The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-11-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.


L
| GOLDEN TExr.--We love Him, because II,
| first loved us-1 John 4:19.
The AUTHoR-James the Lords brother
the acknowledged head Of the church at Jerusa
lem James. the apostle, the son OF zebedee
had long before March, A. d. 44) been mar
tyred by Herod (Acts 1921 James, "the
| brother OF the Lord" has boen identified BY
many with James, the son Of Alpheus but the
best authorities regard them as different per
sons He has been called James the Just He
| was very rigid observer Of the law. both NOR.
al and ceremonial. regular worsLiper in the
temple. He was greatly reverenced and exert
ea powerful influence As he rose to speak,
the grandeur OF his appearance the mysterious
awe which chung about him as the heir of the
line OF David and the earthly brother Of his
Lord, the stern sanctity OF his life, the ascen.
aency OF his powerful character, the spell OF his
hfelong vow (the Nazarite vow) gave his words
Q force which exceeded that OF all the other
dwellers In Jerusalem. According to Josephus,
ne was stoned to death within few months
after the death Of Fcstus, in November, A. D.
ol, Mt the age Of about sixty-threc or sixty-four
AFFORD, who makes him sixty years at the
last mention Of his name in Acts 2i:ls or A
d. So
THE PLACE OF WRITING was Jerusalem. over
whose church James was pastor.
The DATE was probably A. d. 81 or g. nine
or ten years before the destruction of Jerusa
lem Dean Plumtre in the Cambridge Bible
"A. q il.
oiy during Paul's first missionary journey
(Acts l3). This would make this the earliest
Of all the epistts
To WBoM WRITTEN Evidently to Chrlstian
Jews everywhere Christians who were exposed
to many trials and temptations James him
self is represented in all notices Of his life as
never leaving the Holy city: but numbers of
Jewish Christians from all parts Of the world
would come up 10 the great annual festivals.
and OF course would meet often with the
mother church at Jerusalem, SO that James
would thus become acquainted with them and
through them with the churches to which they
belong. Very probably, too. members of his
church at Jerusalem would move TO various
parts, and "he would not lose sight Of the sheep
OF his flock even when scattered abroad"
The OBJECT OF this cpstle is not so much
theological as practical, to hold up the ideal of
the perfect Christian in daily life. 1t presup.
poses the knowledge OF Christian doctrine
He Is, above ALL anxious that they, in their
lie as individuals and as a community, should
not hold the faith in the Lord Jesus as a mere
barren dogma. but should show the fruits of
their higher knowledge in the nieekness of Wis
dom, in nobler and purer life CHAP 3.13
There were two directions in which there
was special need Of guidance and help One
was the right life under Affections and poverty
prosecutions and trials Of their fate met them
sn every side. Many of them were poor and
III treated on that account They needed COM
Tort and courage and wisdom to act Alright in
these circumstances. On the other hand there
were many temptations to q life unworthy of
the disciples Of Christ. There was a tendency
IN the rich to despise and oppress the poor
There was danger Of respect of persons" of
ldolatry OF riches, Of evil speaking, of party
teuds, OF envyings and strife, of imagining that
piety could be divorced from holy living. In |
these things there was great need Of warning !
snd instruction
PARALLELS This episte reflects more than |
any other book CT the New Testament the Ian |
yuage Of the Sermon on the Mount, and offers |
many close resemblances to the Proverbs of |
Solomon and the books of Ecclesiasticus and |
Wisdom.
THE UNCHANGEABLENEss OF GOD
1t is by the illustration given in this
lesson that we can understand the ma
lure OF Gods unchangeableness. 1t is
not the unchangeableness of a statue.
which always wears the same counte-
nance; nor of cold, hard heart. which
has no variation of emotion, but feels
the same toward good and bad alike.
HIS is the unchangeableness which be-
ongs to the spirit, the soul-with in
mite variety of emotions and of ac-
ions, but with the same character. the
anne principles, the same knowledge,
he same plans, the same love, forever
and toward the same
'ersons in the same circumstances al
ways acting and feeling the same. To
nen on earth the sun seems constant
changing. Sometimes it is in the
ast, sometimes in the west; some
ines at the horizon, again at the
enith; it makes each day in the year
dlferent course through the sky;
ow it is high noon, and now it is mid
light; now eclipsed, and now clouded.
ut what is it that changes? The
arth changes. the seasons change, the
louds change, but the sun itself is the
lme through all these changes. So
len change, their character changes.
Heir actions change, their needs
nange, and hence their relations to
Cd change; but God is always the
'me, always loves, always rewards
lithfulness and Furnishes iniquity.
e is the same in knowledge, for He
nows all that is to be known. He is
le same in His purposes and plans. !
Id all His promises are sure, and lust
good to-day as when first uttered;
'cause they were made in all knowl- '
lge, and all wisdom, and He has all
'wer to execute them. Because God t
Interchangeable, therefore He viii g
'ep all His promises, and answer s
cry prayer because He has promised.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. {
Yer. II. 1t is very comforting that !
II blessings come from the hand of
We, as the proof of love. Q
1t is great comfort that our God is
in character, so that His
omises are as good now as when first d
tered, ages ago; and His words are :
ways true, His invitations always
Id, His forgiveness is ever the same.
Vers. 1926. Hasty speech lessons :.
e value Of even the true things such !,
speaker utters. !,
The proverb, Speech is silver, but +
ence is gold" is sometimes true; but a
ere are often cases where speech is a
Id, and silence is death. We should II
commit the folly of the man who h