The Red Cloud chief., 1911-05-25
MICAH'S PICTURE
OF PEACE y
Sunday School Lesson for May 70, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
LESSON TEXT-Micah AIS.

LESSON TEXT-Micah AIS.
MEMORY VERSE;
GOLDEN TEXT-"Nation Shall Not
LIT UP Sword Against Nation. Neither
Shall They Learn War Anymore Nile
AZ
TIME-Mlcah prophesied in the reigns
OF lothian. Ahaz, and HeTeklah. who
relgned ,Beechor) from H. G. 754 to b. G.
COS
PLACE-He probably lived in his ma.
i've town, Moreshcth- gath, southwest OF
Jeusalem.
PRoPHETs-Isalah and Hosea.
This important lesson deals with
a subject that is of the greatest
moment in our modern life. a prob.
lem that is rapidly approaching solu.
uon. After ages Of warfare the world
seems nearing the era of peace. In
the forming Of The Hague Tribunal
the world has taken, in our lifetime,
by far the longest step ever taken
toward realizing the Christian ideal
OF universal brotherhood. But, strange
TO say. while this has been going on.
the worlds expenditures in prepara.
ton for war have been increased be.
yond anything the past has known or
imagined, SO that the cost OF a mill
tant peace has become the worlds
heaviest burden We are to discuss
therefore, as vital, urgent theme:
THE Terrible Evils of War, and the
Coming Of the Reign of Peace"
Micah has been picturing the sins
OF his nation, and the terrible punish
ment that was to come as result
Now he turns in flash to contrast.
ing picture, the glorious, peaceful
reign Of Messiah.
There is no thought that this happy
time Is to conclude human existence.
but it Is to be the last stage of hui
man existence, and is to be unending
Micah saw the beloved Mount Zion,
the eastern, Temple hill of Jerusalem.
1t was called the tower of the flock,
the flock being the Hebrews, and the
Temple being compared to the watch
tower into which the shepherds went
for shelter In a storm or for protec-
tion from robbers. II is also called
the strong hold. Zion Is not noun.
tain but only a small hill, about 40G
feet above tho valley; yet the prophet
saw 1t rising grandly and surely un.
til 1t was lifted up far above the
loftiest submits of the highest noun
tains on earth.
He saw restored the first dominion,
the glory that was his nations under
David and Solomon; yes, even more
than that, since he saw many nations
flow unto 1t to learn Of the ways of
Jehovah, the teachings OF the true
religion. Flow implies an impetuous,
voluntary onrush, like the inward
sweep Of the 60-foot tides in the Bay
of Fundy. Nations then will be born
in a day" Converts will come by
Pentecosts. The earth will be filled
with the knowledge Of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea. It Is from
this triumphant Church OF God that
universal peace will spring. 1t can.
not come from any other source.
The central thought of this magnif-
cent passage is the reign of Messiah
that which all our churches exist to
establish. The most striking evidence
of that reign is the Inauguration of
universal peace.
An effective federation of the ma.
tions. such as might fitly be called
"The United States of the World,
will take the place of war. 1t will
have world constitution. a world
legislature, world judiciary, and a
world executive, just as individual
nations now have these instruments
of government
We can inaugurate the reign OF
peace by helping the peace societies
do their noble work. BY studying the
question in Sunday schools and pub
lie schools. BY an earnest advocacy
and study Of missions, which do more
than anything else to cultivate the
spirit of love for other peoples. and
understanding of them. BY protest
ing against the war spirit In con
gress and against the appropriation
of vast sums for unnecessary war
ships.
What are recent gains In the direc
tion Of international peace and fed
Grafton? The establishment of the
international court of arbitration al
The Hague, which is the beginning
of the world judiciary. The enacting
by the nations of more than eighty
treaties agreeing to submit disputes
to The Hague court for arbitration
The peaceful settlement of more
than 600 international disputes, some
OF them most dangerous, such as that
caused by the firing Of the Russian
fleet upon British fishing vessels in
the North sea. The establishing OF
the Central American high court oi
nations. The forming of the inter
national bureau of American repub
lies. The placing Of beautiful
statue Of Christ upon the summit oi
the Andes between Chile and Argen
tina, In token of their agreement not
to fight each other. The forming Of
the interparliamentary union, large
body made up Of members of the vari
Gus national parliaments and con
crosses working steadily for peace