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The Commoner
10
VOL. 22, NO. 3
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Iho hastening of God's kingdom and for the pro-
lotlon of tho general weal is lavished upon cx-
enBivo beds. Thoy are no more comfortable
than other beds, but they please the eye and
tickle the vanity. Tho money spent in high
Living often oxcltes onvy, creates discontent, and
jstablishes barriers between those who should
)Q friendly.
Continuing his indictment, -Amps accuses tho
lotables of eating "tho lambs out of the. flock,
md tho calves out of the. midst of tho stall."
rot satisflod with "food sufllciont for thorn, "
they must have tho choicest lambs out nf tho
lock and tho fatted calves rtheir thoughts still
)n tho 1ody and their affections sot on the
tilings that please the palato. Few generations
pavo been entirely without ,such, and in many
generations these epicures have boon numerous.
t is well that wo havo an occasional remind
er of tho evils into which wo are led. when
thought is centered upon the throat and atten
tion absorbed in ministering to the taste.
Another count in Amos's indictment is that
tthoy "chant to the sound of tho viol, and in
yont to themselves instruments of music:" and,
Indignant at such base imitation, ho adds,
''like David." I wonder it Amos would find
tiny music today that would draw forth his in
fectives? THE MOTTO OF THE SENSUALIST
.( Those of whom the prophet was speaking
'drank "wino in bowls," and anointed themselves
J7ith the "chief ointments." Not a symptom of
flogoneration was absent.
Their chief business was feeding themselves
hnd filling themselves with wine. In the inter
vals botwoen meals thoy anointed themselves
;with oil and stretched themselves upon their
ivory beds. They were concerned with their
jown pleasures, and they were not "grieved .for
tho affliction of Joseph." Thoy wore not grieved
or tho affliction of anybody while they were
&ot afflicted themselves.
The body has no sentiment; it knows self
'Und.- self only. ' Just in proportion as the
(thought is centered on the body; 'it Is with-'
drawn not only from fellowship' 'with the world, '
'Tbut from fellowship with the soul, and even
Jprtth the mind. It is possible to become so de
Voted to the body that Intellectual pleasures
have no attraction. "Eat, drink and be merry"
$s tho motto of tho sonsualist.
- "Drinking wino in bowls"" rocalls 'the 'condi
tions that existed in this country only a few
ars ago, and which exist in some countries to-day.
Less than a generation ago wine was
"served in unlimited quantities at -nearly all,
public banquets of prominence. The charge
ijwas $5, $10 or oven $25 a plate,, the prin
cipal oxponso being for wine.
Tho banquet was divided into thrno riavta
First, eating and drinking mostly drinking.
fThen followed speaking those Speaking who
torero still ablo to sneak. Third, "fclm mnnninr
pip" those who were sober took the drunken,
('ones from under the table, sorted them and sent
jjhem homo; and all said, "What a glorious
night wo have had." Our public dinners are
no longer riotous affairs; after-dinner- drunk
enness had disappeared, and banqueters find
that genial Companionship is possible without
alcoholic stimulants.
GOD NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS
i, Amos concludes his indictment of tho ease
.Worshippers of Israel with a prophecy; "The.re
jjoro, now shall they go captivo with the first
tthat go captive, and the revelry of them that
ptretched themselves shall pass away."
. Here is a measure of justice which is not al
ways administered in present day civilization.
'The "notables" were to go captivo with the first.
tWhy not? Do not those slri most grievously
;who havo the most light and who best under
stand tho character of the crime? Should they
not bo tho punished first and most severely?
But it is not always so. Too often th RnMni
influence "tit the accused sonnroa lnnionnv
frwhilo tho friendless prisoner receives the
nil DOlialty Of thO law. Amns annlra frir.
he Almighty, and the Bible tells us Hint. HnrV
a no rosnecter of nersons. Promlnan Q
- i m a tmm. W " "
not count in Lrous court "T&ough hand join
n hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished."
God. the Pronhet Amos nroclaimRrL Mi..A.
the "excellency of Jacob," hated his palaces
and "would deliver un the citv with nil w
Is therein," In our next Talkr wo shall see
.Jhat the prophecy was fulfilled. The moral of
.today's lesson Is that tho laws of God cannot
DO aisoooyeu wuu impunity.
