laimed was in danger of being forgotten. This was the truth that
_no_ forms of sacrifice, _no_ solemn religious feasts are of any
account in the sight of God unless accompanied by simple justice and
brotherly kindness between neighbors. This was the state of affairs
against which one more great reforming prophet was raised up to
fight--Jeremiah, of the little town of Anathoth, five miles north of
Jerusalem.

A CONVERSATION IN A JERUSALEM STREET

To understand clearly what Jeremiah's message was and why it was
needed let us listen to a conversation between two citizens of
Jerusalem. This one is imaginary. But there must have been many, in
reality, very similar to this.

_First citizen:_ Did you hear of my good fortune? I have just got a
fine piece of ground for almost nothing.

_Second citizen:_ How?

_First citizen:_ I had loaned some money to an old farmer, and made
him pledge me his field as security. Last summer the Babylonian
soldiers came through that valley and burned all the wheat and barley
stacks. So the old man couldn't pay back the loan. He tried to tell
his story to King Jehoiakim, but the king drove him from the palace.
So I went and took his field.

_Second citizen:_ What would the prophets have said to a transaction
like that? Did not Isaiah call down woes from Jehovah on those who
took away poor men's fields?

_First citizen:_ I have just offered a sacrifice to Jehovah.

_Second citizen:_ I suppose, then, it is all right. But did not the
prophets speak against sacrifice, unless one remembered justice and
mercy?

_First citizen:_ Yes, but they were speaking of the old sacrifices on
the "high places," at the village shrines. Everyone knows they were
heathen shrines and hateful to Jehovah. I offered my sacrifice at the
temple yonder, just as we are told to do in the law of Moses, which
King Josiah's servants found in the temple.

Look! Why is all that crowd gathered over there in the temple yard?
Let us go and see what is happening. I heard some one say, that a
certain Jeremiah who calls himself a prophet, was to speak there
to-day. All my friends who have heard him say that he is a false
prophet.

(They reach the edge of the crowd. Jeremiah is standing on the steps
of the temple, addressing the people, as follows:)

="Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the
Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are
these. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and