Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-11-21
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONSIDERED.

Wholesome Food for Thought = Study
Ing the Scriptura1 Lessons Intelligently
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday. Nov. "a. may be
found in Kings. 8: 5-l5.
INTRODUCTORY.
| Solomon Is the type of wise man. as
Absalom was OF foolish son. He was the
youngest OF David's children. being born
! in Jerusalem alter tho establishment OF the
kingdom there. He was well trained, his
instructor being the prophet Nathan, and
one OF the pertinent lessons here is the
value OF q good and wholesome education.
The main teaching. however. is the signif-
canoe OF right choice. Teachers will do
we'll to impress on their pupils that youth
is the time for decision as TO the aim OF
life. and no choice is Invariably, const-
tuted ond circumstanced as We are. wrong
choice. Choose you this day whom you will
serve
/ WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
My God. Solomon accepts Jehovah as
his own as well as David's God.-Thou.
! His klngship was not OF his own grasping
(seo Absalom). His was the divine right
OF kings a little child. In his own es-
TEEN; word OF humility. Solomon was at
this time. 1t is supposed. nineteen or
twenty years old.-Go out. For aggres-
s!on.-Come in. For preservation.
In the midst OF thy people. 1t was no In
significant charge. 1t was q
precious charge.-A great people. A
heavy and burdensome charge. Count
ed. A hyperbolical statement. signifying
too great to number.
Understanding. Hebrew. hearing. The
reference is probably God-ward rather
than man -ward.-To Judge. That is. to
gtvo justice. to hear their cases OF dispute
ana decide ighteously.-Discove Lit
orally, to perceive, to view narrowly. d s.
criminate.
/ Speech. The overture or request-
Pleased the Lord. Literally was good in
Nk.aa A nv l. Al I..k 4
Hebrew the term for word" and thing" Is
the same davar) it thel efore occurs twice
in this verse once at the opening. translated
sRsssA.rJ JAntAh ntAhS Sggesifr hAl AIS request haa peen
1 unseliish and in his peoples behalf
Riches for thyself. Absence of cupidity.
The life OF thine enemies. Absence Of
truculence and Vengefulness.--H asked
! Tor thyself. 1t was seve Test for any
man to pass through. How many Of us
would have met 1t as we'll?
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Ask what L shall give thee. 1t Is the
| questlo put to every young man. At the
| beginning OF life choice may be made. God
gives US tho privilege OF saying what 1t is
we seek pre-eminently. There comes II
| time in every life when the deliberate de-
cision is made. and the after life is largely
determined by the nature Of the choce
| then made. Some decide to live for self.
and the after life is full of selnshness. Some
decide to labor for riches and riches come.
Others choose to /, i've the life to helping
others. and thus follows career Of philan-
thropy; or to mako the most Of this life
| Tor laying up treasure in heaven, and there
is blessed record of souls sought and
won. In this sense also the Scripture is
true. Ask and 1t shall be given unto you"
Great mercy. Twice this occurs in this ons
| vels Sc, Tor great kindness" below Is the
same expression in the Hebrew. 1t seems
Well to see this word thus early in Solo
mon, q vnca.hnlary uNha son T. vntthy
sui nuJeessor s Oh worthy sire; ana IL promises
well Tor the reign TO see the son so early
tlnding the paths of his fathers success.
For II there was any word dear to David il
was that word mercy-"for his mercy en-
dureth forever;" and if there was anything
that could be quoted as the secret OF his
success it is to be found hidden, and vet
scarcely hidden. in this significant word.
The sad lest thing about Solomon's life was
That he allowed his phenomenal advance-
ment In worldly things to draw his heart
away from simple trust in the grace of God.
When solomon ceased to speak OF great
mercy" he began to prepare for great
failure.
Thou hast kept for hiSa this great klnl-
ness. IL was mercy in reserve. How little
we E1oT OF the things kept" for US. The
merciss given are great; what can we say
OF the blessing yet to be bestowed. Grace
is ours now. glory hereafter. But it Is to be
noted tAat David anticipated this very
blessing when he said, "This was yet a
small thing in thy sight. o lord God; hut
tlou mast spoken also Of thy servants
house Tor long while to come He en-
loyed the pleasures OF sanctined life. by
faith the substance OF things not seen we're
MIS- he knew Inc JOY of the blessing in
reserve. Eye hath n OF seem" we say, nor
81 ear 1.a heard neither hath it entered the heart
for them that love him" But remember'
-GoI hath revealed them unto us by his
spirit. Why not then begin to enjoy them
now?
know not how to go out or come In. It
is confession all Of us might well make.
10 70 Zoo we must resort Tor our equipment
Tor service. And especially is this so of
those called to lead amongst men. What
pastor or superintendent or teacher, or for
that mater, what parent has felt equal TO
tne double task imposed by Providence upon
him? For he needs to know both the going
out and the coming-in. how to be a captain
lor aggression and shepherd for defense
at one and the same time. Who can teach
us OF this save he who is to us all the cap
tain OF our salvation and the shepherd OF
him? "
Give. therefore. thy servant an unler-
standing heart. 1t Is, literally. hearken-
ing heart; that Is. heart that learns wis.
dom by It's very meekness. Saul on the
way to Damascus was in a condition TO
near the voice that spake as we'll as see the
light that shone. They that were with him
saw indeed the light and were afraid, but |
tney neard not the voice OF him that |
spake. Over in Corinthians IA: q we read |
OF the man that speaketh with an unknown |
tongue that mo man understandeth him."
In tho margin "heareth" is suggested ms |
the meaning OF the original. It is the |
same word used here. though in different |
language. The way to begin to understand |
is TO first begin to hear and heed. That |
word religion Is the opposite of the word |
negligence (reliPion VS.. negligence) and its |
primary meaning is to give heed to the |
higher powers. To listen to what God saws /
TO the heart is to be able to teach others |
Alright. An understanding heart must first
be an obedient heart.
And he came to Jerusalem and stood be-
fore the ark. tt at was the way to make
the vision reality. Behold it was dream,
says the verse just before. Straightway he |
goes and communes with the Lord God and
oilers sacrifices; and now one feels like
saying, Behold IL was not all a dreaml IL
Is good thought, a divine impulse we
may say, put into execution. Has God
spoken to you in his providence? Through
or II may be prosperity, in some
silent hour OF meditation, or in the watches
OF the night, have you caught a vision OF
better things? Then II Is for Won 10 sav
what 1t shall mean for you. Shall it be
dream only or shall it be blessed deed? A |
time there is when 1t may be called not
moro than the baseless fabric OF n dream.
Take the good thought or message and |
make 1t over into reality. Then shall there
DO occasion for the feast OF thanksoivinp.
Next Lesson: The Temple Dedicated. =
Kings s: H-63.