Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-11-26

| Psalm "a: 3, 4.
Sabatier claims that man is incur
ably religious. Every person, who re-
fleets upon life perceives that he has
been placed in a world, which he did
not create, which he cannot govern
and from which, without any respect
to his personal wishes, he must pass
through the experience of death. The
realization Of the existence OF a deity
is forced upon men in every walk OF
life. Although ones conception of the
character of God may be obscure, I'M
perfect, erroneous, or absurd, the
natural and primitive impulses or
every individual is to worship the
Supreme Being. Ones idea of the
Deity will determine his worship for
him.
Isaiah. who ranks as the greatest of
the prophets, spoke of Jehovah as 1.-The
Holy One of Israel" 1t was due to
his lofty conception Of God, that his
soul was stirred by the evidence of his
nations iniquity. He saw sin in his
countrymens thoughtless greed for
gold, "a consequent abuse OF power
and opportunity, a forgetfulness OF
moral standards, all combined with
scrupulousness for religious forms
and with a pretense of loyalty 10
jehovah" that made their worship
unacceptable to COG. Our Lord, talk
ing to the woman at the well or
Sychar, insisted that only spiritual
worship would be acceptable. The
prophets teaching in the opening
chapter, which has been assigned for
our consideration, did not take up the
theme of TRUE Worship" but he
pointed out how their sinful life made
sincere and spiritual worship impos-
sible. Mans spirit cannot respond to
that Of the Lords unless he draws
near to God with pure heart and
1.-THE backing of a clean, consistent
life"
Although Isaiah was a prophet, he
was not antagonistic to the priest
hood Of the temple worship. He rec
ognized that both had been approved
by Jehovah, whose presence within
the temple made Jerusalem the city
of God. the joy Of the whole earth.
Ever since he saw the Lord" high
and holy within the temple, Isaiah's
conscience, his affections and his rea-
son had been stirred by the nations
sinfulness. All that magnificent
ritual addressed to the senses, the
taste, and the imagination, could do,
had been done, and the result had
been a la nentable failure. Religion
and morality had become entirely dis
connected ideas. The patriotic prophet
saw that his country and it's great
capital city were in danger because
the peoples lives failed to exhibit
justice and Righteousness. He realized
that in the eyes of Jehovah they were
a rebelious nation.
Religious Rebellion.
Isaiah pointed out the peril which
Judah faced was due in Gods mind
to their intgratitude. They had rebeled
against Jehovah because they had al
lowed their minds to become so alb
sorbed in their material prosperity
that they forgot their obligation to
Him and failed in doing their duty to
their fellowmen. They we're less con-
siderate of Him than the OK and the
ass are to their owners, for like the
horse and dog they never forget their
owners home and kindness. The ma
ton had filled Gods heart with sorrow
over their attitude towards Him. Not
only had they wounded His heart, but
they had outraged His righteousness
and threatened the security Of His
universe by their rebellion against
His rule.
Isaiah saw clearly how that they
had forsaken Jehovah, and how He
had used the army of Sennacherib to
punish them for despising Him. The
vivid picture" presented in verses
~ of burned cities, a desolate coun.
tryside. ravaged fields and Jesusalem
alone swaziland that hardly--from
ruin which could be compared to that
of Sodom and Gomorrah," was due to
their being alienated from God. They
had forsaken Him and despised Him
IN their life because they had placed
their dependence for security, safety
and salvation upon the observance of
ceremonial worship without living a
life in harmony with the character of
God.
True Worship Demanded.
Tt is doubtful if there ever was a
moro strict observance of the ritual
requirements and the observance of
the various religious feasts by the ma
ton than that practiced by Isaiah's
countrymen and co-religionists. They
thought that they could secure Gods
protection by their costly gifts and
constant offerings. Isaiah exposed the
flItility of their ceremonial worship il
it was not accompanied by a clean,
moral lie and spirit of sincerity and
spirituality. No one can get right
with God by attending church on Sun
days, Sitting in a pew, singing the
hymns. reading the responses, listen.
ing to the sermon" and making an Of
fering for the support of the church,
charity and missions unless we wor-
ship the Lord in spirit and in truth.
Our lives must reflect the life and love
Of God in our dealings with our fellow
men if our worship is to be acceptable.
God looked upon their formal soul
less ritual with displeasure. Isaiah
condemned their lack of reality, which
is one Of the gravest perls that we
face in our religious life. 1t can be
prevented only by the most strenuous
and persistent moral efforts. The
folly of the worshipers of that day is
stated in a word: Your hands are full
of blood" They fancied that they
could wash out the deep stains of sin
in the blood of the bullocks offered in
sacrifice. It was a confession of their
guilt. In condemning their observance
OF the ritual and feasts Jehovah was
not seeking to abolish them. His pur-
pose was evidently to condemn their
spirit and try to have them correct
their methods and motives by a COM
plete reformation of their lives.
Religious Reformation.
Tnbovah ubn Gould not ord,,ra