The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-04-03
NEwsHERALD HILIsBORo, THURSDAY, April 5, 1890
THE LAW OF LOVE.
Interns tionsl Sunday school Lesson a
April 9. 1890.

TME-Summer Of A. d. & few Gays or
weeks after the last lesson.
PLAcE-According to tradition the Sermon
on the Mount was spoken on the Horns OF
Hattin, or Mount Of Beatitudcs, square.
shaped hill about sixty feet in height, with two
tops, near the center Of the West coast Of the
Sea of Galilce, two or three miles from tho sea,
ana seven southwest from Capernaum. Jesus,
between thirty and thirty-two years Of age.
John the Baptist, thirty-two years old, impris-
oned in Castle Macherus.
PARALLEL AccouNys--Matt. 6:lS-lS; 7:i,a
INTERVENING HIsToRY-The call Of Matthew,
soon after the last lcason (Lu.e 6:27 28). (His
feast was probably la.cr.) The plucling Of tho
ears Of grain on the Sabbath and the discourse
occasioned thereby (o:l.5). The man with
the withered hand (6:8-1D. The calling Of
the twelve to be apostles, the morning ON which
| was preached the Sermon on the Mount
6:1319).
THE SERMON ON THE MouNr-This sermon
Is given both by Matthew and Luke, but
Matthews Is much the fuller, occupying one
| This sermon is Christ's inaugural address, set.
tiag forth some of the principles and laws Of
the new Kingdom Of Heaven.
| CrRCUMsrANcEs--The time had come for
| new stage OF development in Christ's work Of
redemption, and He prepared for 1t by spending
O whole night in prayer upon mountain. In
| the morning He selected from those who be-
disciples, including the four He had chosen q
| short time before. These were to be especially
| trained for the work Of founding the new King.
dom. He then taught them and the people
some Of the great principles Of His Kingdom.
To-day's lesson is part Of this address.
ExPLANAToRY.-I.T The Law Of Love
as Applied to Enemies.-Vers. 27-29.
~. But I sag unto you. Emphasis on
the I. Contrasting Jesus teaching with
the false views Of the scribes, who said:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor," quot
ing from Lev. 1918, and then added
their own teaching to this, "and hate
thine enemy" (Matt. 5:4S). Unto you
sohich hear. C) To every body, not to
the twelve alone. (2) To you who listen
with the inward as we'll as the outward
ear; in whom prejudice, selfishness, q
wrong will, do not dull the hearing Of
the soul. Lore your cnsmies. DR.. Hop
kins, in his Law Of Love, describes
love as () desire, the common element
Of all love; this desire is rational love,
being awakened by "a perception Of
worth, as distinguished from worthi-
ness" (2) An inclination toward or
complacency in the object loved. This
also is q common element in all love. In
rational love this "propension of mind"
toward the being loved is a spontaneous
desire that he should attain the end or
purpose of his being. But (3) the main
element of rational love, and that
which makes it rational and free is "a
choice, for the being, of his end, and
such devotement of ourselves to him
-vhat is, to the attainment by him Of
. his end and good-that we shall be will
ing to make sacrifices for it, as we
would for our own." Applying this to
our enemies, to those who have pre-
cisely the opposite feelings toward US
and our welfare, to love our
= enemies is () to desire their
} good, sincerely and from the
heart, because we perceive the impor-
tance to them Of their highest good.
(2) To voluntarily devote ourselves to
their attaining their highest good, SO
, that we are willing to make sacrifices
for it as we would for our own. Now
these inward feelings, both of love and
Of enmity, will express themselves in
. various ways, as described in the com.
mands which follow. DO good to them
D ,ohich hate you. Who detest, pursue with
hatred, act out their inward feelings OF
hatred. Not only your feelings, but
, your actions, must be exactly contrary tc
theirs toward you. Solomon in his Prov
erbs (a5: 20, 2I, and Paul, quoting the
same in his Epistle to the Romans ne
20), give an example Of the way to fulfl
this command: Therefore, IL thine
enemy hunger, feed him; If he thirst
give him drink; for in SO doing tho,
. shalt heap Goals of fire on his head.
(2S.) Bless them that curse you. Speal
words Of peace, kindness and love Il
' those who revile and insult you.-G. w
Clark. This is loves answer in words
to the words of hatred. And pray fol
them. Bear them upon your hearts tx
} the good Father Of all, seek the highes
}. Influences for their good. Which despite
Q fully use you. "Treat you abusively.'
!. The Greek word implies the coarscs'
insults. - Cambridge Bible "Hostil,
speech, accompanied with hostile action.
: Clark. One form of this is expressed IL
persecution Matt 5:44). 20. And unit,
8 him that smiteth thee on the one cheek
:. This is further manifestation o
q hatred. Offer also the other. The gen
!. eral principle 'resist not evil" Matt
5:S9; 1 Cor. 6:7; Pet. 2:19-23) impressed
forever on the memory and conscienc,
o Of mankind by striking paradox
}. That 1t Is only meant as paradox II
Q Its literal sense is shown by the fac
h that our Lord Himself, while most di
Il vinelv true to its spirit, did not act OF
tho letter of it John 1922, 23). The re
;, mark of good man on reading the Ser
mon on the Mount: Either this is no
= true, or we are no Christians" need no
is be correct Of any of us.-Cambridg
Il Bible. Now there is no example of pa
q tience more perfect than that Of tn
!. Lord; yet He, when He was smitten
said not: "Behold the other cheek" bu
"ifI have spoken evil, bear witness of tn
% evil; but ii we'll, why smitest thou Me?
70 John 1929, hereby showing us tina
r. the turning Of the other cheek should b
=, | in the heart Indeed the Lord was read