Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-13
Tho Mc>>nsc of Malachi.

| The Mc>>nGc of Malachi.
| Tertuliian calls Malachi the transi-
| ton link between the two dieponSa-
! tions--thc skirt and boundary OF
| Christianity. The Jews call him the
| sea! (becauSc lasD OF The prophets.
Fer this reason. IL for no other. the
book would have peculiar attractions.
! The Language is affirmed 10 be viBor-
our. pure and bcautiful and the rea-
soninS 10 nc concise ana Cogcnt.
Hut IL has high Intrinsic merits aside
from the moro accident OF its position.
Jesus WAS familiar with Malachi. and
gnnunciation 81 His own harblngcr-
John tho Baptist. The book makes
an unspeakabiy solemn close for the
Mala chi was exceedingly degenerate.
II had been better ii the temple had
been closed entirely than thut such
he kept mp. The ti,hes OF the people
were scant in measure and dcspicaDln
In auality-moldy bread and lame
Offering TO their civil governor he
would have spurncd II. and then they
add insult to injury by attempting To
Ing wherein they have despised, or
wcari1d, or polluted. or robbed God. |
No wonder that in The per
10 be oa"--;Ec advent In mercy aud
the advent IN judgment. Malachi sees
ground. The last book OF the old
Testament is a perfect MI. 3inai.
Uuaking. flashing. laundering with
tho righteous Indignation OF Jehovah
lifted TO heaven In privilege. but who
werc all unworthy OF their exaita-
coming? He shall he as iierce as the
rehner's fire. He will be as caustic
as lye or alkaline salt lie will burn
like AN oven, and leave neither root
nor branch. llut here, as every
where In tho scriptures. the beat
tude is placed over against the woe.
II Gods peopls. even at this late date.
in spite OF all their stout. hard and
insulting speeches against God. VIII
only bring all The tithe withholding
no part OF ~ into the treasure
house. the Slui.cs OF blessing Will be |
thrown winc open, and they VIII have !
more FAVOR Than they hay. capacity ,
t. contain.
Under the Stud. Limp.
There MAS AN invisible KiugdOin |
OF Goa IN tn. m.ust OF the visible
Kingdom. Those VINO feared God ana
spake TO one another were known
only 10 Coo. y visible and historic |
continuity is not Indispensable. even |
under the new dispcnsat!on.
r:Neiy age has it's r.IIjah. Ma lachi
was as certainly the ELIJAH OF his !
day as John the Baptist OF mis-. Any |
man who, with persistent carncstncsS. !
drives the peopi. TO - choice between !
greatness al the baptist arose largely
from has position III pgovidcntial MS
tory. lie Mas the last prophet TO !
urge Israel 10 wise choice. .
A DeauIiui and Indispensable trait OF /
the modern mi mister is given when |
Malachi says the priests lips shou |
Keep knowledge. Keep Knowledge,
not from the people. but for tho peo- !
pie. Ministers must be men OF knowl- !
edge: Tor how are they able TO teach !
others tho things " God VINO are
themselves unacuuatHtcd with these |
Things. or unroady in them? :.
The imminent appearance OF the Lord /
IN His church ~ the touchstone OF |
mud II! No tahifs Of mOncy-chang-
ers: no seats .. dove sellers; no !
moldy bread or lame lambs: no tithcs |
withheld; no pcurish questioning! We /,
are better, no doubt. than the church |
III the aGr OF Malachi and OF Iierod !
nut better IN the ratio OF our added |
light and privilege? That Is the Ques- I
,ion. Malachi. siSniryinS mes !
senEer, Is probably not proper
nanic. but an idcaliHcd coSnomcn
which the writer may nave appropr.- |
ated to himself, or which may have
Dcen applied to him later. The
i i%i ard, ana immediate Application OF
Nehemiah. who at this time was alb
sent, hut returned quickly ana under
LOOK practical measures Tor reform nf
church and state. This fact in no
In Malachi prophecy Is cumula.
tive. In a sense. all prophets were
Levi. referred ~ in the third verse.
stand foI 'a- whole ecclesiastical Sys-
tcm-the whole ordcr OF the priest
hood. rhe Book OF Malachi is
not surpassed In literature for irony,
ana invcctiNc is not an end in itse.i
like the sat!res OF Juvenal. 1t does
nc no' rs seek mere discomfi5nre. IL aims
OF God is the nope OF man. Il change
not. Conatan, in mercy as well as
| constant in justice.
Analysis and Key.
The Book OF Malachi
Enhanced by its position:
Intrinsic merits;
Style vigorous.
Matter concise.
Dcsencracy OF Malachis Age
sham OF worship;
Tithes withhcld
Defense attempted.
Book OF Malachi: y Mt. Sinai
Righteous anger Of Cod
Fire and soap.
y Deatitudc against woe
1lthcs brought in;
Sluices OF heaven opened.
Prencnt-Dny Applications.
Nations and individuals are stu ac-
! countable 10 God. just as much so as
| In Malachis day; more 50, in fact
100 years Of human history and en-
| ncricnce. and I'm particular, the peer
| less teaching and example OF the
Master. God takes no pleasure in
! iniiicting pains and penalties for>mlS-
conduct. as the old theology seemed
10 imply. The fact is merely this:
| the human race Is under law which
| is wise and good; it rewards and
| Furnishes with absolute impartiaiity
and operates always for the highest
| good Of the largest number.
| Young Peoples Devotional Service.
September II, 1922.-Proverbs liz.
| Ill.
Motto: Education is the unfolding
| Of the whole human nature. 1t is
! the growing up in all things to our
| highest observation-disclosures Freeman
| Clark. 'Sclf-Culture."
Getting m Education.
! The familiar figure which likens
| the human faculties to horses in
! their stalls ami euuca ton rs the lead
| ing OF them out for exercise may not
! be strictly justified by the ctymology
i Af The Nrarl hnl Ii q NIX.