Evening star., 1922-09-16

Sunday School Lesson

their religious obligations and faith
fully perform their spiritual services
at the temple. He promised them
that when they returned unto the
Lord and faithfully met their obliga-
tions to Him they would enjoy a
spiritual and material evidence OF
His presence fapd prosperity.
Every one who reads Malachis .
charges against his countrymen and
times sees in the prophets words pic
ture OF our own days. A few years
ago the Wall Street Journal sounded
land. 1t declared that what America
needs is more than railway extension
and western Irrigation. and a low
tariff, and bigger wheat crop, and
a merchant marine. and a new Navy.
Is the revival Of piety. the kind father
ana mother used to have--piety that
counted it good business to stop for
daily family prayer before breakfast
right in the middle of harvest: that
quit field work a half-hour early Thurs
day night so as to get the chores done
and go to prayer meeting. That's
what we need now
When we made our sacrifices and en-
dured the trials of the world war, we
did it with the hope that it was the
end OF war and the opening of new
era Never In all history has a nation
given and promised TO give more than
what We have in recent years for the
missionary programs of the various
Christian denominations. We have not
seen the end Of war. We have seen
business depression and pledges made
FOR the glory of God unpaid. Perhaps
II was necessary that those pledges
should call for heroic sacrifices. so that
We could share by our selfdenial and
sharing in the services of our Lord
whose ministry was marked by a life
OF selfdeniai. sacrifice and suffering.
| "a h II
We cannot expect to share in tiIe
JOYS OF His reign when He comes
again to rule all men and nations.
The church of Christ represents the
highest interests of America and civ
ilIzation. All that it stands for de-
serves the support. financial and
otherwise, of every patriot.
No man can support the interest
OF the Kingdom OF God and be in
different to the social and moral
wrongs that still curse our nation to-
day-'superstition. impurity. false
hood. disregard of the rights OF the
defenseless, such as widows and or
phans. defrauding the workmen OF
his fair wages" and others OF rea-
sonable income upon their inve stment
of time. talents and money. The
prophet traced all these to their dis
regard of Jehovah. He saw the bless
inSs of His Messianic reign arise like
tle sun OF righteousness with heal
ing in its wings The most powerful
saving ard transforming force in the
world today comes from the light of
the cross. Nothing can stop the judg-
ment of God upon the sin OF man or
nations. Emerson has taught the
world that every day is a Judgment
day. The crisis through which the
nations of the earth are passing now
is His judgment for neglect of HIM
and His cause.
If we will return by penitence to
Him we know that He Will return to
US and remove the worlds bruises
and curt its shortcoming The new
era will not dawn until more
Christian social and international
policy dominates the world, that has
been governed by its hates and fears.
ambitions and animosities. When the
statesmen. business men and Christian n
leaders are controlled by the mind and
program Of Jesus, as they have been
by the spirit Of the age in seeking
power and national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
then the worn. torn. bruised and
broken world will feel the warmth of
the joy OF His gospel The man who
has been filed with His spirit will meet
the acid test of financial giving. for he
will ac, on the theory that as a Chris
tian he ought not to give less than was
required of the Jew. His guide will
not be the requirement of the law. but
the standard of the blessings he has
received. He will give in accordance
with the way God has blessed him and
do it with JOY, for God loveth q hilari-
Gus giver.