Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-09
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. 0. SHERBuRN.

E real connection in thought would appear
more clearly if we read the first yers,
/, according to the Revised Version; an,
brethren, be not many teachers" Th,
Verse seems to be aimed at some wht
assumed II dictat orial manner in The
church, who were perhaps poorly fitted tt
teach others. Such need remember tha
the masters or teachers place is one O
lgreat responsibility, and that such plac,
assumed rashly or used amiss would sub
lject one to severe condemnation; more
severe even than that of the one who is
over modest about asserting his views.
AS reason why we should not be for
ward to assert our own views, James
points TO the fact that we are every one
subject to mistake and error. awe offend
|all' signifies that we all NEE things in
our experiences which are apt TO stumble
us, and hence we ought never to assume
that we are altogether correct and no
possibility of mistake about our notions.
Here is added the general declaration that
a man who knows how to use and control !
his speech, or his tongue, the same is able
to control his whole boiy II does not
follow that such Il man aOiH always control
lall his powers as he ought, but he is strong
lenough to do it, and could if he would
Neither is it indicated, as l think that
the man who offends not, or stumbles not,
in word Is necessarily a perfect man in
lall respects; but it is strong indication of
a we'll controlled, well subdued man, if he
is able always to guard and govern the
tongue. The writer uses too very apt
Isimiles to illustrate this point: that of the
horse controlled and guided by the bit,
and that of the ship turned about by II
small helm or rudder.
ills perpetual manifestation of mans
superiority over the lower animals, and
even the forces of nature, that he so early
found out simple and easy way to man
age the horse and guide Il ship. Just as
by these, seemingly simple and nsignifi-
cant means, these difficult things are
| accomplished, SO the wise restraint of the
\ tongue serves to govern all our conduct
If all the evil which is done in the world
by wrong talk could be stopped, we
I should be in sight of the millennium before
| another New Years. The exclamation at
| the close of the fifth verse appears to be
i kind of proverb familiar in that time. One
writer says that the Greeks had something
akin to it: "By small torch the top of
Mount Ida can be burned.' The tongue
| is termed fire and world of iniquity
this refers to its power to do extensive
harm in the world. The power of the
tongue over the other members is well
| shown by the fact that all our real or |
| supposed Sights and grievances are vastly
augmented us we talk about them; and
almost no one aises up to desperate deeds |
without firing themselves for them by
angry words. Many man has set on fire
the course of nature within him by heated
language until every muscle of his body |
was ready to respond, to the call for deeds
of blood. Many church member has
become so enraged by some little
thing, much talked of, that it was years
before he could treat the matter candidly, |
or speak peaceably 10 those opposed to
him. James grows more spirited in his
language as he develops this thought, and
declares that the tongues more ungovern-
able than the most ferocious of beasts, birds
or reptiles; 70: these have all been tanned
by man, but the tongue never. He even
likens it to the venomous reptile, "full of
deadly poison"
He proceeds to mention the unreason-
able and blasphemous thing that the tongue
is guilty of. With it VIC bless God. and
curse man who is made in his image. A
very daring and heinous crime when We
come to view it Alright. No father, if he
had a fathers heart would allow one of
his children to curse another. How much
worse to curse any OF the children of the
All Father! In expostulation, tender but
vehement, James says, My brethren,
these things ought not So to be-" BY
very pertinent illustrations he shows that
the blessing and the cursing cannot pro-
ceed from II right heart. Hence
the blessing becomes mockery, and the
cursing loses none of its sinlulness in
Gods sight. No more can tree bear
fruit not its own, or fountain send forth
at the same opening sweet water, and Bit
ter than can person, really renewed by
divine grace. 90 on cursing his fellow
men. In the 18th verse there appears TO
be direct return to the thought of the
first verse. If man would be wise and ;
fitted to become teacher or master, let
him show by good life walk (conversa-
tion) his works with meekness of wisdom.
This would be directly opposed to the
course of the self.important and dictator
ial teacher. Meekness of wisdom always
marks the truly wise. While this is
ALWAYS commendable "Bitter envyipg
and strife is deplorabe, and shows a I
heart far removed from conformity to {
Christ. Everything of that kind gives the !
lie to a Christian profession, and is n
cause for shame and contrition rather than '
glorying. All so.caled wisdom which q
results only in wrangling and confusion, ,
(and we have much of that kind in science =
and theology,) is not from above, but is d
usually manipulated of Satan, to bring G
about his own fendish purposes.
In strong contrast with all this is that g
wisdom which is from above. Volumns q
might easily be written on = ;
tho 18th and 18Th verses; but in their =
terse simplicity these verses are their own Il
best composition. Marx the order of the b
characteristics which determine true wis .
dom and you have the key to the whole. h
ERRoRS IN NOTES OF LAST WEEK - )