Whether it bo an individual who separates
himself from1 tho righteous "and gives himself
flv to fielfMndulcence. or a. natinn ! ,..
gets God and descends to the bruto level, pun-
jumuitmi. io luuvibUMtu. imB m umiory so clear-
I
1
y written that no intelligent person can lie
excused for not knowing that the laws of God
are sure.
DO WE DESERVE AMOS'S REBUKE? .
It is our duty to examine ourselves and in
quire whether wo deserve the rebuke of Amos;
whether our horizon extends beyond the flesh
pots. If our hearts are set upon food and cloth
ing and shelter, we may be sure that punish
ment will be our lot. And we are just as sure
of punishment if for the body we substitute the
mind, and do not rise abovo the level of intel
lectual joys,.
There is, a region still higher in which the
soul holds away. It is tho only part of man
thajt is fit to rule. It is the only sovereign
under whose government men and nations are
safe..' When the soul is on the throne, the body
is made an, obedient subject,, and in obedience'
finds, life and health and happiness. '
The m'irid likewise needs, spiritual direction.
Under the leadership of the soul it can roam at
will throughout the universe and still be humble
and reverent. Amos recorded in advance the
punishment that would befall individuals and
peoples which were led away from God.
TII1D TRAGEDY OF ISRAEL
' ' By WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
BIBLE TEXTLESSON FOR MARCH 19 '
(II Kings xvil:9-18)
And the children of Israel did secretly those
things that were not right against tho Lord their
God, and they built them high places in all the!r
cities, from the tower of the watchmen to .the .
fenced city. ' '
And they spt them up images and groves in
every high hill, and under every green tree,: -
And, there they burnt inconsq hi all the high
places, as did the heathen whorh the Lord carried
away before them; and wrought wicked things'. to
provoke the Lord to anger: - s ,
For they served idols-, wher.eoC tho Lord had &ald
unto them. Ye shall n6t do this thing.
Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and agairi'ft
Judah. by all the. prophets, and by all the seers,
sayfug. Turn ye iron) v.our evil ways, and keeR mv
commandments and my statutes, according to all'
the law which I commanded your- fathers, iVrid
which 1 sent you by my servants the prophets.
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hard
ened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers. '
that did not believe in the Lord their God. ""
.nfl they rejected his statutes, and his. covenant
that he made with their fathers, and his test U
.monies Which he testified against them; and thev
followed vanity, and became vain, and went after
the heathen that were round about them, concern
ing whom the Lord had charged them, that they
should not do like them. r'
AdrtI,1ey leifc a11, th& commandments of the Lord
their God, and made them molten images, even two,
calves, and made a grove, ana worshipped all the
host of heaven, and served Baal.
And they caused their sons and their daughters
to pass through the fire, and used .divination and
enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in
In the course of our weekly Bible Talks we
now come to one of the great tragedies of his
tAor'ho ao'wna11 t the kingdom of Israel'
And what a lesson the account of the end that
kingdom twenty-six hundred odd years ago as
set forth in the seventeenth chapter of' the
Second Book of the Kings, holds for all nations
even for our own beloved America!
After an apostacy of more than two centur
ies, encouraged and tolerated by its rnlnrs
Israel had at last reached a point whorp t,
wrath of the Almighty overflowed and He pe r
initted tho peopleHis chosen people to bV
carried captive into Assyria and dispersed
throughout that land. u,s"ersea
The Lord had brought them out of the land
o-f Egypt, had guided them through the wilder
ness, had given them a pilla- of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night, had fed them
manna in the wilderness, had protected t2S2
against their enemies; and had given the nrnt?
teed land as an inheritance. aI S Tyet VsrX"
of H s repeated favors and continued care they
had turned away and worshipped hn.r f nl??y
Thoy -did that which was evN I in the ?crh
the Lord." When God withdrew ffla protect
arm their weakness became manifes they -fouSd
that they were defenseless before thSr -inies,
and Israel disappeared forever from th
company of nations. m tlle
THE CAUSE OP ISRAEL'S DOWNFALL
Th.o text of our Talk begins with tim ,n
statement: "And the children of Isralirt!irect
cretly those things that Z not Z '"
the-fLord their God." Ut gainst
Tlfoy set Images upon every high hill n
under eyery greon tree. They burnt nl.nd
n all the high places as diu the iathen nf
tions; thoy served Idols in spite o Jehovah
commandment that "Ye shall not do thi tuu ..
