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January 12, 1910. THE PRESBYTERIAN
"neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel."
It would be unreasonable at the same time that it was injurious.
A lamp is made to shine. That is its intent and its
use. If its light is wholly obscured It is rendered valueless.
Believers are called into the Master's kingdom to be luminaries,
to exhibit the beauty and excellence of the truth which
they profess, by righteous conversation and conduct, that
others may see their good works and glorify their Father
in heaven.
Religious Pharisaism has no place in such a life. Christian
conduct is not designed "to be seen of men" as an end
in itself. It is designed to honor and magnify the name of
Christ. Vain-glorying is anti-Christian. Spiritual pride received
our Lord's unsparing condemnation. We can not exhibit
true character and illustrate saving faith except a3 we
make humility and self-sacrifice a prominent grace in the
make-up of that character.
There is much significance in the word "so," in the command,
"Let your light so shine before men that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven." As men behold they are to receive such impression
of our meekness, humility, faith and penitence that they
will be constrained to glorify God by seeking and cultivating
the same graces. So live "that ye may be blameless and
narmiess tne sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights
in the world, holding forth the word of life."
Sunday School |
TRUE BLESSEDNESS.
January 23, 1910. Matthew 5: 1-16.
Golden Text.?"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God." Matt. 5: 8.
Daily Home Readings.
M.?Matt. 5: 1-16. Thnrs ? Psa 37- 93-91
T.?Isa. 57: 14-21. F.?Luke 7: 36-50.
W.?Psa. 119: 1-8. S.?Jno. 4: 1-14; 7: 37-39.
S?Luke 6: 27-37.
Shorter Catechism.
Q. 91. How do the sacraments become effectual means of
salvation?
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation,
not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer
them, but only by the blessing of Christ and the working of
his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
The Kingdom.
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2. The work of its citizens.
Lesson Comment.
Beginning with this lesson we are to have six studies of
the Sermon on the Mount. It is well at the outset for us to
get a clear conception of what it is we are considering.
Our Lord is not correcting the errors of the Old Testament,
and particularly of the Decalogue. He is not expounding
a new moral code. He has not just discovered the Golden
Rule. The following quotation from Dr. Shearer's splendid
little book on the Sermon seems to the writer to be the
clearest and simplest statement of the matter. He says: ". .
the Sermon on the Mount is an exhaustive discussion
of Phariseeism. Christ expounds the law against the tradition
of the elders, and against Pharisaic glosses and interpretations.
It is the refutation of the last great heresy of the
ages, and the overthrow of the last great bulwark erected
by Satan against the truth, that master-stroke of cunning by
which he substituted the deceitfulness of sin in place of holy
living, and a refuge of lies in place of the divine law." Those
who expect to teach the Sermon on the Mount would do well
to send to the Committee on Publication for Dr. Shearer's
book.
Looking upon the Sermon, therefore, as the explication of
the nature and law of God's kingdom, we would find that
It contains information on four themes, viz.: The Character
r OF THE SOUTH 45
of the Citizens; the Work of the Citizens; the Laws for the
Citizens; and a Warning to the Citizens Against False Teachings.
The first two constitute the present lesson.
1. The Character of the Citizens.?What are commonly
known as the Beatitudes constitute the opening paragraphsof
the Sermon, and exhibit the character of the citizens of
the kingdom. It should be noticed at the outset that the
whole center of gravity is shifted by them. Those who supposed
themselves, and whom the world of Christ's time supposed
to be the leaders of the religious life were altogether
different in spirit from those characterized by the expression
of the Master, "poor in spirit." This idea will be found to be
the dominant note of the characterization. In fact, Dr. Moulton
has pointed out that we have really one beatitude with
a sevenfold expansion. What we have is a series of contrasts
as follows:
1. Mourning?Gaiety. Eccl. 7: 2.
2. The Meek?the territorial magnate. Job. 22: 6-9.
3. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness?Pharisaic
satisfaction. Exam. Publican and Pharisee.
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5. The Pure in Heart?the worldly.
6. The Peacemaker?the warrior.
7. The Persecuted?the persecutor.
Here we have the ideal citizens of the ideal kingdom.
Their greatness comes not as the world counts greatness. It
results not from condition, but from character.
2. The Work of Its Citizens.?The citizens thus so wonderfully
described by the Saviour have a work to do, and thin
He immediately points out. The kingdom is not a close corporation,
but has outward relations. It is in the world while
not of the world. This brings contact at many points, and
these outward relations must be defined. The Master makes
definition in that beautifully simple way of which He was
tne great exponent. Taking as the basis of illustration twovery
simple and well-known things. He easilv shows what
the kingdom and its citizens are to do in the world. Salt is
a very necessary article in life. It has two principal uses?
to make wholesome and to preserve. This, then, is the work
of the citizens of the kingdom. There are many valuable
things in life that need the preserving power of the Christian
religion. A little thought on the part of the reader will
suggest them. Then there are other things that to be of
value need to be made wholesome, and here then, is a work
for Christianity to do.
Not only is the kingdom conservative; it is liberal. There
is need in the world's darkness of light. The business of the
Christian is to send out the light and the truth. Someone has
said, ' Christians, are the world's Bible," and we ought to
realize that we have a wonderful opportunity in this respect.
it seems strange, that with two such simple ideas before us,
there should be any doubt as to the work of the church. It
is to lighten and to conserve.
Monroe, Louisiana. Geo. D. Booth.
"SORRY ENOUGH TO QUIT."
A gentleman once asked a Sunday-school what was meant
by the word repentance. A little boy raised his hand.
"Well, what Is it, my lad?"
"Being sorry for your sins," was the answer. A little girl
on the back seat raised her hand.
"Well, my little girl, what do you think?" asked the gentleman.
"I think," said the child, "it's being sorry enough to quit."
That is just where so many people fail. They are sorry
enough at the time, but, as one man said, "I kept chopping off
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that if I was ever to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus
Christ, I must let him wash me Inside and out; when I made
this decision the Lord made a thorough job of it, and it has
never had to be done over."?Selected.
When the dust of business so fills your room that it threatens
to choke you, sprinkle it with the water of prayer, and
then you can cleanse it out with comfort and expedition.?
James Stalker.