Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1893-05-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 2.

Ory Verses, Is-I7-GoIden Text, Prov.
iii, documentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
IL. MY son, despise not the chastening Of
the Lord; neither be weary of His correc-
tion." The apostle, in his epistle to the
Hebrews, quotes this and the next verse
also in connection with his admonition to
run with patience looking into Jesus, and
30 consider Him that endured such contra.
diction lest we be wearied and faint in our
minds. He tells us also that all Gods
chastenings are to make us partakers Of
His holiness (Heb. xii, 8, 1o). 1t lis interest
ing to notice that the word translated
"chasten" in these verses In Hebrews is in
Eph. vi, 4, translated nurture" and in
ii Tim. iii, 10, instruction"
l2. For whom the Lord loveth he cor.
recteth, even as a father the son In whom
he delighteth." In Rev. iii, 10, we hear
Jesus saying from heaven, "As many as
love rebuke and chasten," and this also
agrees with Heb. xii, Z, IF We endure
Christening, God dealeth with you as with
sons, for what son Ia he whom the father
chasteneth notS" But we must never for
get the end in view, which is to make us
more holy, more conformed TO the image of
Gods dear Son Rom. viii, %, 29), whom
some day we shall be like q John iii, q.
l3. Happy is the man that findeth wis
dom and the man that getteth understand
ing" For she says again, Whose findeth
me findeth 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" Il Johnv, l2). And again, Christ our
Life" Col iii, a. So we see that wisdom
and Christ the Son of God are synonymous,
as shown in the last lesson-Christ the
wisdom of God Il Cor. i, "a.
IA. For the merchandise of it is better
than the merchandise of silver and the gain
thereof than fine gold" Paul counted all
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, 8, Q; Ps xix, l0).
Is. "She is more precious than rubies,
and all the things thou canst desire are not
to be compared unto her" See almost the
same words in chapter viii, IL, and compare
Job xviii, 49, and the context. Then con-
slider this wonder Of wonders-that wisdom
is Gods gift to sinful man. IF any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, and il
shall be given him" (Jas. /, 81. "The gift
of God is eternal life" (Rom vi 23). Rubies
must be left behind IL we die, and all we
can desire, even IL we could obtain, would
prove unsatisfying The preacher SAYS
Whatsoever mine eyes desired kept not
from them; | withheld not my heart from
any joy, and, behold, all was vanity and
vexation of spirit" CEccl. ii, 10, ID.
10. Length of days is In her right hand,
and in her left hand riches and honor" Or.
as it is in chapter viii, IS, "Riches and
honor are with me-yea, durable riches and
righteousness" Our Lord Jesus saws from
the glory, II counsel thee to buy of me gold
tried in the fire that thou mayest be richn
(Rev. iii, ls). 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 thousand 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
Ia. Her ways are ways Of pleasantness
and all her paths are peace" Being paths
OF righteousness. they cannot but be paths
Of pleasantness and peace All the paths
as keep His covenant and His testimonies
The path of the just is as the shining light
that shineth more and more unto the per
feet day (Ps. xiii, 8; XIV, 10; Prov. iv, 49,
The whole difficulty Is In our ways and
paths OF our making or choosing. But il
we follow closely and fully In wisdom's 8
ways we shall find it as written.
Is ''She is a tree of life to them that Law
hold upon her, and happy is every one that
retaineth her" To lay hold and hold fast
is our part-or, in other words, TO receive
and cleave unto, or enter and abide, or be
lieve and continue. He does not force Him
self upon any one, but offers Himself for
our acceptance and viii increasingly re
veal Himself where He sees a longing for
Him CHeb. vi, Is; Rev. If, XIV; John /, xii;
Acts xi, %; Isa IT, 10; John 2. xviii; John
v, "a; viii, 31).
10. THE Lord of Wisdom hath founded
the earth By understanding hath He Is
tablished the heavens" Hear Him in
chapter viii, i2-l4: II wisdom dwell with
prudence. ! am understanding | have
strength" And In verses q, .: when
He prepared the heavens, was there When
He strengthened the fountains Of the deep"
Compare John i, 3, '.All things were made
by Him, and without Him was not any
thing made that was made" And also Col
/, xvi. and see how conclusive the proof
that Wisdom Il none other than Jesus
Himself
90 by His knowledge the depths are
broken up. and the clouds drop down the
dew" See the proof Of this In Gen vii, IL;
Job xxxvi, q. Nothing in heaven or earth
can be done without Him, and there Is
nothing too hard for Him (Jer <, 12, 13;
xxxii, II; Job xiii. q See Him divide the
Red sea before Israel. and the Jordan three
times before Israel, Elijah and Elisha He
also can bring water from the rock and
send or withhold rain At His pleasure
q Ny son, let not them depart from
thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discre-
tfon-" We need to pray, Turn away mine
eyes from beholding vnaity, " and % obey