The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-06
International Sunday-School Lesson for
March Is. 1892.

March IS, 1892.
PROMISE OF NEW HEART (Ezek xxxvi 25-3s)
Golden Text--A new heart also will give you.
and a new spirit viii put within you. lEzeK.
HOME READINGS.
M.-Promise OF new heart. Eek. xxxvi. 25-3s
TIA heart OF flesh Eek. Il. l4,2o.
TIA heart to know God. ..Jer. xiv, 4-l0.
Need of new heart. John ID, Is
Sa.-Evidenceo OF a new heart Titus Ill. l-S.
su-A spiritual heart---.---.-l Cor. IL o-lo.
COMMENTS on THE LESSON.
New York Indepen dent
We are told that cleanliness is next to
goodness. The prophet makes it the type
of godliness. The Jews were to be cleansed
with pure water, washed from filthiness-
that is, drawn away from their sins to the
love of God. Sin is the deflement of the
heart. heart foul with sin needs cleans
ing as much as dirty garment 1t is more
disgraceful to have the heart foul than it is
to appear with dirty face or dirty clothes.
The prophet then changes the figure.
Again the fault of SIN lies in the bad heart
In the mana heart of stone, that cannot
be softened by all the love of God. The
sinner needs the hard. stony heart removed
and q new heart substituted, heart of
flesh.
Have we not often seen people with stone
hearts. cruel, unkind. bitter. revengeful,
implacablei We sometimes take out bad.
aching tooth and put q new one in Its
place: why not take the hard, bad heart out
of a person and put in its place kind. ten
der. loving, obedient hearth Will you not
ask God to do that for youf
The way to get that new heart is to ask
God for it. He will be inquired of for it.
He says. If we ask for 1t He will, He
promises. put His spirit in US. and cause US
to walk in His statutes. 1t Is not easy for
us to do this unless We have His help; with
His help 1t is very easy.
With spiritual grace God will freely give
us all things. God will give this worlds
blessings as we'll as grace. We are told
that the meek shall inherit the earth as
well as the heavens. The jews lost their
land for their sins, and RECLAIMED 1t when
they Iepented. Those are the bappiest and
most successful nations that fear God the
most. With Gods spirit came education.
| civilization, national prosperity. and every
temporal blessing.
We do not mean to say that every good
| Christian will be rich, and healthy. and
| successful in this world: but it Is true of a
nation as a whole and the majority OF It's
| good people. The miserable people are the
| irreligious and immoral. 1t is not good
ChrIetians that end in prison or drunk
ards grave.
| One who has been guilty of sin and then
| repents. despises himself for it, "Ye shall
| loathe yourselves" says the prophet, for
your inquiries" That is a good. healthy
| feeling if 1T leads you to real repentance.
| But the lOathing is not enough. man
may despise himself and then commit
suicide instead of trying to live better
| life.
If q Christian commits O public sin he
dishonors God. People will desDise re-
| ligiOn If one who processes religion lives
worthIly. just as the heather said that
| Jehovah was not worth worshjpping be-
cause he did not deliver his people. They
| did not understand that God was the same.
| but that the people had forfeited his favor.
If you want Gods foraiving grace and all
! tho rich blessings that accompany 1t, then
ask Him for them. He wants you to pray
| to Him. He will be inquired of.
If our Nation has received wonderful
blessings from the hand of God it is be-
| cause We have SO many that love and serve
| Him. Our Nation is pOpulous. There are
crowds of people like the tiocks and herds.
| God has multiplied US, and We should
thank HIM and try to live wOrthily of His
| blessings.