The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-12-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON Considered.
Reflections OF an Eicvating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought - Study
ing the scriptural Lessons Intelligontiy
and Profitabiy.

The lesson for Sunday. Dec Is may be
found Ia / Kings IL: 4-l3.
INTRODUCTORY.
We see here how wisdom. sort OF world
~ wisdom. sometimes oyer-reaches itself.
1t was doubtless good policy. from
secular standpoint for Solomon TO ealarge
the royal household. aking into his
klngy favor and protection the daughters
OF the surrounding empires. he strength
ened himself with each OF the petty princi-
palities. thus placated. and became mighty
in his alliances. But this was a political
rather than pious movement. and Solo
mon was thus putting himself under gratui-
tous temptations. Tor whicn he had not
sufhcient grace to enable him 10 stand
frm. Voluntarily stepping aside from the
divine counsel. aud choosing his own way.
he counted too much upon his own powers.
ana presently met with discontinue. II Is
warning to all who would go world
pleasing and adopt tue plan of expediency
rather than oil simple righteousness. As
Farrar says: The devil tempts US when
he thrusts sin before US. but when we APP
proach IL ourselves. IL Is then We who
tempt the devil"
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
His heart was not perfect with the Lord.
Conservation was what Solomon lacked.
whole hearted sacrifice. complete devotion.
Brother pastor. teacher. Christian worker.
have you learned the secret OF success in
the Lords service, as in all other kinds OF
doubt we have all of us experienced the
humiliation OF failure in work religious and
secular. Has 1t not been because Of imper-
feet self-development? The man who sue
ceeds Is the one who with thoroughness OF
endeavor goes straight to the work. saying.
This one thing / do" What was the
trouble with Solomon. that man OF the good
start In lie. that man OF splendid possibili-
ties and. to large extent. blessed realiza-
tionsf Il think, says our friend. that
Solomons wisdom was not all for God 1t
was partly for self. and worldly pomp. Be-
ing mixed. it became corrupt. What is 10
james says? There Is wisdom that de
scendetn not from above but is earthly.
sensual. devilish." Avoid that. But the
wisdom that is from above is first pure.
then peaceable. gentle. and easy TO be en-
treated. full Of mercy and good fruits. with
out Partially. and without hypocrisy.
That seek, whole heartedly.
Went not fully after the Lord. You re-
member Caleb. or him it was said. But
my servant Caleb. because he had another
spirit with him. and hath followed me fully.
him Will l bring into the land" Caleb
means dog. not a very agreeable sugges-
tion in Scripture imagery. And yet it has
not always been used. even there. in dero-
CATION. The dogs eat OF the crumbs" you
know. And have you ever been reminded
OF the fact that the dog is the only animal
that comes instinctively to follow man and
10 evince something like self-sacriicing
loyalty? Now turn over 20 Eph. V. /, BE
ye therefore followers o. God as dear chill
dren. There is the Caleb spirit. Is it not
good policy? Certainly Caleb and his COM
panion Joshua found 1t so when they
sought TO obey God rather than man at
their first entrance into Canaan. Certainly
Solomon realized the folly of doing other
wise ere his days closed. In fact. is not Just
this the conclusion OF that book OF Eccie-
siastes. which Solomon wrote?
Which burnt incense. And the fumes OF
that idol incense would ever be upon their
garments. a faint reminder and suggestion
OF i'll. but growing fainter on the senses
day by day. SO evil works. lifst cndu ed.
then pitied. then embraced. Satan has no
better mode OF insinuating vice upon vir-
tue tfaE by bad associations. He sends
companions to stand about with pleasant
lace and CHEEKY Z tlk. who ever and anon.
but so deXterously aud cautiously. swing
from behind them their censers Of heather
incense. We get scent OF IL. and at first
10 offends us: but, as with n smoke OF the
weed. We presently grow half unconscious
Of its presence. Before we know it we
have surrendered 60 the evil. Bewa OF
those that burn incense and sacrifice unto
strange gods. They are. Willingly or I'M
Willingly, 1t matters not. Satan's ennis
saries.
Which appeared TO him twice. II is the
sin against Christian experience. What
greater impiety than that which forgets all
former favors and blessings and acts as IL
they had not been? This was what gave
poignancy to Peters sorrow, He had de-
MED the one who had been his daily COM
panion for months. He had gone right for
ward as II he had never seen the Lord.
Indeed that was his assertion. And was
not that the tacit declaration Of Solomons
evil practices. Il never knew him?" And
yet he had had the unspeakable privilege OF
twice communing with him in closest
fellowship. Alas, how many are forgetting
what manner Of men they be; God called,
God-anointed men! Backslider. recall the
times when God appeared to you. Remem-
Der the love that shone at conversion, the
voice that spoke In the heart at baptism,
the moments OF sweet communion since.
For David thy fathers sake. How much
depends upon the faith OF the fathers. who
can tell? But to this much of trad
ism we incline; faith lasts; prayers po-
tency does not cease with death. Not that
the trust and piety OF parent will take
.ne place o. the child's. That is the Angl-
can heresy. the vice OF the elect infant"
article in the confession. But where does
the faith and spiritual yearning OF the de-
vout fathe end? Continual strivings Of
the Spirit. special and moving providences,
divine forbearance. merciiul interpretations.
gracious outpourings. these are ours to-
day, not simply because OF tho faith Of to-
day but as a kind OF resultant from the
cumulative faith of more tn an one genera
ton. A cody ancestry is not TO be de-
spised. and we Baptists need TO have n care
lest in our maintenance Of the true doctrine
of individual choice in conversion we for
get the parallel doctrine OF Christian in
Auencc and the everlasting potency of
prayer. 1hsre is many a son. worse than
Solomon. who may yet be remembered o.
God for his pious fathers sake. But will
that piety save him?
And for Jerusalem's sake which have
chosen. Here are two grounds for the
divine long suffering. First. for the SAX o
OF the faithful servant: second. for the sake
OF the holy city. In other words for faith
and for grace. for God's choice it was that
made the city holy. God. who would have
srared odom FOR ten righteous men in IL,
Is gracious toward all communities for the
sake OF the loyal who are there. But the
higher ground OF his forbearance is his own
sovereign choice of his people. and tho
cause which they represent. We need
often to turn to grant old Ezekiel. and
when more than In times OF sotn? and
read the stirring words. Therefore say
unto the house of Israel. Thus saith the
ord G cd: do not this for your sakes, %
house OF Israel. tut for my holy names
sake. which We have profaned among the
heather. whittier We went BE this our
prayer to-day: Lord. remember David
thy servant And this. Remember thy
congregation which thou hast purch ased
OF old-this Mount Zion wherein thou hast
dwelt.'
Next Lesson-"Close OF Solom on 8
Dosu, Kfpoa N OS.Aa-