The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-11-12
SUNDAY SCHOOL
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Lesson Ix.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. %, 1915.
Text Of the lesson, Amos v, 1-t5
Memory Verses, IA, 15-GoldsR Tent
Jsr. xiii, 2e-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. N. Stearns.

by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
The message OF Jonah was to gen
tiles, suggestive Of foreign m%issiena:
that Of Amos was to Israel, aud there
fore u home mission lesson reminding
us of the need of the church today tn
be awakened to see her privileges and
opportunities and responsibilities. The
sins of Israel and her needs were 10
different from those Of believers now
They bore the name Of Jehovah, bur
we're false to Him and wOrshiped idols.
''They know not to do right, saith the
Lord" Oii, 1O). There was self and sin
in all their worship. Therefore the
Lord said, "Offer u sacrifice Of thanks
giving with leaven. for this Tx
eth you" Nv. 4, 81. Leaven is Away.
u type Of evil. Because of the sin is
their professed Worship Of God He
said, II hate. / despise your feast.
days." l will not accept nor regard
your offerings ", 21-23). Although
they outwardly kept new moons and
Sabbath days thcir hearts were long
ing for them to he over that they
might sell corn and wheat and grow
rich by fraud, giving small measure
and taking IN as much money as POS
sible viii, 4, -.
Consider the growing rich by frand
that abounds today even among those
who hold high positions in the church,
the oppression of the poor, the formal
ity in worship, the false teaching thai
all are children of God, that jesse
Christ was only one of the sons al
God, better than the others, but not
God; that there is no hell, no Il X or
fire; that if people are not saved it
this life they can he III the next and
that Il God of love will never allow
any one to perish eternally; the Bill
cannot be taken literally, 1t does not
mean what it s:lys-conSider all these
horrible things and then think bow
God in His mercy sent forth Il II
Crawford from the heart Of Africa and
81 William Sunday from the baseball
field to show His people their sins and
to uphold the honor Of His word.
How does the Lord plead by Amos
lie reminded them how He had
brought them out Of Egypt, led then
forty years in the wilderness, giveF
them the lands Of others, raised up
prophets aud NaZarites from among
their sons and revealed to them Hin
purposes by His prophets Iii, 10, ]E
iii, Z; tx, y, therefore He would haye
them seek.Him and live, assuring them
of an abundant pardon If only thep
would turn to Him with the whole
heart ". 4, 6, IA; lisa. ", q. ~. lie
also pointed them onward, as lie II
ways did and still does, to h future
glory. for in spite OF all the sin 81
Israel it is the purpose Of God to ne
store Israel and bless all nations
through them. lie will raise up The
tabernacle of David (x. ID, ana James
said ut the great council ut JerusaleD
that would he after He had gathered
the church. or. as lie put it, taken out
Of the Gentiles u people for His ZANE
Then lie said that all the Genttles
would after that be gathered (Acts ~,
1873. Note how in the very lasa
words OF Amos prophecy the Lord lid
that He would bring again the captlvs-
ty of Israel. that they would butl6
their waste cities and inhabit them
that He would plant them upon their
land and that they would no more 'br
pulled up out OF It ix, 1916. Abra-
ham was encouraged and sustained by
the assurance Of the city-Moses by
the recOmpense Of the reward. David
by the kingdom. Paul by the glory to
be revealed and our Lord Himself by
the JOY set before Him. 1'knOw Of no
way by which the church, Of today
lie turned from its worllliness and In
difference so successfully as by set
ting clearly before her the great love
Of God in Christ Jesus, the greatness
Of the salvation He has provided and
the glory Of the kingdom to which We
are called.
Men are trying to remedy the evils
that exist. to reform or uplift the race.
to bring a kingdom Of peace OF earth
by their own efforts. but ''They know
not the thoughts Of the Lord, neither
understand they His counsel" tM1c.
~. 12). They do not know that thr
babe of Bethlehem was born to rule IL
Israel and that there can be no king
dom Of peace OH earth It'll He shak
come again (Miic. v. 24). People ar
SO flied with their own thoughts AIT
ways, Just as Israel was. that they W.T.
not be agreed with God and therefOre
cannot walk with Him (.Amos iii. D.
Because many preachers in pulplts ana
teachers in seminarles are turning
away from God to the wisdom Of men
there in a famine Of hearing the words
Of the Lord G.Amos' viii.' 11>. As In the
last lesson. those who have knowledge
Of God are d%isObGdient and asleep adj
must be awaked. As 1t is written In
Eph. ". ID. ."Awnke. thou that sleepes,
and arise from the dead, and Christ
shall give thee light" BE not un-
wise. but understanding what the VII
Of the Lord is (Eph. v, II, 49,. III
Is high time to awake out of sleer, fw
nou, IA nnr aalvofSOn noaror fhon v4A>.