The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-15
SERMON ON THE PROVERBS
Delivered BY Rev. d. r. Jones 10 the
Tabernacle Church.
GREAT TRIBUTE TO HONESTY
II Il was Universally Prastteed. the
Speaker Said. the Era OF Good Times
Would BE Cshered In at Once.
Thoughts About the soul.

| The book OF Proverbs seems
| a beautiful garden filed with all S,nu
Of flowers always blooming anu
| freshing to the visitor. Ine oooN III
| tains all kind of instructions "'oras
and religiously to all that may reau anu
study it's lessons. The author VI .e
| book was the wisest OF men, soionon
| the son Of David. the King oi is,ss .s"
| Solomon had an especial plesSihs .. '
Lord upon him and ne was na" ~
great understanding to discern between
GOOD and had. and therefore he was the
rieht man to collect and compose FRO
verhs that were worthy OF the hoiy
Book.
To understand this book We nave
| m comprehend to some extent wnat
| nroyerb is. the object Of having SO
| many proverbs combined together as
, mart OF the Bible, which In Its princi-
n,es is to stand forever. A proverp
means a short saying that contains
GOOD moral or practical religious prlh-
| ciple. that enables the reader 10 take
hold OF a lesson that he needs IN ever!
day life, The reason We have SO many
proberbs in. the Holy Book IL because
our daily doing should be always IN ac-
cordance with good principles. In this
light We are to look at the book OF
Proverbs, as a manual Of practical
rules for our daily observations.
Word About the Bible.
There is another word in regard to
this book that the young reader should
know. that Is we cannot study this book
as a book Of theology that treats upon
one theme or doctrine. Here we have
all kind OF instructions that may help
US to work out the principles OF Chris
tianity in the most effective manner
day after day among our fellowmen.
The young man that has wish to DO
wise and godly in his life let him study
the book In the words OF our text we
find the following lessons:
First, To be honest in all OF our do
,ngs in this world. Drink waters out
Of thine own cistsrn, and running
waters out Of thine own we'll" The
people in the time Of the author had
to build their own cisterns and to have
their wells prepared SO that they would
have supply of waters in time OF need
and not to take of what belonged to
their fellowmen. who had worked hard
in due time to obtain what they might
greatly need in the future. The name
or the lesson Is that every man should
work for his own living and to take
hold Of all opportunities to pay his way
In this world. also that every person,
family, society and government should
live according to the means We have as
produce Of our own.
Morality means that man should do
his best to live in this world without
taking from his fellowman what does
not belong to him. Honesty Is grand
principle that honors the man that
loves labor. honest payment. honest
towards ourselves and honest towards
others. The law Of honesty has in Its
hand the most worthy blessings to the
human race only to take hold Of them
according to the way Of wisdom which
Is plainly before us in the word Of God.
Expenses Would BE Reduced.
II every person within the city OF
Scranton would only try to live hon
estly, even in these days Of what We
called slow times and to do the best or
the little we have Of our own labor In
a short time We could buy the means
Of life for the half Of what We are pay
ing today. The honest man whereso-
ever you may find him has to pay FOR
the dishonest, and that Is one OF the
greatest burdens that hangs upon the
shoulders Of society In this age.
When men and women will observe
the grand principle Of honesty to
greater extent that today, then shall
the world have it's good times" Young
people, build your own cisterns by hon
est labor, and make your wells accord
ing to the opportunities Of your age,
so that you may be able to drink the
waters Of true prosperity out Of your
own labor and the pleasures out Of the
principles that cannot fail to be a
foundation Of happiness under all cir
cumstances.
Second. The fundamental principle Of
true prosperity, Buy the truth and sell
1t not" In the olden times. as we'll as
in our days, some people were very
anxious to make money. They were
buying all the properties they could
get to sell them afterwards for more
money. They did net buy because they
loved what they bought; they were
buying to sell. We need In our days
men and women that will buy the truth
not to sell 1t, but to keep 1t and
to use 1t day after day as a neral and
religious property that cannot be
bought from them by the largest
amounts Of money that the world has.
Here we have something that is greater
the truth takes hold Of Godliness be-
cause Godliness In itself is Of the
greatest value. 1t is the law of God
liness that makes man and God one In
principle We need the religion that
cannot be taken away from US even by
death.
Man Who Hss Nothing to Sell.
The man that can sell his religion
for money or for the pleasures Of this
world has nothing to sell really. We
should take care Of what he offers In
the market. its only a sham. Under
no circumstances has man the right to
sell the truths. It's property that be-
longs to the soul. Young men Of our
age think not that you can prosper as
you ought to in this world without the
truth and without the strongest love
towards what Is right according to the
law Of God.
You have to work hard to obtain
the truth. you have to dig deep to be-
hold the beauty Of the Lord and His
great salvation. Money will not buy
the truth for you. Buy II with honest
labor with careful study Of the word Of
God, with faithfulness to your convic-
tions, and with sacrificing spirit that
was manifested to the world by the
man.. Christ Jesus. The truth can
make every man free, the man that
sells 1t sells his freedom.
Third, We should not lower the stand
ard Of Christianity for the sake OF
things that are not in accordance with
the law OF God. Take away the dross
from the silver" The word dross means
scum material or the waste matter that
falls on from a better part. The scum
material OF this world should not have
. place where holy things dwell
Worthless things that have nothing
Of pure value for the market should be
cast away from every Christian man az
we'll as from every Christian society.
The human soul 10 solid piece Of
silver that requires the best efforts of