Evening star., 1922-03-11
Sunday School Lesson s.

Righteousness and Of wrath sew but
oneend-the nations destrnctiop-be.
eanse e,, they would not prspars to mset
Amos was the champion Of the poor
and depressed: In his cry for Justice
he maintained that man was more
valuable than Money: Persons were
more sacred than places. He called
their religion false when the wor-
He denounced the profteers for ex-
plotting the suffering and poverty
stricken people because he claimed
lhat they were more precious In
Gods sight than the ritualistic per-
false since they claimed to follow
the laws OF Moses and were offering
their sacrifices to the golden calf.
that was contrary to Jehovah's word.
he predicted in the name OF the
GOD OF Justice: that the wealthy. cul-
they were Indifferent to their peril be-
cause of their settled peace. pros
perity and growing power. No civili.
cation is secure that rests upon q
1t Is stpl true that
II fares the land. to hastening Ills prey.
Where wealth accumulates and men decay.
Amos linked intemperance with the
evils that threatened the nations
existence. The home of the leaders,
that he pictures In the passage as
lounGing. luxurious life entirely In.
different to the needs Of the poor"
He shows the relations that fre.
Quently exists in those whose income
permits them to live a life OF indo-
lenee. pleasure and excess in eating
vulgar ostenation, the wastefulness Of
time and money. the prophet Of social
Justice would hold that the worse
waste OF money was that which goes
into the purchase OF intoxicating
beverages. Aside today from our Oh or =
Constitution. the recent exposition
by The Star Of the danger that turks
today in the bootlegging and Illicit
purchase and use Of beverages OF
make US practice temperance. Amos
condemned their use because OF their
moral and physical effects. Men only
engage in the traf1ic today out of
their desire to possess gold.
America, although we have passed
the perils. that the prophet condemn,
ed. We. too, boast Of our wealth and
security as a nation. Wealth may be
an especial and pre-eminent source
of social weakness. israers history
proved that the ,es dangers N ,S.m Which which
then. as they do today. largely
through the production. accumulation
and distribution Of wealth. Her great
ZONES grew greater by crushing the
weaker and poorer beneath them
Just as for every foot that an Ice
berg towers into the sunlight. It
sinks nine feet deeper into the un-
sunlighted depths Of the ocean, SO
svery enlarged estate 10 apt 20 rest on
intensified poverty and suffering Of
our fellows, unless we realize that
all that we possess belongs to COD
and is to be administered 40 stewards
for His glory and the welfare OF hu-
manity.
Amos sought to impress upon his day
that moral character was more valuable
in building . nation than the accu-
mutation Of wealth. Righteousness
exalteth a nation. He showed the
power Of his character, when he
his expulsion from Israel upon the
ground of blasphemy and treason.
There follows in the book Of Amos.
one of the great scenes OF history
the scene which, however fast the
ages and the languages. the ideals ana
the deities may change, repeats It.
self with the same Two ,s.t acters; Fr,s1e ni.h
king behind, man with God--and wage
that debate in which the whole war.
fare and progress OF religion consist"
Amaxiah succeeded In driving Amos
from Israel, but he could not silence
him when he predicted the destfuc-
ton sf the pris.ss Isr.s, fa4,s Ths Ra Raeked ed
nronhet cerhmenced to write and his
MESSAGE has influenced all ages
since that day and will continue to
mold history until our Loro snail
come.