The National tribune., 1893-05-25
Subject: Reverence and Fidelity. Fec, 5
LIZ.
INTRODUCTION.

liz.
| INTRODUCTION.
It is thought Solomon wrote the Book oil
Ecclesiastes in the later years of his life, and
| as the product of great experience. If this be
the fact, we see that neither pious paternal
| parentage. nor wealth, nor rank, nor power,
nor human wisdom can keep men from sin.
| We are convinced also of the inability of the
world 10 give satisfaction. Every source OF
qualification was ut the command of Solomon.
and yet no cries out VANITY of vanities !"
| 1:2. To those who attempt to make this
word-with its wealth, pleasures. positions
| an end, the book is a solemn warning.
| The book has IL chapters. divided ordinarily
| into four sections-222 verses-the middle
verse being 6: 10. 1t is ranked with tho poetic
books of the Bible In Hebrew the book is
named Koheleth-in Latin Eccesiastes.
Besides writing Eccesiastes Solomon was
author of the Books of Proverbs, the Canticles,
| and Psalm.
EccLEs1AsTEs, SLIP.
| l. Data.
| The paragraph studied is of special service
| to young men. And yet all can get from it
many profitable hint. 1t is not only church
| ly, but pedagogical.
| 9. Time and Place.
Written at Jerusalem about 1000 years before
Christ.
1. Keep thy foot. l. 1t has been supposed
| by some. reference is here made to reverence
for Gods sanctuary. (See Ex, 3: 5; 80: 49, In
early times sandals were worn, and the feet
became very soiled. Care was had, even in
entering a private residence, to clean the feet
| Much more was there call for care when going
| to the Temple. Some suppose the verse refers
| to general cleanDess, mentally and spiritually.
| Us, 1 1220) 1t has been thought we are to
include the spirit with which one goes to
church-suitable meditation as a preparation.
| Remember even on way to church the sacred
| ness of the place, and the purity which attend
ance should implant within one. No person
should enter on Divine worship thoughtlessly.
| Prepare, and make the most out of every
service attended. prov, 1922
2. Fools. /. To be Christians is to be wise.
1t is folly to do evil. 1t is folly to go through
the mere forms of piety. 1t was fool who
said in heart there is no God.
3. Sacrifice of fools. /. The sacrifice offered
may conform to ritual, but God values most of
all the heart, the spirit of service. Il Sam.
15 %; Ps., 1913; Prov, Is: s. 81: 81; Hos,
6:6.) They who offer proper sacrifices in
hypocrisy, in fool hardness, are little profited
as they who selfshly. GENEROUSLY present sacri-
fees Of lame, sick, torn. NAL. l: g. Mere
religious services will not profit. Is, L: Is.
16; st. Matt Is: 8, 81 A good form cannot
convert an evil intent into good act.
4. Heart hasty. 2. Be not impulsive. There
is time for considerateness. A man cannot
gain by haste that is thoughtless. Many acts
are so important as to call for prior full con-
sideration. Indifferent acts may without
great harm become habitual and automatic.
When such acts are in the process of habitua-
ton they should be thoroughly analysed. for
it is a serious thing to have unwise perform
ances become automatic, and to some extent
unmanageable.
5. Dream. 3. Science has not yet so system
lied dreams as to render them Dramatically
available. We need better ethical data than
the disturbed mental processes ofsleep. Dream
ing, too, implies wakefuDess, and hence lack of
rest So in contrast we have in V. II the state
ment, Sleep of laboring man is sweet" 1t
is always very harmful when ones business
becomes so great, engrossing, disturbing, as to
break out into dreams
g. Vow. a. On vows read Nu., 80: g Deu.,
%: 81. 90, %; Sa., IL; Ps., 80: IA; 76: IL.
On paying vows. Ps, &C., 13, ii.
vow is a promise made to God. 1t relates
to future action. It is act of worship. 1t
is recognized in Gods Word as proper. Regu-
lations are therein laid down to govern US in
our vows The whole force of VOW lies III
our truthfnlness. A VOW is a recognition of
Gods superiority and our accountability to
Him. 1t is sort of business transaction, and
calls for the same principles of integrity that
characterize an honest business man. 1t diff
feTs from covenant IN that, rs a rule, 1t in
wolves but one party.
z. 1t was an error. 6. Men who act thought
fully are not often obliged to confess bunders
But if vow plainly be an error, it is better
not to act in the line of the VOW. Do not force
on yourself all act which is wrong because be- |
forehand you had vowed to do it. Thus you
would commit two sins. The VOW of your
mouth would cause your flesh (eyes, hands,
feet to do sinful acts Intent constitutes the |
evil. The intender is guilty; not the mouth |
nor the act God is displeased with the person. |
8. Verse shows that justice must ultimately |
triumph. Wrongs to the poor will not escape |
punishment. There is to be time of judg- |
ment. The process of judgment will be con-
Quoted by Him who has greater. Even at |
present he "regardeth" wrongs, unjust acts, |
abuses.
9. Angel V.6. The ChaIdee renders: Do |
not say "before the cruel angel who shall |
exercise authority over thee in the Judg- |
ment of the Great Day, that thou did'st it |
through ignorance"
DIR. Adam Clarke says: al believe by the |
angel nothing else is intended than the priest,
whose business it was to take cognizance of |
VOWS and offerings" Turning to Lev, ): 4, 5,
IL, we find that offender rs TO the Mosaic
law was required to confess to the priest and
make certain sacrifices. (See also NAL, 2:7.)
Some have thought that by angel Christ is
meant; others hold we are to understand,
guardian angels.
1t is evident angels are interested in human
affairs. Heb, 1:14)
A. Suggestions
/. Attend church. Though Solomon de-
clared, "All is vanity" Q:2,) he certainly ex-
cepted the sanctuary. He assumes the reformed
man is to be an attendant at the place of wor-
ship. Solomon never expresses regret at hav-
ing built the Temple. Indeed, what repenting
man most needs is church attendance as a
means of grace. We remember David made the
sanctuary his resort when in great distress of
mind. FPS, 70 ~ At the Church one is
taught what to do as sinner so as to become
a saint, offered helps in maintaining purity of
life, furnished a place specially adapted to
prayer offered sacraments which become rather
new limbs than helpful crutches, furnished
mpanionships which insure encouragement.
9. Do not rest in forms nor words. There
may be no more moral value in words from the
tongue than of spiritual good in screws nails
turned out by machinery. Sacrifices are moth
ing, often worse than nothing, since they may
actually formalize emptiness and hypocrisy.
Patrick remarks aptly: Religion is
the only remedy indeed, but such is the vanity
of mankind, they spoil their very remedy, turn
ing it into mere ceremony, whilst their minds
remain impure and without any true sense of
God"
3. Prepare for religious services. Do not go
into Gods presence.
4. God presides over human aifairs-sees all
human acts-knows all our thoughts-will
yindicate the righteous and punish the evil.
5. Take care of your tongue. The wise