him for the leader of a "School of Prophets." Amos immediately
disclaimed such a questionable distinction. He answered Amaziah:

"I am no Prophet, nor am I the son of a Prophet; but I was a
herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees, when God took me
from following the flock and God said to me, 'Go, prophesy
against My people Israel.'"

Entirely unprepared for such an answer, and not quite certain whether
he understood what Amos meant by his claim that he had taken his
orders direct from God, Amaziah was disconcerted. Amos did not give
the Priest a chance to recover from his surprise and continued:

"Now, therefore, hear thou the word of God: 'Thou sayest,
"Prophesy not against Israel, nor preach against the house
of Isaac."' Therefore, thus saith God, 'Thy sons and thy
daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be
divided by line; and thou shall die upon an unclean soil,
and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of this land.'"

The fearlessness of the Prophet in attacking the High Priest dismayed
Amaziah and his followers greatly. The crowd, too, by its acclamations,
was evidently siding with Amos. Amaziah was, therefore, placed on the
defensive. In broken and halting sentences he defended himself and the
people. The ancient laws of Israel, he pointed out, were being adhered
to by all Israelites. He, for one, was not afraid, even if the Day of
God, the judgment day, should come to-morrow.

Now, a man like Amaziah might not fear the strict judgment which, Amos
said, God was to visit upon Israel; but, how about those who were