Ellsworth American., 1915-11-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Lesson N.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. 20, 1915.

Memory Verses, IL, f@GoIdsn Text.
Jsr. xiii, 23-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. "a. Stearns-
The message OF Jonah was TO gen.
tiles, suggestive of foreign missions:
that of Amos was to Israel. and there
fore home mission lesson reminding g
us of the need OF the church today To
be awakened 10 see her privileges and
opportunities and responsibilities The
sins of Israel and her needs were not
different from those of believers now.
They bore the name of Jehovah, but
were false to Him and worshiped idols.
They know not TO do right. saith the
Lord Gil. lo,. There was self and sin
In all their worship Therefore the
Lord said. offer sacrifice of thanks
giving with heaven, for this liz
eth you" lv. 4. 81. Leaven is always
q type of evil Because OF the sin in
their professed worship OF God He
said, Il hate. despise your feast
days" | will not accept nor regard
your offerings ", 2l-23. Although
they outwardly kept new moons and
Sabbath days their hearts were long
ing for them to be 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 (vin, 4. 81.
Consider the growing rich by fraud
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 that
all are children Of God. that Jesus
Christ was only one of the sons Of
God, better than the others, bur not
God; that there Ii no hell, no lake OF
fire; that If people are not saved In
this life they can be In the next and
that a God Of love viii never allow
any one to perish eternally: the Bible
mean what II says-consider all these
horrible things and then think how
God In His mercy sent forth Daniel
Crawford from the heart OF Africa and
a 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 Amosf
He reminded them how He had
brought them out OF Egypt, led them
forty years in the wilderness, given
them the lands OF others, raised up
prophets and Nazarites from among
their sons and revealed to them His
purposes by His prophets dL 10. IL:
i'll, I, TX, y, therefore He would have
them seek Him and live. assuring them
Of an abundant pardon If only they
would turn to Him with the whole
heart ", 4. 6. IA, Isa- lv, 6. y. he
also pointed them onward, as He al
ways did and still does, to the future
glory. for In spite Of all the sin Of
Israel 1t Is the purpose Of God to re-
store Israel and bless all nations
them. He will raise up the
tabernacle Of David dx. III. and James
said at the great council ut Jerusalem
that would be after He had gathered
the church. or. as be put 1t, taken out
Of the Gentiles a people for His name.
Then he said that all the Gentiles
would after that be gathered (Acts xv,
1873. Note how In the very last
words Of Amos prophecy the Lord said
that He would bring again the captivi-
ty Of Israel. that they would build
their waste cities and inhabit them:
that He would plant them upon their
land and that they would no more be
pulled up out Of 1t (ix. 1875. Abra-
ham was encouraged and sustained by
the assurance Of the city-Moses by
the rccompense Of the reward. David
by the kingdom. Paul by the glory to
be revealed and our Lord Himself by
the Joy set before Him. | know of no
way by which the church of today can
lie turned from its worldliness 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 kingdom Of peace ON earth
by their own efforts. but ''They know
not the thoughts Of the Lord. neither
understand they His counsel (sfic.
iv. 12l. They do not know that the
babe Of Bethlehem was born to rule In
Israel and that there can be no king
dom Of peace on earth It'll He shah
come again (Nic. v. "a. People are
SO filed with their own thoughts and
ways. lust as Israel was. that they win
not be agreed with God and therefore
cannot walk with Him (Amos Iii. 81.
Because many preachers in pulpits and
teachers In seminaries are turning
away from God to the wisdom Of men
there Is famine Of hearing the words
Of the Lord (Amos viii. III. As in the
last lesson. those who have knowledge
of God are disobedient and asleep and
must be- awakef. As 1t is written In
Eph. v. IA. Awake thou that sleepest.
and arise from the dead. and Christ
shall give thee light" BE not un-