God testiQed unto Israel and unto Jud g
every prophet and every seer, saying "Tii
from your evil ways, and keep my conimandnli6
and my statutes." Notwithstanding ; tliOV !
not hear but hardened their necks a8 n10,
fathers had done before them and believpri n i
tho Lord their God. "They rejected his aM
utes, and his covenant that ho made with ti of
fathers, and his testimonies which he tostifloi
unto them; and they followed vanity nnd im
camo vain, and went after the heathen tint
were round about them,, concerning whom tho
Lord had charged them, that they should nnt
do like them." Ul
This is given as tho causo of the downfall
of Israel before tho-Assyrian host.
We are interested in this bit of histOiV be
cause it is tremendously practical. We are deal
ing with sin and its punishment, with disobed
ience and the retribution that follows.
In the3o Bible Talks I have tried to catber
the truths that aro applicable to the present dav
so that the. lesson willjjo useful to us in our
own; lives. Is there any moral in this lesson
that we as citizens of tho United States can taka
to heart?.
THE ONLY STANDARD OF MORALS
Many lessons can he drawn from the text
First,' there is only ono standard of morals for
individuals and groups of individuals. Many of
the international complications that havo dis
turbed the peace of the world and involved tbe
nations In hloody conflicts have arisen from an
attempt to evade the moral standards that Clod
has set up- for the individual.
The Ton Commandments are intensely per
sonal; thoy touch human life at every point.
The iirst group lays down rules for man in his
relation to. God; the second group suggests
rules for .the government. of man in his-relation
to-his fellow men. There never has beta any
attempt to formulate a different code of morals
for nations, and yet, time, and time again
throughout history, groups of men havo acted
on the theory that they were relieved from the
ob ligation. of these commandments. They have
trifled with Jifa -and prop-ertyr with honor and
with. virtue. . - ;.
. Goveiousness in the individual, such as was
punished in Ahab, Israel's king, for the theft
oL; Naboth's vineyard ? and vthe murder of its
owner, has often been exalted into patriotism,
and crimes have been excused on tho ground
that the nation profited as if any natiou could
profit permanently by a violation of God's law.
All the sins that have brought punishment upon
mankind have violated the second commandment
as given by Christ, "Thou shalt love thy neigh
bour as thyself."
This was a condensation of all. the Ten Com
mandments that relate to man's duty to man.
If one loves his neighbor as himself, he will not
kill him, nor steal from him nor bear false
witness against him. Society will And full and
complete security from every injustice when
all love their neighbors as they love themselves.
THE BASIC kO'v'E.
But on, what does this second commandment
rest?
Some- ignore .the first commandment; they
think it is enough to consider man's social
needs: they . exalt humanitarianism abovo all
other virtues and dream of a world made perfect
by love of fellow men. They forget that love
of. neighbor is built upon love o! God, How can
one be led to renounce brutishness and be
brought into a brotherly relationship with his
fellows? By learning that all are brothers, and
this relationship is traced through the common
Father of us all.
When the -lawyer tempting Christ asked him
to name the great commandment in the Jaw, Ho
condensed into one commandment those that
related to man's duty to God and proclaimed
as the first and great commandment ".Thou shalt
love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." This
came first, and the second was not only like
unto it but dependent upon it.
Until one -loves God with heart and soul and
mind, he is not likely to love his neighbor as
himself, nor even to inquire who is his neigh
bor. A sense of responsibility to God is the
foundation of social justice it is the moat po
tent influence that acts upon a human life.
Strike out the thought of God and a life may
run for a little while on the momentum that it
has acquired, but it slows d6wn when the divine
current is turned off.
The sin of the children - of Israel was that
thoy forgdt God, and because they forgot God
they yielded to divers temptations, . and punish
ment overtook thorn.
Man has not changed In this respect. With-
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