The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-06-22
SUNDAY. JUNE 25.

SUNDAY. JUNE 25.
JUDAHS PROSPERITY AND .AD-
VERSITY-H Kings 11-25.
Blessed is the nation whose God is Je-
hOvah.-Psalm 1912.
LIFE IN DEATH
Place the United States 146 years
beside the 215 of Israel and the 351
of Judah after the separation, and one
realizes the possibilities for growth
that lay among the hills of Palestine.
Politically, it was period of passing
splendor. Long sheltered by Israel,
Jerusalem was yet stripped again and
again of its treasures to buy the peace
with outside power. Stabilized by the
Davidic line, broken but once by usur-
patton for the few years of Alfalfa, It
had some fine rulers in HeZekiah, Je-
hosaphat, Uzziah and Josiah. It's life
was one of brilliant spurts, deter
mined largely by the dominance of the
prophetic of the political party con-
troll. No finer Statesmen have been
produced by any land than Isaiah and
Jeremiah whose policies were not al
ways followed. Difficult as it's posi-
ton made it, its death was one of sui
eide instead of sanility. Socially there
was a drift away from democracy in
stead of toward it. The palace, the
mobiles, the priesthood, each increased
in power, and slavery of Hebrews be-
came part of the community life.
There were increasing legal restraints
fostered by the prophetic party, seen
in the adoption of Deuteronomy as the
code of the kingdom under Josiah.
There were developing intellectual
conditions through the contac with
Babylon and other nations and in the
written Word. from those who would
preserve the history and warn ngs of
Gods dealings with the race. Religi-
ously there were great gains. They
began with the Jehovah of the Jew,
be he right or wrong. He was God of
the land as Chemosh was of Moab.
His only claim was worship and His
position among the other gods was
dependent upon keeping the nation
successful both in war and peace War
was a struggle between deit,es and
the loser suffered the loss of prestige.
He belonged to the nation more than
to the person. All this was swept
away by the clearer vision af Amos,
Hosea, Isaiah, jeremiah and Ezekiel,
whose writings tell the story of their
progress. Jehovah was seen to be a
demander of righteousness of life
more than of correct ritual, of mercy
rather than sacrifice. Isaiah lifted
Him to the throne OF all the words.
During these years the temple grew in
power and wealth with a constantly
increasing priestly party who were
able to curb the strong King Uzziah
and ultimately make that building the
heart of the worship of the whole land
from which other shrines had been re-
moved or defled. Under their care and
the teaching Of Isaiah that it was in
violable, came the idea that carried
Christ to the cross and stoned Steph-
en-. 1t is to Jeremiah and Ezekiel that
we are indebted for the individualism
we enjoy to worship as a person in
stead of as a member of nation. They
made religion independent of place or
building-a purely personal relation
ship to the God that Jesus named
Father And it was this long advance
that made possible faith that lived
through the destruction of temple and
nation, through deportation and exile.
The written Word and the Law writ
ten in the heart and expressed in the
life, kept alive the flame of the Spirit
that lights She world still and with in