The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-03-09

the cheapest thing in the market. A
hard and underpaid worker himself
he thought much about their con-
dition and out of his thinking was
born the most radical idea in the re-
ligion of his day. Elijah envisaged a
world instead of a tribal God but His
worship was a formal thing that
gripped life very loosely. Fill the
form and there could be no question
/ concerning any other thing one might
do. And Israel had prospered be-
| yond measure under this conception
/ so that it was richer and held larger
territory than at any other period,
so affairs were piled with gifts, the
priesthood was a popular occupation,
and religious festivals were crowded
with attendants. To the Israelites
this answer was a complete vindica-
ton of his belief. Farmer John lea
ped far forward in his proclamation
that Jehova was not only a world
God but that He demanded not forms,
feasts and fasts but righteousness.
Small wonder that he was asked to
leave the country and that it was
feared his words could not be borne
by the land. Far in advance of his
time he was regarded as a hopeless
radical and his message was product
i've of no change that was sufficient
to alter the sure overthrow of Israel.
Yet its truth is as vital as when first
given.
THE BOOK AND IT'S MESSAGE
There is no finer piece of oratory in
print than the Introductory passage
in chapter l and 2. He had to get a
hearing for a hated and unwelcome
truth so at the royal shrine he began
by announcing Gods condemnation
upon that old enemy, Damascus,
flor three transgressions and for
four" Of course they listened and
proclaimed him a wonder and a
prophet of truth Then he began to
circle the land and touching other
lands with doom and winning applause
with every declaration until he had
secured their acceptance of the prin-
ciple announced when he added Israel
to the list and they were speechless
with such conclusion. The second
division includes chapter SO, each
section of which is introduced by
Hear the word of the Lord" in some
phraseology. He denounces their de-
NAL of obligation created by high
privilege. "You only have | known"
therefore will l punish" He denounc-
ed their oppression of the poor
"They afflict the just. they take a
bride, and they turn aside the poor in
the gate" are few of his charges.
And he condemned their luxury and
sensuousness, and it is from this par
ticular section that our lesson comes.
The third division, chapters 7-1O, is a
series of visions of impending doom
in which Jehovah shall pass them by
no more, but the plumb line is already
trying their walls. The concluding
verses are a promise of restoration
wherein there shall be such harvests
that the plowman shall be at his work
before the reaper has ended his task,
and they shall again be planted in the
midst of their own land never to be
/ removed. 1t is a stern justice he
demands as a witness of their devo
ton to righteous God; it is a mes
sage of law and not of grace, but it is
truth that needs to be put into the
speech of each new age.
WRECKED IN REVELRY
Through all the glitter and snow of
Israel shrewd old farmer eyes saw
to the rottenness beneath the tinsel.
Materialism was his first appraisal
for in both Samaria and Judah they
were at ease as they viewed the ap-
proach Of the Assyrian hordes. Why
should they worry-look at their
walls and piled munitions! And It
did take Shalmanezer three years
to break down those defenses in Is
raePs capital and longer still for
Rome to breach Jerusalem, but in
each case it was done. Germany has
given the last lesson in the futilitv
of mere force as a defense. Luxury
and drunkenness were his next counts
| against them. Here, too, are things
as modern as the placing first empha-
sis upon factories, FORCES, money and
munitions instead of men, for the
doing of Fatty Arbuckle and others
Of like taste is as open and as peril
Gus as anything Amos knew. Pinching
poverty is as keen as then and drunk
enness has not vanished with the
passing of the Eighteenth Amend
ment. AS needed as then or as be-
fore our own Constitution was chang
ed is the education of the American
mind to the pernicious effects of the
use of alcohol. Now men talk of the
good liquor" or dad liquor" when
all liO11or keppS itS old ,,oaol r