The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-08

| which means one, and repeat Ut over ana over
many times. rs u rebuke to polytheism, and so
as to emphasize their own doctrine.
s. Love tho Lord 8. This seems in conflict
with fear the Lord in verse Is. The love
| referred to is exclusive as directed toward God
alone. 1t exhausls all God love, or all the love
| of which We capable TO object of
worship. DIR. A. Clarke says of love- it is . a
sovereign preference given to one above all
| others present or absent; n concentration OF
all the thoughts and desires in single object,
which a man prefers to all Others" Seeing
that God is our Colour only God-so far as
we have love for God, rs an object of our religi-
Gus Affection 1t must be for this God, and for
Him exclusively.
We see how exhaustive this peculiar love of
ours must be in the fact it is to require all the
forces Of heart, soul and might.
| An ancient author said of love, in the way
of definition that it is "a pleasing surrender
| of friendship to a frend-an identity same
ness of SOUL" Apply this to ourselves as lovers
of God. We get idea of how God would
have US feel toward Him.
| The relations of Christians Tor the church,
toward Christ is pictured by the union of bride
groom and bride. Here is a suggestion as to
| our love OF God. Notice Jealous in verse 10.
| Love is the fundamental motive force of
Christianity. II one love- all else follows.
The Jews regarded the "heart" as the seat
| OF intellect; tho "soul" indicates the vital
|
and body. He loves God most who is most
conscious of Gods attributes. TO the full ex-
| tent of our knowledge Of God and his dealings
| with us, are to love Him. We are to nse to
| His honor our lives, all our vital resources.
Our devotion to God must exhaust all our
powers
To love God is the first and greatest COM
mandment. st. Nix, IL: 30. 80.
We must have Gods words in our hearts.
v. 6. We must know them and their sig
nfcance.
g. Teach them. " Not now and then,
but always; not here and there, but every
where. They are not merely TO be known, but
done not merely known and done, but made
known. There were no books, no newspapers
The way to spread news was by talking Even
yet there is advantage in instruction by voice.
The word "teach" carries the idea of instruc-
ton. We must explain. This is done By repe-
tition. The original of the word for ct teach
means to sharpen by iteration; to do thing
over and over; to bring to point by reiterated
rubbing or friction. So lessons must be- rs we
say. rubbed in" And this must be done at
home and abroad, morning and evening to
ones children aud to strangers, to associ-
ates, etc.
Z. Bind them for sign. v. g. We may
suppose tho purpose was to whet the memory,
as one ties string on his finger so he may not
forget something.
There may enter here also the amulet idea.
The custom of hanging on our walls notices,
verses Of the Bible, in embroidery chrome,
etc, is in this line.
This was the origin of hylscteres, yet worn
by Jews.
8. Write them on posts. V. 9. We want
Gods words in our hearts first of all. Much
such inscription work became very super
sttious 1t was thought such verses on posts
and gates would keep off ghosts, etc. On the
other hand, the intention was of pedagogical
character In the absence of books and teach
ers it was well to keep the sacred words con-
spicuous. Otherwise they might escape men,
DRY. See forget" in V. II.
g. Verse IL shows men forget God in great
prosperity. But the Israelites also forgot God
in great distresses. Read Prov 80: 10
10. Fear the Lord. V. -. No reference is
made to cringing apprehension of God, but
rather to that dignifed respect and reverence
for Deity which show we recognize Him as |
our Creator and Judge.
IL. Swear by him. 13. Reference is made |
to oaths in civil or eccesiastic jurisprudence. |
Practical Suggestions.
l. Doing is very essential. 1t is not enough |
to hear, to read, to know. to approve of the |
Law OF God. Truth is truth to us only as we |
materalize it.
Francis Beaumont wrote:
Man is his own star; and the soul that can
Render an honest and perfect man.
Command all light. nil influence. all fate,
Nothing falls to him early or Too late. |
Onr acts our angels are good or i'll,
Our fatal shadows that walk by STILL"
9. Only one God. There is implicitly in |
our religion. We are not confused as to which |
one OF the gods to serve.
3. Verso 10 shows we ought to consider all |
of Gods blessings and mercies to US as a fou nda-
tion for our love and gratitude, aud service
and worship.
4. The late Bishop Phillips Brooks summed
all up briefly rs follows: / want 10 live if |
God will give me help, such life that. IL all
men in the world were living il, this world
would be regenerated and saved. / want to
live such o life that IL that life changed into
new personal peculiarites as it went to differ
ent men, but the same life still. if every man
were living it. the millennium would be- here"
5. Annie Xix Miliiz says: Every deed
Chime hand. V. 81 must bear the divine i'm
press; every perceptivo faculty aud every
memory (the eyes and between the eyes. V. 81 |
must be fraught with the Good; the Word
must guard your lips door posts of thy house.
V. D., and all the gates of ingress and egTess"
Illustration.
NeZahualcoyoti. an Aztec scientist and states
man, so years before Columbus. instructed his
people somewhat in the same tone as Moses
Translated, his lines read
I" Danish care If there are bounds TO pleas
ure, the saddest life must also have AN end
Then weave the chapet of flowers. sing thy
songs in the praise of the all powerful God, for
the glory Of the world soon fadeth away. Re-
joice in the green freshness OF thy Spring. for
the day will soon come when thou shalt sigh
for these joys in vain; when the scepter shall
pass from thy hand, thy servants shall wander
iesoate in thy courts, the sons of thy mobiles
shall drink the dregs of distress. and all the
pomp of thy victories and triumphs shall live
only in their recollection. Yet the remem-
brance of the just shall not pass away from the
nations, and the good thou hast done shall
ever be held in honor. The goods of this life,
its glories and its riches but lent to US its
substance is but an illusory shadow, and the
things OF to-day shall change on the coming of
tomorrow. Then gather the flowers from thy
gardens to bind thy brow, aud seize the joys of
today before they perish"