The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-09

4. Amanuensis? Solomon.
.. How data gottens
a. Experience.
b. knowledge.
c. Inspiration. / Pet, :2l.
6. Language? Hebrew.
Z. Style Of composition? Proverbs
8. Number of chapters? 81.
9. Number of verses? 915.
10. Middle verse? 16: Is.
IL. Number Of letters?
IL. When translated into English 1911.
Is. Sections. Five.
Ii. Numerical place as a Book of the Bible?
goth.
Is. Numerical place as a poetic Book of the
Bible? 3d.
10. Principal persons mentioned in it?
l. Male? Solomon. David, Agur. Lemuel.
2. Female? Mother of LemueI Also
the ideal woman described in last
chapter
Notes on Outline
1. We have said that Solomon was aman-
uensis. He wrote nearly all the book. 1t was
plain. however. Agur wrote the thirteenth chap
ter. (See 30: H. So. too. King Lemuel wrote
the last chapter. We see. however. that he
was taught the facts By his mother. I3: H.
Apparently the words are exactly as Lemuel
learned them. VA
2. Style. The book consists of proverbs
pithy sayings. compact chunks of wisdom,
gems of thought. Ii has been held a proverb
is a condensed address The word is composed
Of pro for, and rerbam speeeh-it il for a speech,
instead of a lengthy elaboration Of instruction.
1t is very useful style for didactic purposes.
We have couplet translsting words of Horace:
Short be the precept. which with ease is gained
BY dociie minds. and faithfully retained
8. Sections:
q. Chapters to 10 inclusive.
In II
C. %: II to "a inclusive.
d. Z" "a: % inclusive.
e. " 30 and 81.
4. The Old Testament may be divided into
three parts:
a. Historical. Genesis to Esther.
b. Poetical Job to Canticles
C. Prophetic. Isaiah to Malachi.
The Book of Proverbs is the third of the Sec
ond division.
5. 1t would be we'll to read the book through
with some reference to the analysis or outline.
Concentrations of the Book of Prorerbs
a. Sutclife said: 1.-The Book of Proverbs was
designed for schools, and forms a valuable
treasure of Divine wisdom. The first nine
chapters may be regarded as a vestibule to the
Temple. Wisdom is here personifed. and folly
thrown into the shade. Here we have chain
of arguments and succession of very express
sive figures. In what follows we shall ind
rings of gold, comprising complete sense.
But as the same words often occur in different
places, there is no need to illustrate more than
where real edi6cation can be conferred. Where
the sense is plain, illustration may occasion
obscurity. 1t is often difficult to translate
proverb, without either defacing its beauty or
diminishing its force. Our school books there
fore illustrate the proverbs of our Nation by
giving US wise and witty sayings of another of
similar import. This method loads the pupil
with double portion of wisdom. This little
volume (the Book of Proverbs) comes cheap to
US, but it cost the King of Israel, the great
oriental philosopher, who surpassed Ethan,
Heman, Chalcol, and Darda in wisdom,
whole life of labor and study"
b. In 1881 young man wrote to the editor
of the New York Tribune, wanting to know
what books it would be we'll for him to get and
read as most helpful to success in life. He re-
ceived the following answer: THE best single
treatise is the New Testament; next to this
is the Book of Proverbs of Solomon. The best
business man we have ever known memorized
the entire Book of Proverbs at 22-carrying
The American Tract Socety's 10-cent edition
in his vest pocket aud committing half dozen
verses daily; and when he became an en-
plOyer gave q copy of the book to every EN-.
ploye. with friendly inscription commencing
it as an admirable business guide"
C. Somebody penned the following sentences,
which because so quaint in style we might not
will bear careful consideration: by the way,
Solomon's Book of Prorerbs is we'll worth read.
ing, if you are anywhere this side of 80 and
matrimony, Solomon thought some good
large thoughts, those kind of thoughts that
have 100 foot frontage on the main street, and
run away back deep. Read him if you are not
too old. If you are quite aged it is as we'll to
skip him now. 1t will only make you feel bad
to have SO many mistakes pointed ont to you
which it is much too late to avoid"
PROVERBS %: 1928 INCLUSIVE.
/. Author.
Solomon wrote the words we study. He was
son of David and became the Second King of
Israel. His father gave him the name Solo.
mon. The prophet Nathan, however, called
him Jedediah. His mothers name was Bath
sheba. 1t is said THE Lord loved him."
(Read SAM, IL: "a % XII. 3 35-14; 21-
"a Ch., %: 8; 90; Is, 10, % %; 2 CHI. 8: 10
2s.)
2. Where and When
The book was written at Jerusalem about
] 900 years before Christ.
3. Notes
l. My son. ". 49, Uttered in fatherly |
address-not literally true-words of wise and |
venerable man to youth in general. Solomon |
probably often said thus to his own son, but in
our lesson the word has very broad sense.
g Heart. (V. 15.) We have gotten into the /
habit of associating the heart with the affee-
tions simply. but the Hebrews included in the
word our entire mental processes-ntellect,
feeling, and will. In the FIRST use of the word |
(V. 15) we have rather the idea of mind proper.
In the second use of the word in that verse
there is more of the idea of feeling.
3. Wise. (Y. 15.) Not more wisdom in the
sense of knowledge is meant. father might
see his son very wise in a merely intellectual |
sense and have reason for great sorrow. We
are to understand spiritual wisdom-the being
wise az to the soul, as to the cultivation of the
religious nature. Il: 81 To pious father
thero cannot be greater Joy than to see his