The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-24
8. Not blessed, 1.


The statement in verse 6, "The Lord know
eth the way of the righteous" is 80 far as God!
knowledge is concerned, equally applicable t.
the righteous and the ungodly alike. The
word way" refers to the entire life Of the in
divdual
We notice the graduation In sin. One at first
walks in ways suggested by the evil, then he
stands Mt corners or waits at convenient places
ready to join company with the evil then. sin
| growing conscience becoming blunted, wrong
| losing its Ugliness he actually sits down with
evil-doers in their favorite resorts. becomes a
! party to their iniquities; and sins become more
| enormous without his noticing the fact, his
| moral nature losing its sensitiyeness. From
| yielding to mere suggestions lie at length joins
in evil conversations along the streets, and later
on gets to such pitch of sin as himself to join
at treating holy things, persons, and places
scornfully. Sin begets sin. Evil develops its
own anesthesa.
We have three groupings:
a. 1. Ungodly. b. i. Counsel. G. /. Walketh.
2. Sinners. g. Way. 2. Standeth.
3. scornful. 8. Seat. 3. Sitteth
In the assertion, whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper" We have simply n general, normal
principle, not invariably true. 1t is certain
Christianity makes for good. Alexander says:
THAT the common experience even of the best
men falls short of this description is because
their character and life fall short of that pre-
sented in the two preceding verses. The whole
description is not so much picture drawn from
real life, as an ideal standard or model, by
striving to attain which our aims and our at
tanments will be elevated, though imperfect
after ALL"
Goodness is profitable (Gen., 80 8, %; 1
I'll, 4, 81 The idea is we'll brought out in Jer.
IT,, Z, 8: blessed is the man that trusteth
in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is For
he shall be as tree planted by the waters, and
that spreadeth out her roots by the river and
shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf
shall be green; and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yield
ing fruit.
a. SUGGESTIONS.
1. Conduct is ones daily life. We often use
the word walk as covering the same meaning.
We should be careful. Enoch walked with God
and so pleased Deity. Guard department.
2. Keep good company. righteous man
ought not find any comfort in the society of
the ungodly. The lives of the two classes must
be so unlike that the persons can find no
ground for utilization. prov. A: IA, 15)
3. Remember sin grows. Watch its first en-
croachments. Do not become used to wrong
doing. One can manage evil best when it first
presents itself.
H. Study the Bible. Let its reading and study
become your delight. Dob, 90: IL; Ps., 10: 10 /;
119: $50
s. Meditation Is helpful. We live too pell-
nell. We do not give ourselves chance for re-
Fiction. We want the new. Jos, 1 8; Ps.,
II: ~; 143 5; 119: 30 48, 99.)
g. Be fruitful, and that continuously. A Chris
tian is as a tree, and ought to abound in useful
products.
T. Remember trees instead Of chat. Be use-
full. Be fixed, reliable. not easily blown about.
g. Never scott at religious things. Do not
tolerate any testing at holy places. persons,
etc. Make no fun of religion of religious
associations. Scornng sacred things, irrever-
ence, is a last pitch of sn-the final reach in
the downward graduation of inquity. (Jer.,
49,: III