The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-01-27

1NCN udUC W UtiC waits VI HAL, UldU
will explain the most facts, that
will most inspire and most exalt.
that will meet the great feature of
earth, that will neglect no one, the
dying child, or the dying father or
mother, such theory will roll like a
pure river out of the single word
'God." Such a theory has about it
all the power of thunder and all the
sweetness of a Song.
lrishmen hate the very word
government" because of the mis-
government that they have suffered
under through life. The most of US
hate the word "fear" because it
brings up the torture of soul of the
ghosts and goblins of life. But if
instead of the sentence ''The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"
we substitute "The belief that God
made and maintains the world is
the beginning of wisdom we will
have translated into it's modern
equivalent the meaning of Solomon.
Professor Martin says of Jobs fear
of God, 'He reverenced and loved
God" Cannon Cook declares, "The
fear of the Lord is such reverence
toward him as will lead men to
worship and obey him." Joseph
Parker IN his great Bible Commen.
tary says: Fear means reverence.
VeneratiOn, awe, a sense of the
grandeur and majesty of the Lord
not only as that term stands for
Infinite brilliance and attributes of
an intellectual kind, but as it stands
for holiness, truth, purity, justice
and every expression that indicates
| moral supremacy" Professor Martin
enlarges his definition by saying that
the fear of the Lord is an unwa ver-
ing confidence that God reigns and
that he does all things we'll and
wisely" Joseph Parker continues his
definition by saying "He who fears
the Lord is strong in the final exposi-
tlon OF providence: being assured
that the way of God to men will be
SO revealed at last that it will be
seen to have been the right way, the
only true way, Notwithstanding the
varieties Of the road, the steep hills,
the bleak deserts, the stony path, the
cold rivers that had to be crossed in
the dark night, the affliction that
had to be endured when heart and
flesh had failed and strength had
been exhausted; the righteous will
be the first to confess that God has
done all things wisely, we'll and
lovingly.
In the revision of the Bible, the
word ''charity' was changed to
Glove" How much better it would
be if the word fear could be changed
to reverence" in the Book Of
Proverbs and the Psalms of David.
The reverence of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom. II love to tell
this story because | know 'tis true:
it satisfies my longings as nothing
else can do" Like the sea shore,
this subject deepens as we go into it.
Christ one day said to his apostles,
Whom do men say that l am?
Not satisfied with this, he asked,
"Who do you say that l ann" We
have this morning heard what
Professor Swing, Professor Martin,
Cannon Cook and Joseph Parker
have to say upon the sentence. "The
fear Of the Lord is the beginning of
WISDOM Now let us hear what the
Bible itself has to say upon this
theme. The Book of Proverbs gives
it's own Interpretation when it
declares, "The fear of the Lord is to
hate evil" David, in the Psalm that
we read this morning says, II hate
every false way" Bernard, one of
the saints of Gods later household
said, "Do not hate them, o Lord,
who hate Thee: Those are the most
perfect children of God who rise
into that state of the fear of God
where they can love what God loves
and hate what God hates.
The Bible declares, "There be six
things which the Lord hateth, yea
seven which are an abomination unto
him-haughty eyes, lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood, d
heart that dcviseth wicked imagina-
tions, feet that be swift in running to
mischief, false witness that uttereth
lies. and he that soweth discord
among brethren" Christ gave a
standard by which all men, doctrines
and institutions were to be tested
"By their fruit shall ye know them.'
Coleridgc declared that if he lived
in Cornwall he would preach fifty-two
sermons every year against wreckers.
1t seems to me that could not do bet
ter than to preach tiftytwo sermons Il
year upon this new and Christian
understanding of SOlomon's sentence,
Proverbs do nOtyield their full mean
inc easily and at once: Proverbs are