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8 (588)
the Sunday School
HEARING AND DOING.
June 9, 1912. Luke 6:89-49.
Golden Text: "Be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving
your own selves."?Jaes 1:22.
HOME DAILY RIBLE READINGS.
M.?Luke 6:39-49. Hearing and Doing.
1.?Matt. 5:17-26. Profession and
Practice.
W.?Jas. 2:14-26. Faith and Works.
T.?Acts 8:26-38. Noteworthy Examples
of hearing.
F.?1 Thess. 2:1-12. Noteworthy Example
of Doing.
S.?Matt. 13:18-23. Fruitful and
Fruitless Hearers.
S.?Ps. 119:49-60. The Word and
Obedience.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God,
and to enjoy Him forever.
LESSON COMMENTS.
The Sermon on the Plain: The lesson
is from the discourse of our Lord recorded
by Luke, dealing with many of
the topics given by Matthew's report of
the Sermon on the Mount, and having
pracuc&ny me same conclusion anu application.
An Analysis: (1) Blind leaders. (2)
Censorious spirit. (3) Trees and fruit.
(4) Rock and earth. Dr. 'Pelonbat's analysis
here is exceedingly good: "A
l,esson in Foundations. I. The Foundation
of Christ's Example. III. The
Foundation of Humility. I'V. The
Foundation of Sincerity. V. The
Foundation that Endures.
Some of the Beams: The "motes"
are too small to see. Among the
"beams" which are gin our eyes, preventing
us from seeing clearly what is
in our brother's eye, may be reckoned
selfishness, self-conceit, self-righteousness,
evil temper, passion, prejudice,
biased judgment, umcharitableness, exaggeration,
hate, enmity to truth, lust,
avarice, covetousness, irreverance, dislike
of Christ, Indifference to the Word,
neglect of prayer, unthoughtfulness, unkindness,
unfaithfulness to the ordinances
of God's house, covenant breaking.
The Living Proof: When a tree produces
good fruit, we know it is a good
tree. Figs do not grow on thorn bushes,
and grapes are not gathered off bramble
bushes. Seo what a faith has done, and
thus judge of it. What has the dominant
belief, Buddhism and Brahminism,
done for India; or Mohammedanism for
Turkey and Arabia; or Romanism for
Italy, Mexico, and South America? See
what the open Bible has done for Germany,
Holland, England, Scotland,
Canada, the United States!
Two Kinds of Foundation: There are
two foundations on which men may
build the refuge or home of their souls,
the rock of God's WV>rd, and the sand
or earth of human schemes The
houses built on these many stand quite
a while, but a storm is bound to come
c r% m oAl m o A t/iot ?? ' 11 ? ~
uuuiubiuio. ix ioou nui uuc uay ue tippiled.
Then the difference will be seen.
Those who hear Christ and do his will
are building upon the rock. Those who
hear him and then do not his will are
. laying no solid foundation, but are
building '"upon the earth," where the
structure is bound to fall.
Self-Deception: Few evils are more
common than that of deceiving oneself,
^e spiritually blind do not know that
they are.blind. The mote-seeker is not
aware Jhet there is a great beam in his
own' eye. The bigoted do not realize
how narrow they are There is a good
o'd Arabian proverb which goes thus:
THE PRESBYTERI,
' 'He who knows not, and knows not that
he knows not, Is a fool; avoid him. He
who knows not, and knows that he
knows not, is simple; teach him. He
who knows, and knows not that he
knows, is asleep; wake him. He who
knows, and knows that he knows, is a
wise man; follow him."
Oiisorlousness and Criticism: Censoriousness
was one of the great heads
of the Sermon on the Mount. The trait
is so common, so well nigh universal,
that it needed to be dealt with by the
Master. It is very much more than a
critical spirit. The latter is bad enough.
It always underestimates real values,
and always deceives its subject into the
unwarranted notion that he is very expert
and very knowing and very intelligent
and very smart when in truth he
has not the first original idea and has
not a shadow of constructive genius or
ability. The commonest laborer can
pull down the house that was the archmoalnwniA?A
. * ?
?iwv *, u IIIHOICIJ/JCLC. V CllOUriUUOllCSIS IS
worse than this, for It is not only all
that is mean and weak in criticism, but
has in addition a low spirit of comparison
and self-laudatory condemnation
of others.
