Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-12-29

GOLDEN TMXT-'T We ssalsas 0uR
hns, ~ h faithfui ana jsst - torUtVs ~
eur sina, and 10 cleanse - AFeA q ~
IisAtsSusasN."-I JsAn IL
To 80 over all the lssseas ssDArets-
b, enc after aAsthsr, 10 rspsa4 titlaA
and Gehsa TsKta In srisr, - sslsct
certain truths We have lsaFAe6-this
b net review. What We ned b The
movement q the wAsls DsgieA q The
history, 70 study ito meaning b what u
b leading. how each svsat each shAracs
tsr, bears upoA this end, 10 hslI sr y
hinder, to ZEE God in the history, and
10 learn the lessons TIE whole period
teaches ".
Reviewing 10 locking backward nom
some tower or hilltop, over the land
scaps through which We have been
travelling. The hills, the valleys, The
cities. the villages, tine forests, the fer
tile fields, We have been seeing In do
tall through the quarter We now see a
one broad country, and we undsrstan
the meaning and power Of the land a
Q whole.
The principal countries where thO
events took place should DO noted on,
the map, their relations to one anotht
Or, the modern names Of these landn
given, and the events in each reported
The Bible history is made more real.
and more interesting, when the con-
temporary events Of secular history
are connected with it, joining day
school with Sunday school. And often
the secular history throws light upon
the Biblical history. The monumental
the remains Of ancient times found In
the ruins Of their great cities within
the last century. add greatly to our
knowledge and interest.
The history we are reviewing nat
urally falls into four eras or perioda
~ The two streams Of the divided
kingdom. (2) The single stream Of Ju-
dab. (3) The Exile. (D The Return
and Restoration.
/. First Period. The Divided King.
dom.-Judah and Israel side by side, q
double experiment in the progress OF
the kingdom Of God. This period or.
tended from 9S2-722, about 26O yeara
Judah's territory contained about 3,400
square miles; Israel's 9,40O. Judah's
capital was Jerusalem with its tenn
pies; lsraers was Samaria, with two
centers OF false worship. Judah was
more sheltered than Israel from close
contact with the heather, both politi.
cally and religiously. Judah had one
dynasty Of II kings and one queen, all
Of the house Of David; and Israel 10
kings and 8 dynasties. Judah had
several very good kings, and great
revivals Of religion and reforms OF
morals; while In Israel from the first
was a deterioration Of varying do.
gress, with great help from Elijah and
Elisha.
The principles We have been study.
ing apply to our own times, but are
worked out In ways adapted to modern
life. The church Is an army on duty.
an army for the Christian conquest Of
the world BY loving faithfulness-
There are great evils to be driven out
OF our country. The whole land Ia wan
Ing up to realize the need Of civic right
eousness. There is always need Of
awakening new reforming zeal. For
every step we gain gives US views Of
new needs. and new ideals. Every
Christian land ought to be q perfect en-.
ample OF the kingdom of God, and OF
the blessings that abound in It. Every
failure to live that life lessons It's In.
nuence over the heather nations.
II. Second Period. Judah the SolS
Kingdom.-Length Of Period, 1876 years
from destruction Of samaria 722 to
hnal fall Of Jerusalem and destruction
OF the temple in $50. Every failure
from the perfect life, every moral
wrong, every fall into ldolatry, dimin-
ished their power for good; and It was
necessary that punishment should fol-
low such conduct, both to persuade
them into the ways Of God and right.
eousness, and also to show the heath
en- that only obedience to God could
lead to the blessings prepared for
Gods people.
Ill Third Period. The Exile In Baby.
lon Length Of period, 10 years, COS.
6S6 and 5S6-516.
A period Of discipline, Of sitting Ike
wheat, Of the refners purifying fire.
The Jews learned their need Of God.
the value Of religion, the blessedness
OF the Word Of God; they gained the
broadening Of their ideas, and sympa.
TILES, the Increase Of their culture.
purifying In the furnace.
the strength that comes from overcom.
Ing, Is the need Of all individuals and
churches today.
~. The Fourth Period. The Return.
The New Spiritual Nation.-This Do
Rod extends from the first return In
bss to the close Of the Bible history,
lOO-with an onward vision to the com,
Ing OF Christ Preparations for the
coming Of Christ. The forerunnsn