Evening star., 1915-11-27
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return t. God as the only source of se-
curity. They were not to seek God at
Bethel, with its temple; or at Gilgal,
with it's famous sanctuary; or at Beer
sheba, where they had long been ac-
customed to worship, for they could
not find God there. with their idolatrous
sacrifices. Amos pressed home to Israel
the fact, as Batten points out, that sac
God another Gods earthly sane
tuary and God Himself are not neces-
sarily the same thing" The fearless
prophet demanded Of the Israelites a
that trusted God, the Creator and Con-
troller OF the destiny of men and ma
tions. for salvation and protection
against the nations enemies.
The safety and security of this ma
tion depends in no small degree to-
day upon our missionary work In the
south, north. east and west. The call
for the work of evangelism has
brought forth the gospel wagon. the
chapel car. the missionary boat, the
automobile chapel, and one denomina-
ton has received gifts toward the
purchase of an areoplane to carry the
gospel. The great need today Is for
men of the stamp of Amos, who, filled
with the love of God and America, viii
seek to save America from the same
dangers that threatened Israel by
evangelizing the cities and country,
winning the coming generations for a
the nation within again all foreign
foes. social service that shuts out
God means the nations doom.
X II .f
Religious Social Service.
Amos demanded fair play and jus
t1ce between man and man. In his
insistence upon a social program the
fearless prophet has correctly been
called the father OF all social reform
ers. He was not revolutionist. He
tried to prevent a social revolution
when he pointed out the sins and or
rors both of state and societv and
their inevitable results '@The spectf1c
crimes which he denounced were i'm
morality. bribery, the oppression OF
the poor. such as the selling of a
cause he was unable to pay a small
debt. and taking advantage of the
poor in the public tribunal, and for
these Amos held the wealthy and rul-
tack wealth, but the securing of II
through violence and injustice"
John D. Rockefeller, jr., after his
visit to the mines in Colorado and his
| efforts to restore peace among the
workers and the wealthy owners w.
reported in the public press as preach.
ing doctrines that were not unlike q
those taught by Amos when he pointed
out the dangers that had deyeloned
out of the want of the spirit OF our
Lord among men. The dangers which
beset the fabric of society TO-DAY are
linked up largely with the production,
I accumulation and the distribution OF
wealth.
III fares the land. to Fastening I'll a prex
Where wealth accurnulates and men decay
The social abuses continued and L.
| raeI was crushed by the Assyrian in
yasion within less than thirty wears
/ never, as Amos had foretold, to
| rise again as a political power. We
are called upon as a nation to enter
upon a career Of preparedness as a
people. Our first duty is to repent and
| seek God. II we do not as q nation
, seek God and His kingdom firsr we
too. will follow the pathway OF ali
nations that have violated His laws
concerning national life.
] Several counts in the Indictment
against Israel are true OF America
Eminent jurists have pointed out the
| difficulty of the poor securing justice
in our cities. Bribery is too common
among us. The Just are afflicted In
\ this hour we should seek good and
not evil and help others to do 10 by
| supporting the home mission work
that seeks to win America for Christ
and His church.