een partial moments of bethinking themselves, when the chastisement was
on Israel; but there had been no thorough 'turning,' which had landed
them at the side of God. Many a man turns _towards_ God, who, for lack
of resolved perseverance, never so turns as to get _to_ God. The
repeated complaint of the inefficacy of chastisements has in it a tone
of sorrow and of wonder which does not belong only to the Prophet. If we
remember who it was who was 'grieved at the blindness of their heart,'
and who 'wondered at their unbelief' we shall not fear to recognise here
the attribution of the same emotions to the heart of God.

To Amos, famine, drought, blasting, locusts, pestilence, and probably
earthquake, were five messengers of God, and Amos was taught by God. If
we looked deeper, we should see more clearly. The true view of the
relation of all material things and events to God is this which the
herdsman of Tekoa proclaimed. These messengers were not 'miracles,' but
they were God's messengers all the same. Behind all phenomena stands a
personal will, and they are nearer the secret of the universe who see
God working in it all, than they who see all forces except the One which
is the only true force. 'I give cleanness of teeth. I have withholden
the rain. I have smitten. I have sent the pestilence. I have overthrown
some of you.' To the Prophet's eye the world is all aflame with a
present God. Let no scientific views, important and illuminating as
these may be, hide from us the deeper truth, which lies beyond their
region. The child who says 'God,' has got nearer the centre than the
scientist who says 'Force.'

But Amos had another principle, that God sent physical calamities
because of moral delinquencies and for moral and religious ends. These
disasters were meant to bring Israel back to God, and were at once
punishments and reformatory methods. No doubt the connection between sin
and material evils was closer under the Old Testament than now. But if
we may not argue as Amos did, in reference to such calamities as
drought, and failures of harvests, and the like, as these affect
communities, we may, at all events, affirm that, in the case of the
individual, he is a wise man who regards all outward evil as having a
possible bearing on his bettering spiritually. 'If a drought comes,
learn to look to your irrigation, and don't cut down your forests so
wantonly,' say the wise men nowadays; 'if pestilence breaks out, see to
your d