The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-06-14
Sunday School Column
Side Lights on Next Sundays Les.
son for Teachers and Pupils
BY CHAs. K. MEYERS

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President. Rev. J. J. DePree. Denison
shns. K Eos MeSerz Df BENSON g
Treasurer. 80. Sears McHenry, Denisoh
Department Secretaries.
| House Visitation .................
......... Mrs. W. 3. Evans, Arion
Primary. Mrs r. P. Plimpton, Denisoh
'A'9' MRS j. 3: Giassbburnr;eir 'Arion
Prof: ". 6. vanNess. Denison
Temperance Rev. G. E. LaReau. Denison
~ Mrs. a. ii. Harper. Dow City
Executive Committee. L. Hoffman,
Denison; F. L. VanSlyke, Manila: N. F..
Oak; John Vennick, West Side; Frank
WoOlston, Boyer.
June IS. The Downfall of Samaria.
q Kings, II 1-1S.
We have lesson this week from
which much food for thought can be
obtained. To understand it in full we
must look back into the history of the
Children of Israel. It will be remem-
bered that Abraham was chosen as the
founder of the Jewish nation, and the
promise that through him should all
nations of the earth be blessed. We
have many times learned of the way
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were cared
for, and of the captivity in Egypt. We
know of the deliverance from Egypt
and the wanderings of the people UNI
der Moses for forty years. We re-
member the final entrance into Pales-
tine OF the Jews under the leadership
of Joshua and of the positive COM
mands of God that the heather idol
ators must be rooted out, and faith
in Jehovah be the only one practiced
by the people. Over and over again
the Jews were told that if they stood
by God He would stand by them, but
if they did the contrary thing sure
punishment would follow.
These promises and warnings were
not put in the far future. More than
one hundred times we're these people
given practical evidence that what God
said would be carried out. When they
did wrong in the wilderness they were
punished at the time. When sin was
in their midst the enemies triumphed,
until evil was put away with repent.
ance for the wrong done. In fact, the
history of the Jews from the begin
ming was full of evidences that God
would help when truly called upon,
but would punish for deliberate sins.
These things were as plain as that
fire will scorch and burn, water drown,
la fall from great heights kill or in
jure. 1t is told us in the New Tesla
ment that the history of the Children
of Israel was written out for our help
to serve as warning for us to guide
by each day.
We remember that on the death of
Solomon the twelve tribes split apart.
Ten rebelled from the king at Jerusa-
lem and set up capital at Samaria.
Beginning with Jeroboam, who first led
the people into idolatry, there were
eighteen kings after him, and things
went at all times from bad to worse.
Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, great
prophets, proclaimed from time to
time that certain destruction awaited
the kingdom, if God was not recog-
nized and idols put away. These good
men and their teachings We're laughed
to scorn.
At last the final blow fell on the
northern kingdom. 1t came about 73O
years before the birth of Christ. Our
lesson of today tells about it. The
armies of Assyria besieged the strong
hold at Samaria three years and on its
giving up. means were taken to wipe
out the kingdom of Israel forever. The
fighting men were deported, that is,
taken over into Assyria, made slaves
or scattered so that in time the ident-
ity of the individuals was lost as Jews.
Thus ended the history as unit of the
ten of the tribes OF Israel, who proud
ly took possession of Palestine as the
Promised Land" under Joshua.
The golden text Of this lesson could
we'll be that famous and ever truth
full statement, whatsoever man
soweth, that shall he also reap" The
Jews Of the ten tribes sowed idolatry,
immortality, utter disregard to Gods
commands, and the natural result
came about Now as this history was
preserved to us for our good, what
can we learn from it? The answer
is very plain. God has given us the
gospel of Jesus the Christ, rein
forced by the writings of Paul, Peter,
James, John and the evidences of
what christianity has done since pro-
claimed to the world. Standing as
every grown reader does, in the full
light of all these things, there is no
possible excuse for not needing what
all this teaches, and being governed
nv il IF we lot a farm or garden 90