this fact they who
have oppressed the poor Will themselves
suffer under the imposition OF Just God
They who have built houses for them
selves Of q costly and magnificent style
that they may live luxurtously In them
vii be thrust out. deprived Of the COM
fort which they had expected They who
have planted vineyards and kept back the
wages Of the laborers Ganes v. q. shall
not drink OF the wine. IN these deciara-
tons the prophet intends to teach that
riches gathered by Fraudulent methods shall
be improbable 10 those who gather them.
They shall not even Be retained These
reproofs and warnings rested upon the
eternal principles Of tho divine govern
nent- which many had entirely over |
looked
KNowLEDGE-(verses L and 13) The |
prophet also affirmed that God was fully |
acquainted with the wickedness Of the |
nation II may be that some thought |
they had successfully concealed their do |
ings. much OF which had been in secret /
between man and man. But the eye that |
looks continually upon all the ways of Il
men bad not han indifferent 70 the S16so.