Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-29
Lessons for Me From tho Book Of
Isaiah" lisa. 6: 1-9. :.
(By WILLIAM t. ELLIs.)

Of
(By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.l
Ancient IsraeTs seers were men or
far vision. They saw the Inner means
ing of the past; they saw deeply into
the heart OF men. and they saw in the
dim future better day for the friends
of Jehovah and for all mankind OF
these great teachers the chief was Isa-
iah, whose writings are among the
worlds masterpieces OF literature. In
any age Isaiah would be ranked as a
great writer. But to his skilled pen
was added the flaming inspiration OF 4
man consumed by the religious Inn
pulse.
Literature reaches its highest form
when 1t speaks to the deepest religious
impulses.
The greatest author Is he who has
caught the clearest vision OF the per
manent spiritual verities.
Isaiah knew God; that was his force:
and he knew men; that gave him Ills
held. Possess of a message, and the
ability to command mems hearing, he
could shape their thinking according
to his will iT5si
The greatest dearth in most present..
day writing Is that lacks conviction
Authors are not tremendously burdens
ed with message to their time. They
Write for money or fame or even less
worthy motives. and SO their work
fails to show the divine fire of inspfr-
alton. 1t Is when men are consumed
by dominating purpose that they
produce the most powerful literature.
Isaiah had something to say to his own
people; and, 10. 1t has continued to be.
message to all the centuries since.
The Isaiah note is suited to our day.
He conceived Of the social aspect Of
religion. To his vision there appeared
golden age when peace should reign,
and men should war no more. A great
peace congress Is to be held In Chicago
this month, and tho Scripture lessons,
and many of the platform quotations,
VIII doubtless be taken from this an
cient Hebrew sage.
Isaiah Is best known and loved by
Christian readers for his MessianiS
passages His portrait of the Christ is
dear to every devout heart. 1t depicta
Jesus as we know him in the New
Testament. And his other most popu.
lar charge is the invitation to salvas
tion-"Ho, every one that thirsteth,"
Amos r. Wells has summarized some
of the more pertinent teachings of thS
prophet In these paragraphs:
Even a stupid ANIMAL that knows
its owner, Is wiser than the wisest
man II he does not know his God (1:3).
Cease to do evil, learn to do we'll"
is comprehensive formula OF re-.
ligion on Its outward side d:16:1D.
Red Is the color farthest removed
from white, and yet the most scarlet
soul can be made as white as snow
| G:18).
| When the World knows God. tho
most useless thing on earth win be q
sword; 1t Is to be transformed into,
one of the most useful things on earth,
a ploughshare go.
| To cease from man. is merely to-
begin with God (2:22).
! Every man feeds upon his past
bitter food or sweet, yet he must eat
| it (3:10).
In Isaiah's day there was the devil
of the buying UP of great tracts OF
land that are not really used (5:S).
The sensual man considers music
and art, and literature, perhaps, but he
does not consider the one thing best
worth considering, namely, theology
GID.
What man is in his own eyes never
counts; let him learn to see himself
with the eyes Of God (5:21).
Whenever men are in perplexity. let
them raise the ancient cry, ITO the
law and to the testimony (8:20).
What little glimmer Of light was
vouchsafed to Isaiah and yet he would
call it great light (9:2).
Eight elements In. the wonderful
name of Christ. But how many Of
these names has our heart learned to
call him? (9:6).
Even the wisest man is only a tool
In the hands OF God, and the moro a
tool the wiser and better he is CO:I5).
little is to lead In the day Of the
Lord, because the innocent child heart
is the type of that kingdom (11:6).
| The wells OF salvation are deep and
unfaillng; we are not drawing from
them unless we are joyous Q2:3).