The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-11-25
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 20
AMOS, THE FEARLESS PROPHET.
LESSON TEXr-Amo. 5.l.ls.

word let him speak my word faithfully
Jer. 23.2s
Among the prophets Amos bulks
large. His message ~. e. iS7 ~ In
most thoroughly modern and It's ap-
| plication to our present day problems
deserves careful consideration Read
the entire book prayerfully. Chapters
| and enumerate the sins OF the
nation and OF Israel SO contain ad.
dresses Of the prophet 7:l-9. 10 rec
/ ords his visions and the conclusion.
9:ll.l5 is a Messianic prophecy The
modern prophet Of social service and
those who neglect a proper consider
alton OF applied Christianity" both
ought TO ponder well this passage.
! I. Jehovah's lamentstion, w. 10. Tho
words OF this lesson are those OF Je-
hovah spoken to the house of lsreal
but apply to all people OF all ages.
Verse one IL a prophecy OF the mas
ter's grief over the holy city Luke
| 10 80; l9;4D. Outwardly rich and
| opulent In Jehovah's sight the ma
ton had already fallen ". II. W
and there lis none present tense) to
raise her up" Israel is personified
as a maiden sorely wounded Spoken
/ decades before. Israel did fall and has
risen no more. But there Is a POSSIBLE
| ity OF mercy There is here a COM
mand and a promise and those who
obey the command will obtain the
/ promise OF life.
To seek ye me" ". ~ Is to turn
! the face to him rather than TO turn
the back II implies the forsaking
OF all evil thoughts. yea. our own
thoughts and ways and to turn unto
/ him who will abundantly pardon lisa.
81; Deut 80: 2s). There is life for
the mort outbreaking and outrageous
sinner 10 he will seek the Lord.
u. The Prophets Eshortation. w. 80.
/ The places mentioned In verse FIVE
had each been made sacred by Gods
presence and subsequently degraded
! by idolatry. Bethel especially so.
Gen. IL s. rs: i0-is; I Kings ~: 2929).
These new religions and the false
worshiping were beguiling even the
sincere and unwary. hence the warn.
! ing We need to beware OF the mani
/ fold new cults" lest we depart from
the faith OF our fathers. America Is
/ today standing upon a social and re-
ligious crater In many ways similar TO
ancient Israel God Is either a con-
Stunning fire Heb i5:2s-29: Mark
| $500 to the impenitent or else q
minister OF grace to those who repent.
/ Verse seven Is a suggestion regard
ing the rulers OF that day and finds
| far too many counterparts In our own
times. In verse 4 Jehovah exhorts
the people to seek him and live"
In verse 6 the prophet utters the
same cry. Now ". 81 the appeal Is to
seek him because to do so Is wisdom.
| ta) II is he that maketh the stars"
the earth. yea. everything. and II 10
well to be on his side FPS. 49, tbD
| lie 'turneth the shadow OF death into
morning" (R W (see Ps 3O:5). Who
can comprehend the vast host OF his
saints for whom this has been done!
tc) He 'maketh the day dark with
the night" tR. W. This he Is doing
repeatedly The God who set the day
in It's turn can also turn It aside;
/ he has done IL both past and present.
~. The Word OF Application. w.
1o-15. Sinners always hate the man
who rebukes their sin. Scripture Is
not needed 10 prove this fact. for we
see II today. We are specifically
warned against the praise OF the
! wicked luke g. 26l and any true and
I upright witness for Christ knows that
he is abhorred by those whose lives
are crooked. John 3:ls. 20). Verse
| IL "a. W sounds very much like
many of the structures that are being
made regarding the acts OF some OF
the rich OF today. How frequently we
behold mansions built from the pro-
ceeds Of oppression deserted by the
ones who anticipated their occupancy.
How few fortunes are really expended
and enjoyed by those who make the
accumulation. The manner by which
we accumulate. our conduct towards
the Just Acts 1850. our acceptance
OF brides. and our neglect OF the needy
and the poor is all known to God.
w. 12). Therefore" even as today
IL is difficult and costly TO get Justice
In our courts. even as iniquity Is rapid
ly growing In the earth. about all the
prudent man can do is to hold his
peace. to wait upon God and watch for
him. lie II IL who must call with
trumpet voice lisa. 5s:D even though
he does now speak with human lips.
The fourth exhortation to seek" ".
14) is to search after the good. though
the time be an "evil one"
True goodness is to hate evil and
love the good" FPS. 97:10: Rom. l0:9.
BY this test we may know II we really
hate sin. II we are truly righteous.
We have churches and lack rever-
ence; we have preachers but are not
sufficiently conscious OF our weak
morals: we hear sermons yet our faith
IL fiabby.
We can get on without armies and
navies. airships and submarines. kings
and legislators. yea lacking In all OF
the conveniences OF modern civiliza-
ton. but we cannot exist. much less
| Rrow dourish and triumnh vithOut