Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-13

Ezekiel was the first one of the prophets
to teach the individual responsibility of
every person for their own acts. The
prophets experience and environment
were favorable to his obtaining the new
conception Of personal accountability.
This great spiritual advancement in re-
ligious thought came to Ezekiel in an
hour of darkness, despair and disgrace.
This truth was revealed to him when
he was called to be a prophet. Former
prophets of Jehovah had revelation
given them for the nation, but Ezekiel
was commissioned to be Gods SpokeS-
man to individuals in the exile.
Collective, or community, responsible
ity for sin is quite common today for
sin in the East. families and residents
of the same section being held equally
guilty with the criminal. We are IA
miliar with the natural desire to cast
upon others the responsibility of their
failures. In fact, the philosophy of life
expressed in the proverb 1.-The fathers
have eaten sour grapes and the chill
dren'S teeth are set on edge" has be-
come recognized universal law. Each
generation has tendency to place the
responsibility for the present difficulties
upon the shoulder of a former genera
ton. Every student of sociology and
biology recognizes the tremendous in
fluence of an evil ancestry upon its Off =.
spring. The habitual criminal is usual
ly child of criminal. Heredity plays
a great part for good and evil in every
persons life. Nevertheless this teach
ing of fatalistic development robs the
divine chastisement of all educational,
moral and spiritual effect.
Gods Justice.
In many conferences, held in the
home of Ezekiel, the question of Gods
Justice was raised. The exiles insisted
or fair, because they were being pun
ished for the sins of others, who had
preceded them. In answer to that iron
fatalism God gave to the prophet a
vision that made clear to Ezekiel that
Jehovah dealt squarely with every in
dividual and that the experiences
which the exiles we're called upon to
suffer were due to the fact that they
had each individually Sinned. The
prophet found the basis for his teaching
this great forward truth in the book of
Deuteronomy, where it was clearly
stated that every man shall be put to
death for his own sins"
Their false views of Gods justice
brought forth conception Of personal
responsibility. that at the first teaching
appeared to be revolutionary doctrine,
for, according to the teachings of the
commandments, He was described as
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon
the children even unto the third and
fourth generation" Ezekiel proclaimed
the same message to the exiles that
jeremiah did in Jerusalem-that the
nation hid failed religiously, morally,
socially, and therefore was doomed po-
litically. He taught in addition the fact
that they, had individually personal
part in the nations doom, for they had
each sinned. The punishment of the
exile was caused by their sin. They,
individually and personally, not the
Babylonian conque. ors, were responsible
for the nations approaching doom. Up
to the fall of Jerusalem and the COLI
lapse of Judah, the messages Of the
prophet had been delivered in an effort
to stop the revolutionary spirit among
the exiles that Ezekiel clearly saw
could accomplish no good.
Personal Responsibility.
Ezekiel saw in his appointment as a
Waterman his personal responsibility.
The watchman's duty called for him to
detect the evidence of approaching dan
ger and to warn the people Of its ap-
proach. If he did this, he could not be
held responsible for any ruinous results.
If he detected the evidence of danger
and did not warn the people, then his
silence made him guilty and he faced
the penalty of death. This condemns
the modern spirit that calls for the
waterman to keep silent. Every school
teacher is appointed a public watch-
man. Every student and statesman,
parent and preacher has similar task.
Our Lord will hold us responsible for
performing our duty. Ezekiel was told