The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-03-02
wa0vD ul0f0RM INTERNATIONAL,
Si1n9daySchool
' Lesson '
BY REV a. IS fIrZW ATEt. ID. D..
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of ChicsgoD
Copyright isg2. Western Newspaper Unh
LESSON FOR MARCH II
AMOS WARNS ISRAEL (TEmPER.
ANCE lESSON)

/
deceived thereby is not wise.--Prov. al
REFERENCE MATERIAII-lsa. 5:ll.
/ ". -, % aS:l-l3. Hosea t:ll. Gal. bis-2l.
! PRIMARY ToPlC-God Sends Amos on
| an Errand
| JUNIOR ToPIC-A Prophet who Was
a Friend to the Poor.
| INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
| The Consequences of seIf-lndulgence.
/ YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Social Evils Yet to BE Conquered.
j The kingdom Of Israel reached a
high state Of prosperity in the time Of
| Jeroboam ii, and with II came a con
dltion Of luxury. corruption and
wickedness.
The judgment woe OF this lesson Is
directed against the sins of the upper
classes In Samaria. The same sins are
practiced in America, in the nation
and in the church With the increase
of wealth in America has come luxury,
corruption and gross wickedness which
Staggers the Imagination. II behOovc~
all to give a listening ear. for God W
eventually enter into judgment. On
lesson is temperance lesson. Tempe
ance applies to other things than
diligence in Intoxicating liquor. o.
age Is intoxicated with pleasure. pur-
suit of gain and selfish ambition.
I. Reckless Security wv. 1-3.
They were blind to the perils that sur
rounded them. They were living in a
fools paradise, closing their eyes to
the approaching storm of judgment as
predicted by Amos. They trusted in
the mountains Of Samaria for their
protection. They regarded their city
as lmpregnable. They no doubt re-
garded the utterance of Amos as i'm
practicable-the dreams Of a fanatic.
The tragic thing about this blindness
on the part Of the chief ones of the
nation was they were so pulled up
with pride that they failed to read
the signs Of the times in the light Of
history ". p The cities Of Calneh
and Klamath though great and mighty,
had fallen. To disregard the lessons
Of history, to dismiss the thought Of
impending judgment. is to bring near
the seat of violence" ". 81. Let
chaotic Europe and Russia be The red
lights of warning to America, and let
all injustice and class selfishness be
laid aside.
~. Luxury wv. 4-6).
The luxury Of these upper classes In
Samaria expressed itself in: 1. Extrav-
agant furniture ". ~. They had beds
of ivory-perhaps wood inlaid with
ivory. Costly as their furniture was In
that day, 1t was commonplace as COM
pared to some Of the expensive furni-
ture and fittings In our great cities.
.. Laziness ". ~. They stretch,
themselves upon their couches-liv'
lives Of Incidence. Such Is the WI
OF many still.
3. Feasted on delicacies ". ~. tt
implication here il that they had their
dainties out of season. This In what
many Of the rich pride themselves In.
L Adorn their feasts with music
". 81. They sang idle songs-even in
purpose. They prostituted the noble
art OF music to their sensual feastA.
5. They drank wine ". o.. They
were not content with ordinary drink.
ing vessels. They drank from bowls,
indicating excessive drinking. They
were SO mastered by the Intoxicating
cup that their feasts which were
adorned with the refnements Of music
ended In drunkenness.
~. Failure to 0risvs fer Joseph
". o..
Joseph here stands for Ephraim
and Manasseh, his two sons. Eph-
rain became the principal tribe
Of the northern kingdom. 30 Joseph Ii
used as a synonym for the nation. The
upper classes were INDUCING In these
effeminate Injuries. entirely Indifferent
to the groanings Of the masses. And
whenever such a condition exist in a
nation there is need of Amos to
thunder Gods judgment upon those
who are guilty Of II.
". The Inevitable Issue wv. z, 81.
!. They shall 90 into captivity ". y.
The northern nation was first in sin,
therefore first to go into captivity
What a striking contrast this picture
Instead OF lying on ivory couchs
feasting upon dainties, they are wit
the suffering exiles.
2. The certainty of the issue ". s.
II Is inevitable because of Gods ma
ture. lie is God of justice. He
has sworn that judgment shall fall.
He is the God Of hosts-the controller
Of the whole universe. therefore none
can escape. God hates the wickedness
OF the world and lie will bring into
Judgment the men and women who
reyel in luxury with no concern for
the poor and needy. Though God
waits long. lie does not forget. The
only escape for America is repentance.
Abide In Him.
And now, little children, abide In