The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-06-19
LESSON FOR JUNE 22
suNolNo EFFECT or SIN.
EPSON TExT-Amos si-s

Amos was the third OF the minor
prophets and prophesied concerning
Israel In the days OF Urriah. king OF
Judah, about 100 II. G. His name
means burden" and his prophecy re-
veals q sore one. Though outwsrdly
prosperous, and victorious upon the
battlefield, indeed Israel's golden
age" yet this prophet reveals that Il
was an age OF lead as we'll. for he
shows that associated with political
and material prosperity was q gross
moral corruption; even as was the
case In the declining days Of the Ro-
man Empire and as was the state Of
France Just preceding the days OF the
I French Revolution. This is certainly
/ a lesson for our day. Blessed as va
/ have been so abundantly. we need to
| pause and examine the framework OF
our political and moral life.
Gods Proclamation.
"woe to them that are at ease In
Zion" (verse -. What an Indictment.
and OF how many can this be said In
this present day. The state OF Israel
spoken OF by Amos has come down
through the ages. We must not. OF
course. suppose that all were In that
state. but rather the majority. Any
one at all interested or familiar with
present-day church life knows how
few are concerned with the fundamen-
tai work OF the church. via. seeking
a.. ~. 81 oil
ence 10 those OF heathonism but OF our
neighbors and companions. How much
are we concerned with the groans and
the cry of intemperance except per
hap to shed n few crocodile tears
and straightway forget But God by
the mouth OF the prophet proclaims
Woe" We are not called TO ease"
but 10 work. not alone to enjoy but
10 suffer. Tim. ana. II we are TO
escape the woe We must bestir our
selves and not be a; ease. This OF
course refers TO the war being waged
against evil and not TO any matter OF
our personal salvation. Phil. 46. 7R.v.
Pet. ST.. This is the ease OF indif.
ference to Gods honor and the peril
OF men out OF Christ
The prophet then points To the ma
tons that bordered about tverse ~
and warns them that like AZ they had
come and gone. risen to emlnence and
power and sunken TO obscurity and de-
cay. so also will Israel unless Il bestir
itself America is strong and proud
but is Just as weak as those that have
gone before We could not stand
halfelsye and halffree." no more can
We stand half-intoxicated and half
sober. We may seek TO put OF tho
evil day (yerse 81 but whatsoever We
SOW that shall we also reap. Gal. 81.
Israel relied upon the fortified noun
tains round about. only to find later
such support to be a broken reed, for
the day OF reckoning came (s:10).
Sinners scoff at warning. hell In
myth. judgment and death a long way
on, Pet. "a. Governments put on
the proper course OF action for politi-
cal reasons and the people perish.
Witness intemperance in America.
opium tdue to Englands perfidity) In
China. and slavery In Africa. Can God
be a righteous God and overlook these
things? Where there is no vision
knowledge OF the need and the re-
sources at our commandl the people
perish" .. X. throw OF restraint II. w..
Prov. 20; Is. Lacking a vision. nations.
families and individuals alike perish.
Rather than to face the issue (verse ~
we give ourselves TO ease and to
tho enjoynLents OF the sensual ma
ture. Because sentence against the
evil work is not executed speedily
therefore the heart OF the sons OF men
is fully set in them to do evil" Eccl
Sill; and so to the chant OF music
(verse 81 they drink bowls OF wine
choice ointments but are not con
cerned about the affiictlon OF Joseph.
=. g., the chosen ones OF God.
Display Of Wealth.
Here we have terrific Indictment.
These people abounded In "superfiui
ties" (margD suggesting something
or the lavish display of wealth we arc
constantly beholding. each seeking to
outvie the other. whereas God is cali
Ing the Christian to a life OF simple
ity as the price OF power. The intern
perate way some professed Christians
load up with diamonds. the strainins
TO attract attention by means OF dress.
as well as other forms OF display, do
mands that we pause and ask what
will be the outcome. let alone the eff
feet upon the Kingdom. See Peter
3;3. 4; ! Tim. 2:s, 10: Luke 1924, 25:
Matt. 1924.
Therefore, (verse ~. Back OF
every effect is an adequate cause"
Back OF the fall OF Babylon was cor.
rupt court back of the fall OF Rome
an eneryated. morally emancipated
people; back OF the fall OF Jerusalem
a disobedient race who trespassed
once too often.
In bringing this lesson before our
younger scholars we can tell the story
OF Israel's outward prosperity and call
attention to the fact that like the tall
oak, II its heart is rotten, II viii fall
and decay. Emphasize various other
kinds OF intemperance, In speech,