Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-10
LESSON FOR MARCH IL
AMOS WARNS ISRAEL (TEMPER.
ANCE LESSON
ESSON TEXT-Amos 6.1-S.

LESSON TEXT-Amos els.
GOLDEN TEXT-Wine is a mocker.
strong drink is raging; and whosoever is
deceived thereby is not wise.-FroV. 9'.I.
REFERENCE MATERIAI1-Isa. 5:1,
l2. %. %: 2S:l-13: Hosea An; Gal 5:19-2l.
PRIMARY TOPIC-God Sends Amos on
an EIrand.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Prophet Who Was
q Friend to the Poor.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Consequences of Self-lndulgence.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Social Evils Yet to Be Conquered.
The kingdom of Israel reached a
high state of prosperity in the time of
Jeroboam II, and with it came a con
dition 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. 1t behOoveS
all to give a listening ear for God will
eventually enter into judgment. Our
lesson is a temperance lesson. Temper
ance applies to other things than in
diligence in Intoxicating liquor. Our
age is intoxicated with pleasure, pur-
suit of gain and selfish ambition.
|. Reckless Security wv. 1-3).
They were blind to the peris 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 impregnable. 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 puffed 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 selfshness be
laid aside.
II. Luxury wv. 4-6).
The luxury of these upper classes in
SamariSS expressed itself in: /. EXtrav-
agant furniture ". A.. They had beds
of ivory-perhaps wood inlaid with
ivory. Costly as their furniture was in
that day, it was commonplace as com
pared to some of the expensive furm-
ture and fittings in our great cities.
,. Laziness ". ~. They stretched
themselves upon their couches-lived
lives of Incidence. Such is the way
of many still
g. Feasted on Gelicacies ". ~. The
implication here is that they had their
dainties out of season. This is what
many of the rich pride themselves iu.
4. Adorn their feasts with music
". 81 They sang idle songs-even in
vented musical instruments for this
purpose. They prosNtuted the noble
art of music to their sensual feasts
5. They drank wine ". 50. 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.
Ill. Failure to Grieve for Joseph
". g.
Joseph here stands for Ephrain
and ManaSseh, his two sons. Eph
rain became the principal tribe
of the northern kingdom, so Joseph is
used as a synonym for the nation. The
upper classes were INDUCING in these
effeminate luxuries, entirely Indifferent
to the groanings of the masses. AnC
whenever such a condition exist in ;
nation there is need of Amos t
thunder Gods judgment upon those
who are guilty of it.
Nv. The Inevitable Issue wv. Z, 81
/. They shall go into captivity ". y
The northern nation was first in sin
therefore first to go into captivity
What striking contrast this picture
Instead of lying on ivory .couchet
feasting upon dainties, they are will
the suffering exiles.
2. The certainty of the issue ". 81
1t is inevitable because of Gods ma
ture. He is a God of justice. II,
has sworn that judgment shall fall
He is the God of hosts-the controlle
of the whole universe, therefore non,
can escape God hates the wickednes
of the world, and He will bring int
Judgment the men and women VIII,
revel in luxury with no concern fo
the poor and needy. Though Coz
waits long, He does not forget TIL
only escape for America is repentance
Abide in Him.