The National tribune., 1893-04-20

e. 30 and 81.
L. The Old Testament may be divided into
three parts:
a. Historical. Genesis TO Esther.
B. Poetcal. Job TO Canticles.
c. Prophetic. Isaiah to Malachi.
The Book of Proverbs is the third Of the
second division.
s. 1t would be we'll to read the book through
with some reference TO the analysis or outline.
g. There ia no book of the Bible which par
takes so much of the didactic. 1t is text
book in pedagogy. It should be explained in
every educational seminary (class talk, and
often receive attention in pedagogical journals.
Concentrations of the Book Of Proverbs.
Dr. Adam Clarke says: at is impossible fer
any description of persons to read the Book of
Proverbs without profit. Kings and courtiers,
AZ well as these engaged in trade, commerce,
agriculture, and the humblest walks of life,
may here read lessons of instruction for the
regulation of their conduct in their respective
circumstances. Fathers mothers, wives, hus-
bands, sons, daughters, masters aud servants,
may here also learn their respective duties;
and the most excellent rules are laid down, not
only in reference to morality, but to civil policy
and economy"
Here then, Is volume of great practical
utility here is book always in demand, here
is treatise that deals with life in its reality.
1t is so valuable because the product OF con-
tinued experience.
We have spoken Of the great value of the
Book of Proverbs as an educational textbook.
The famous Guthrie, of whom all Scotland is
proud, fortunately has left US few statements
of real pedagogical value as follows Having
learned our letters and some small syIables
printed on fly sheet of the Shorter Catechism,
we were once passed into the Book of Proverbs.
In the olden time this was tho universal Gus
tom in all the common schools in Scotland, q
custom that should never have been abandoned.
That book ia without rival for beginners, con-
tanning quite repertory of monOsyllables and
pure Saxon English undefled.' Take this
passage, for example, where, with one exception,
every word is formed of single syllable, and
belongs to the Saxon tongue: Train upa child
in the way he should 60, and when he is old
he will depart from it, What contrast to the
silly trash of modern schoolbooks for beginners,
with such sentences as, Tom has dog The
cat is good The cow has calf"
No wonder President Lee said with such
emphasis Scotland owed no small part of
the practical sagacity for which it is so famed
to an early familiarity with this body of practical
wisdom-the Book of Proverbs which in olden
times used to be printed separately and was
found in every mans pocket"
PROVERBS 1908, INCLUSIVE.
l. 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 Jededish. His mothers name was Bath
shebs. 1t is said, 1.-The Lord loved him."
Read Sam, 12 pa, 25; XII, 8: 35-14; 4: 81
"a; Ch., 1853; %; ls. 10, 1895; Ch., 9: 13-
49,
2. Where and When.
The book was written at Jerusalem about
1000 years before Christ.
We must attribute much of originality to
Solomon. The great men from whom to-day
we get most of our data in philosophy aud
ethics were not yet born. Hence. Solomon did
not have the advantage of gathering from
them. He wrote 479 years before Cyrus and
the period of the Seven Wise Men of Greece;
679 years prior to Alexander the Great cover
ing the period of Socrates Plato, AristotIe
900 wears before Christ, to whom all of US mod
ems are so indebted for data in theology, ethics
and philosophy. To have written classic
work before those great literary giants had lived
is fact lifting man totally out of debatable
territory as a wonderful author.
8. Notes.
1. Wisdom. ". co., The Rev. Fl. w.
Thomas remarks: Between wisdom and
knowledge we may make this distinction (:
knowledge is the exact perception of facts,
whilst wisdom is the application or use of these
facts in the accomplishment of g wise and noble |
purpose. Some men know great deal. but |
they lack the wisdom that can turn their knowl- |
edge to any practical account; whilst others |
with far less knowledge may have the wisdom
to use it in accomplishing great good. As |
general rule, we may say that knowledge comes |
from study or the effort of the mind to master |
facts, and wisdom is gained through experience |
or in the use of knowledge to accomplish some |
desired end"
2. Creth without. ". coy Some places are |
mentioned, 9. g., the streets; chief places of |!