erous husband and .hired herself to many "lovers" (false gods, false trusts, false pleasures), and even credits the good providence of the Lord to hér idol lovers.. What could be more pro- voking and wicked! (2) Yet the prophet bears most pathetic assurances of Jehovah's faithful love, bids Israel, "Take with you words and return to Jehovah; say unto Him, Take away all iniquity" (14:2); and promises "I will be as the dew unto Israel" (14:5); and open "a door of hope" (2:15) for her. "How can I give thee up, O Ephraim." Hosea is the best of all love stories, not excepting Solomon's Song. Come and say with Israel, "What have I any more to do with idols?" (14:8). "Who is wise and he shall under- stand these things? prudent and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them.; but the transgressors shall fall therein" (14:9). THE CHRIST, THE CROSS, THE CROWN. Lesson VII. Nov. 17. Mark 8:27; 9:1. I. THE CHRIST. 1. A crisis. The Lord had offered the Kingdom. He had given infallible proof that He was the Messiah. But He was rejected. He "came to His own and His own received Him not" (Ju. 1.11). From persistent opposition and persecution He now "went forth" from Galilee as He went before from Judah (Mt. 4:12). They would not have Him, He "gave them over" (Ro. 1:28), and His disciples" went with Him. He takes the "salt" away cor- ruption follows (Mt. 5:13; II Thes. 2:7). 2. Critical questions. First: "Whom do men say that I am?" Ample testi- mony had been given, now what were the results? Some said this, some that but no one owned Him Christ. So now some say "A myth," "an imposter," (the infidel); some, "mere man," "good man," "best and wisest of men," (Jews and Unitarians); some, "mind," "prin- ciple," "an Eddyite" (the Christian Scientist); some, "a fallible teacher," . ( t he "Higher Critic"). Second: "But whom say ye that I am?" Peter (for the "12") said, "Thou art the Christ." What fails to convince some convinces others. That the Gospel is worthy of belief is evident for men most wise and learned believe it. That it is doubly worthy is evident, for the believer is the better man. What makes the dif- ference? First: Because it had been
restaurants.) The great ladies of Sa- maria are described as greedy for drink. Such sensuality and pfofuseness led to all other vices (wine and wickedness are wanton sisters). The passion for money became general." II. HISTORY AND PROPHECY. S. Gibbon, the historian, wrote of the decline and fall of the Roman Em- pire. The prophets before had done the same for Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Sidon, Greece and Rome. The latter includes our own civilization and nation. In every case ruin has followed godlessness, greed, gluttony, an insa- tiable lust for license, liquor, luxury. With individuals and peoples there is a beginning in simplicity, sobriety, right- eousness, and industry, resulting in progressive prosperity in wealth, pow- er, and glory; but issuing in selfish- ness, injustice,. oppression, strife, rob- bery, and excesses of all kinds; with contrasting superabundance and want, merry making and misery, anarchy and ruin. We say of such nations and in- dividuals that they aré drunk, "intoxi- cated" with prosperity, and we see them "staggering on to a fall from which they shall not rise. Let every youth who studies Hosea today know that if he would save his life in this world and t he next; if he would be a saviour of his fellow men or his country, he must practice godliness, contentment, and self-control, and set his face like a flint against the spirit that rules around him. III. QUOTATIONS PROM HOSEA. "Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding." "Their doings will not suffer them to turn unto their God." They "make themselves sick with the heat of wine." "For the men themselves go apart with harlots." "Ephraim is joined to his idols (vices?) let him alone." "Woe unto them, for they have wandered from Me; destruc- tion unto them, for they have trans- gressed against Me." "Their glory shall fly away like a bird." "The ini- quity of Ephraim is hound up, his sin is laid up in store (a treasure of wrath, see Ro. 2:5)." "They have sown the wind they shall reap the whirlwind." "'Gray hairs are here and there upon him and he knows it not" (the imper- ceptible gripping of habit the insidious inroads of physical and moral decay). Teachers who cannot find apt lessons here should resign their office. IV. THE GOSPEL IN HOSEA. This we must not miss. (1) Hosea likens Israel to an adulterous wife who has forsaken Jehovah her good and gen-
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