The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-12-28


our sins and " cleanse " from al IN
rfrhteousness II John -
To 20 over all the lessons separate
~. one after another. TO repeat titles
and Golden Texts In order. TO select
certain truths We have learned-this
u not review. What we need In the
movement Of the whole period Of the
history. 10 study It's meaning. TO what "
Is leading. how each event. each charac.
ter. bears upon this end. TO help or to 4
hinder. to see God In the history, ant
to learn the lessons the whole period
teaches us
Reviewing IL looking backward from
some tower or hilltop. over the land
scape through which we have been
travelling The hills. the valleys. the
cities. the villages. the forests. the fer
tile fields. We have been seeing in de
tail through the quarter we nov see as
one broad country. and we understand
the meaning and power Of the land a.
whole
The principal countries where the
events took place should be noted on
the map. their relations 90 one anoth.
er. the modern names OF these lands
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 II, joining day
school with Sunday school And often
the secular history throws light upon
the Biblical history The monuments.
the ncmalns 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 periods.
~ The two streams OF the divided
kingdom. t2l The single stream 81 Ju.
dab. CD The Exile. CD The Return
and Restoration
l. First Period. The Divided King.
dom.-Judah and Israel side by side. a
double experiment In the progress OF
the kingdom Of God. This period eI-
tended from sss-T22. about $50 years
Judah's territory contained about 500
square miles. ISraels 300. Judah's
capital was Jerusalem with its tenn
pies: Israers 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 IL kings and ono queen. an
OF the house Of David: and Israel 10
Z kings and 3 dynasties. Judah had
several very good kings. and great
revivals Of religion and reforms OF
morals: while IN Israel from the FIRST
vas a deterioration OF varying de-
sress. with gre., help from Elijah and
Elisha
The principles we have been study
| ing apply TO our own times. but are
worked out in ways adapted 10 modern
life. The church IL an army on duty.
an army for the Christian conquest OF
the world by loving faithfulness
There are great evils TO be- driven cut
Of our country. The whole land IL wax
Ing up TO realize the need OF civic right
eousness. There IL always need Of
awakening new reforming Eeai. For
every step We gain gives us views OF
new needs, and new Ideals Every
Christian land ought to bA perfect ca
ample Of the Kingdom of God, and OF
the blessings that abound In II. Every
failure to live that life lessons its in.
nuence over the heather nations.
II. Second Period. Judah the Sole
Ringdom.-Length OF Period. 1856 years
from destruction Of Samaria 722 to
Onal fall Of Jerusalem and destruction
of the temple in $50. Every failure
from the perfect life. every moral
wrong, every fall into idolatry. dlmin-
ishsd their power for good: and IL 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 20 God could
lead TO the blessings prepared for
Gods people.
Ill Third Period. The Exile In Baby
Ion. length of period. 70 years. sos
CSC and 5S6-5l6.
A period OF discipline. Of sitting like
wheat, OF the refiners purifying FIRE.
The Jews learned their need OF God,
the value OF religion, the blessedness
Of the Word OF God; they gained tho
broadening OF their ideas. and sympa-
thies. the increase OF their culture.
Discipline. purifying in the furnace.
the strength that comes from overcom-
ing. Is the need Of all individuals and
churches today.
Nv. The Fourth Period. The Return.
The New Spiritual Nation.--This Pc
riod extends from the first return In
b36 TO the close OF the bible history.
<00-with an onward vision to the com.
Ing OF Christ. Preparations for the
coming of Christ. The forerunnsr.