The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-05-03
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY Z.
Lesson Text: "The Value of Wise dom, -
Prov. ill.,, 11-24-Golden Text:
Prov. ill.,, DOCUMENTARY.

the Lord neither be weary of His correc-
tion." The apostle, in his epistle to the He
brews, quotes this and the next verse also in
connection with his admonition to run with
patience looking into Jesus, and to consider
Him that endured such contradiction lest we
be wearied and faint in our minds. He tells
us also that all Gods cbastenings are to make
US partakers of His holiness (Heb. xii. 5, 10).
1t is interesting to notice that the word trans
lated "chasten' IN these verses in Hebrews
Is in Eph. vi, 4. translated ''nurtured," " and
in II Tim. i'll. 16 "instructed."
-. ''For whom the Lord loveth He cor
recteth, even as father the son In whom he
delighteth." In Rev. iii. 10. we hear Jesus
saying from heaven, "As many as love l
rebuke and chasten." and this also agrees
with Heb xii. Z, "If ye endure Christening,
God dealeth with you as with sons, for what
son is he whom the father chasteneth not?"
But we must never forget the end in view,
which is to make US more holy. more con-
formed to the image Of Gods dear Son (Rom.
viii, %, 2y, whom some day we shall be like
q John Ill, q.
13. "Happy is the man that fndeth wisdom
and the man that getteth understanding.
For che says again. Whose indeth me find
eth life and shall obtain favor Of the Lord
(viii.. 35) Now it is also written. "He that
hath the Son hath life and he that hath not
the Son of God hath not life q John v, i2l.
And again, "Christ our Life" (Col iii. D.
So we see that wisdom and Christ the Son OF
God are synonymous, as shown in the last
lesson-Christ the wisdom of God q Cor.
l., 2D.
H. 'For the merchandise OF it is better
than the merchandise of silver and the gain
thereof than fine gold" Paul counted all
things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Jesus Christ, and David says
that His judgments are more to be de-
sired than gold-yea, than much fine gold
(Phil. iii. g. g. Ps. XIX, 1O).
Is. "She is more precious than rubies, and
all the things thou canst desire are not to be
words in chapter viii, II, and compare Job
xviii. 18, and the context. Then consider
this wonder Of wonders-that wisdom is
Gods gift to sinful man. "If any Of you lack
wisdom let him ask Of God. and it shall be
given him" Gas. l., 81. "The gift of God is
eternal life; (Rom. vi, 23). Rubies must be
left behind if we die, and all we can desire,
even if we could obtain, would prove unsatis-
flying. The preacher says, Whatsoever
mine eyes desired kept not from them I
withheld not my heart from any Joy, and,
behold, all was vanity and vexation OF
spirit" (Eccl. H., 10, 1D.
16. Length Of days is in her right hand,
and in her left hand riches and honor" Or,
as it is in chapter viii, 18. "Riches and
honor are with me-yea, durable riches and
righteousness" Our Lord Jesus says from
the glory, II counsel thee to buy Of Ne gold
tried in the fire that thou msyest be rich"
(Rev. Ill, 1s). As to length of days we shall
have in these mortal bodies, all that He sees we
can use for Him, and yonder it is true that
when we have been there ten thousand thou
sand years. bright shining as the sun. we've
no less days to sing His praise than when we
first begun. Christ Himself our Life, our
Wealth and our Glory.
II. "Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace" Being paths
of righteousness, they cannot but be paths OF
pleassntness and peace. All the paths OF the
Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep
His covenant and His testimonies. The
path OF the Just is as the shining light tnat
shineth more and more unto the perfect day
Cps. xiii, 8 XIV, 10; Prov. w., 16). The
whole difficulty is in our ways and paths OF
our making or choosing. But if We follow
closely and fully in wisdom's ways We shall
find 1t as written.
1s. ''She is tree of life to them that lay
hold upon her, and happy is every one that
retaineth her." To lay hold and hold fest Is
our part-or, In other words. to receive and
cleave unto, or enter and abide, or believe
and continue. He does not force Himself
upon any one, but offers Himself for our ac-
ceptance and will increasingly reveal Himself
where He sees Il longing for Him (Heb. vi, +,
18; Rev. H., XIV John l., xii Acts XII, % I,
lisa. Il, 10 ; John 2, xviii. John ", "a; viii,
3D.
the earth. BY understanding hath He estsb-
lished the heavens" Hear Him in chapter
viii, 12-14: II wisdom dwell with prudence.
am understanding. I have strength" And
In verses 27. % when He prepared the
heavens, was there. When He strength
ened the fountains OF the deep" Compare
John j. 8. "All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that
was made" And also Col. j, xvi, and see
how conclusive the proof that Wisdom Is none
other than Jesus Himself.
20. .By His knowledge the depths are
broken Up, and the clouds drop down the
dew" See the proof Of this in Gen. vii, II :;
Job xxxvi., 81. Nothing in HEAVIER or earth
can be done without Him, and there is moth
ing too hard for Him (Jer. K, 12, 13; xxx11., {,
II; Job xiii, p. See Him divide the Red sea
before Israel, and the Jordan three times be-
fore Israel, Elijah and Elisha. He also can
bring water from the rock and send or With
hold rain at His pleasure.
81. '.My son, let not them depart from
thine eyes keep sound wisdom and discre-
tion.' We need to pray, "Turn away mine
eyes from beholding vanity and to obey the
command. "Run with patience looking unto
Jesus" Cps. cxix. 81: Heb. xii. u Happy
the people who see "Jesus only" and who can
truly say, lone thing have desired Of the
Lord ; that will seek after-to behold the
beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His
temple"
%. $50 shall they be life unto thy soul and
grace to thy neck" Life within and beauty
without. Moses taught the people, saying,
'Love the Lord thy God. obey His voice,
cieave unto Him, for He is thy life and the
length Of thy days" Deut. XXX, 2O). Paul's
determination was that Christ should be mag
nified in his body. and he could say, For me
to live is Christ (Phil. l.. 20. 21).
%. Then shalt thou walk in thy way
safely. and thy foot shall not stumble.
When our way is His way, it must be safe
way, and since He is able to guard us from
stumbling dude "a, R. w.. He surely will If
we let Him That He will hold us by the
hand (Isa xii, 13) is surely an assurance
that He will not let us fall, but that we need
not even stumble goes beyond this.
"a. when thou iest down. thou shalt not
be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down. and thy
sleep shall be sweet" Safety by day and by
night. at home or abroad, journeying or rest
ing, and all because the Lord is our keeper
Cps. exxiv., 5-S).-Lesson Helper.
He Got the Change.
There is conductor on the Euclid
Avenue street car line who played