Lessons: To be helpful to others one
must himself know the truth. The blind
cannot lead the blind. Nothing is so
noble as sitting at the feet of a true
master, to learn of h'im. Our own faults
are our chief difficulty. They disqualify
us from being judges of others' faults.
Our own evils are often vastly greater
than those whom we hypocritically condemn.
Our neighbors' faults look large
to us, our own very small. We must
take care of ourselves first, as to character.
And if we pay sufficient attention
there, we shall have no time left
to look after and correct other people's
faults. A Christian character will express
itself in Christ-like life and deeds.
The outward life is an index to the
heart. "Out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaketh." The loudest
protestations amount to nothing if
not coupled with obedience to Christ's
will. Hearing and doing is a good
foundation to build upon. Hearing and
doing are to be one, a combined singular
verb. Hearing and not doing, again a
united idea, is putting up a large and
beavy house without a foundation. The
larger and more imposing such a house
the surer its ruin, and the greater the
lack of a foundation may not at once
appear, and the builder may long deceive
himself, but it will be sure to be
seen after awhile. The storm will
come.
Explanatory: "A parable:" an illustration
of a fact or truth of a higher
sphere from the analogy to it of a truth
or fact or posBlbiliity in a lower sphere.
"The blind lead the blind:" a most foolish
course. A blind man, if sensible,
will try to have a dog or a child, something
that will be eyes to him, to lead
him. Least of all will he attempt to
turn guide. "The ditch:" There were
innumerable open wells, pits, ditches,
quarries, and the like, in Palestine.
"Mote:" a small, clay particle, as a
dry stalk, or chafT, or dust. "Beam:"
part of the roof of a house, a large piece
of timber. Contrast is the chief point
in the ?se of the words. "See clearly:"
if there's any time left to inspect.
"Good treasure:" the same thought,
under changed figure, as a "good tree."
"Ix)rd, Ijord:" words rather than works;
talk, rather than walk. "The stream:"
as of a flood of waters rushing violently
through the land; a special stress or
tflial or test.
Seeking the good of others is always
the best thing for ourselves. It ennobles
and expands, gives a larger and
better life, commends and secures the
confidence and love of men, gives wider
nnoortunlty for place and influence, removes
the causes of failure and Insures
the largest measures of success in all
rightful undertakings. ""
A. N OF THE SOUTH
Young People's Societies
HAPPY MEMORIES.
Topic for Sunday, June 9: Huppy
Memories: How to Make Sure of Them.
1 Tlicssulonians 1:1-10.
DAILY READINGS.
Monday: An old-time letter. 2 John
1-6.
Tuesday: Remembering frlendB.
Phillippians 1:1-8.
Wednesday: 5By good wiill to all.
Luke 2:8-14.
Thursday: By a useful life. John
9:1-5.
Friday: By a consecrated life. Philipplans
1:20-26.
Saturday: By purity. 1 Timothy 4:12.
Paul's experience in Thessalonica at
the hands of the hoodlums, the Jews'
agents, and at the hands of the city's
rill prs urhn oVaAfrw* oonnwUtf T?
- ?- ? -, uv IV\4 swuiilj U1 ijaouil,
was not a pleasant memory.
It was off-set, however, and more than
off-set, by the happy recollection of the
faith and labor of love and patience of
hope of the Christians there, who
through much tribulation had, witnessed
faithfully for Christ
The very trials through which a sincere
devotion to Christ carries the believer
makes, twhen they are over, the
happier memory of the grace and patience
which enalble one to come off
conqueror.
The believers at Thessalonica had
lived and acted In such a way as to win
the encomium of Paul. Their reception
of the Word, though it was "in much
affliction," was "with joy -in the Holy
Ghost."
Xot only were they recognized and
appreciated as faithful by Paul, but they
became "ensamples to all who believe"
in other sections, for "in every place
thefr faith to Godward was snread
abroad," even beyond Macedonia and
Achaia.
It is pleasant to be appreciated and
to feel that one has established a happy
memory. Paul always took patins to express
such appreciation, and to tell those
who did their duty that he treasured
the memory of their faithfulness to
Christ and his word.
