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the Queen and Savonarola a scourge to the nobles of Florence. The prophet is no favorite in king’s palaces. Our Lord said that wearers of soft raiment are in king’s palaces but prophets are not garbed in snappy sackcloth. They are not wined and dined by the Ahabs and Herods of their day. Their inter views have been held more often in prison. Of course times have changed and John the Baptist’s head is no longer brought in on a charger. There are new ways of decapitating proph ets with more finesse! The prophet is angry with a godless age. He is not a cheery optimist putting a pollyanna touch on every situation. He is dis concerting to all Amaziahs who want to maintain the status quo in Bethel. I have tried to imagine how the Bethel Daily News might have edi torialized : “ It is regrettable that our fair city has been embarrassed by the sensa tional rabble-rousing of an unknown and uncouth revivalist from our neighbor kingdom of Judah. This disturber of the peace and calamity howler came unsponsored and with out credentials or invitation from the local clergy. His appearance and style painfully confirm that he is no regularly ordained minister but a vine-dresser and fruit-gatherer ob sessed with the notion that he is a spokesman for Jehovah. He assumes the right to sit in judgment on our city and nation and accuse our peo ple of sordid sins, even descending to call the women of our social circles “ kine of Bashan” and ridiculing our religious services. Our city is proud of her culture and religion. There is evil enough in Judah to occupy this prophet’s time and he might well clean up his own bailiwick first. We hope our city will soon settle again in her peaceful ways and orderly habits unmolested by trouble-makers from Tekoa.”
"AND SOME, PROPHETS”
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Pastors, teachers and evangelists abound. But New Testament proph ets are scarce. Some contend that the breed is extinct. Barclay says: “ The settled ministry began to re sent the intrusion of these wander ing prophets who often disturbed their congregations. The settled min istry always tends to resent the itinerant evangelist. The inevitable result was that bit by bit the proph ets faded out and the settled minis try was supreme.” We are inclined to believe that the real reason for the prophet shortage lies in another direction. There are certain require ments and few will pay the price. Besides, material inducements are lacking and earthly rewards are rare. The prophet is a "square," an odd number in a standardized, collec tivized, regimented society. He is a solitary individual who walks alone, a poor mixer and not popular at clubs and luncheons. Amos was not chum my with Jeroboam II, nor did he hobnob with Amaziah at Bethel. When John the Baptist appeared be fore a king he gave Herod a reproof which cost the rugged prophet his head. Elijah was the bane of Ahab’s existence. John Knox was a thorn to
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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