It is a duty to lay up a great store
of things that others may remember of
us, rather than by our neglect to leave
behind us only a memory of an empty
or useless ldfe. Memory is the link be
tween to-day and the past. How unhappy
if It has nothing to fasten to in
bygone days.
Memory does not begin to play its
part until there is a part for it to grasp.
But the materials for it are gathering
now. What the memory shall be is determined
to-day. The seeds are Bowing;
what shall the harvest be? Just what
the seeds themselves may be. "Whatsoever
a man soweth that shall he also
reap."
Memory may be quickened. The ha'bit
of recalling accurately strengthens the
faculty. And even in a more minute
way, the memory may be trained. It
may be taught not to treasure certaiin
classes of things, as unkind words,
acts, thoughts. Such memories ought to
be, as one has put it, like Impressions
on a mirror, gone forever when one
has passed by.
The class of thingB that will create
the most lasting memory will not be of
those that are great or striking, but of
those in which faith and love and patience
and kindness abounded. Upon
these, rather than upon showy acts or
ambitious efforts and results, the most
substantial recollections will be built.
Thev form the true foundation of genuine
life.
And things that are remembered happily
become principles of life. They
renew their own existence by projecting
it upon a wider plane and larger scale.
[May 29, 1912
The Prayer Meeting
RELIGION IN DAILY LIFE.
Murk 5:19. Week of June 2.
Home is the place where character is
best revealed and where It has Its finest
opportunity. The daily life is the test
of principle, it exposes infirmities and
afforda opportunity for the exercise and
illustration of virtues. If there is
genuine merit it will appear; if excellencies
are assumed rather than real
they will be exposed. One may assume
an air of amiability for special occasions,
but habitual conduct is the best
index to the source of conduct. Pious
platitudes may deceive, but generous,
kindly deeds as the rule of one's life tell
tne story of real worth.
In the lesson before us he that had
been possessed with demons besought
our Lord that he might continue w'.tii
him, but the Master said to him, "Go
iu iuj uuuoe umo tny mentis ana tell
them how great things the Ix>rd hath
done for thee." He was sent back to
his home and friends to testify to them
and commend the Saviour who had so
richly blessed him. It was not the
easieBt thing to do. His kindred and
friends knew best how debased he had
been. It was easier to follow the crowd
and have personal responsibility lost
in the multitudes. The enthusiasm of
others would beaT him along. The faith
cf others would help sustain his own.
The Master's visible presence and ever
renewed teaching will be a stimulus to
his faith. But it was better that he
should return to family and friends as
a witness to them of what he had learned
and received that they m'ght know
of the same Divine Delner
He had precious truth to make known.
The day before he was an unlovable
outcast; now he follows Jesus. He was
the victim of a conspiracy of demons, i
living among the tombs; now he knows
the Saviour of men as his deliverer. He
had been a wild creature wandering in
desolate places; now he Is clothed and
in his right mind. The very wonder of
the change would awe his friends. It
required courage to become an evangelist
all at once to those who had
learned to dread his presence. But it
was a plain practical duty and one to be
sustained by a daily life of faithfulness
to his commission. He was sufficient
for It; "he departed and began to publish
in Decapolis how great things
Jesus had done for him; and all men
did marvel."
Our Lord applied one of the best tests
of gratitude and sincerity when he sent
this man to his former kindred and
neighbors to be a witness for the truth.
He would thenceforth make his home
among them and they would carefully
watch his conduct. But the effect would
be in proportion to the genuineness of
the test. Friends could take knowledge
of him that he had been With Jesus.
They would have the best possible evidence
and the best r?rmr?rtnnlrfv tn nereist
the same Saviour. They would be influenced
to say, "The one who has so
wonderfully blessed my friend can
surely bless me." Sincerity thoroughly
tested and confirmed has great power
of conviction.
We may not all have opportunity to
give such extraordinary testimony as
this man gave, but we can bear convincing
witness of a yet higher nature.
Parents can do this in the instruction
of their children in Btble truth and in
the beauty of holiness. They can impress
the nobility of Obedience and truthfulness.
Above all they can powerfully
influence their children bv "living the
principles at life which Jesus taught.
Children can commend the Saviour to
others by obedience, cheerfulness, kindness,
unselfishness, thoughtfulness for
others. So in active daily life In all our
relations.
/ .