The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-14
The Sunday School Lesson.
SERIES FOR 1896.---FOURTH QUARTER.
Studies in Old Testament History.


And lean mott upon thine own understanding;
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes,
Fear the Lord and depart from evil:
1t shall be health to thy navel,
And marrow to thy bones
Honor the Lord with thy substance,
AMI with the frstfruts of all thine Increase;
1G So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy watts shall overflow with new wine.
The venerable teacher speaking to his
pupil as to son, with the solicitude of
one who has had long experience, ad-
monishes first of all that hislaw-which
as the margin shows us means his teach
ing-be not forgotten, but taken into
the keeping of the heart. The result will
be a long and peaceful life. Among the
personal ornaments and amulets which
the pupil may choose to wear. the pa
ternal counsellor would have him wear
merciful integrity as necklace, yet
not as mere external thing; he would
have it engraved as with stylus on the
table of his heart. In the course of life
one may hope to find both human and
divine favor. Seek the golden mean be-
tween confidence and self sufficiency,
between proper self esteem and danger
Gus self-idolatry. To acknowledge de-
pendepce on the Guiding Power, and
seek the Divine guidance in all acts, is
the way to smooth the path of life. The
Of rosr 70
who understand it, Fear the Lord, and
depart from eUil. This, we recall. is the
central inculcation of Proverbs. The
declaration that obedience to Wisdom
will be health to the navel" which liter
ally means means cord, signifies that
the true life will be fed at its sources;
the same as bones are renewed through
their marrow. The expression is He.
braic; but its faithfulnees to fact gives
to it common and human interest.
The learner of Wisdom is finally assured
that giving ones best to the Lord, as of
the frst-fruits of the harvest, is not to
lose but to gain; such giving will fill
granaries and make the watts for the new
wine overflow.
2. Be Submissive to GOd,-vs.
11-17.
| II My son. dsspise MT the Christening of the
Lord;
Neither be weary Of his reproof:
II For whom the Lord loveth he reproveth:
Even as a father the son in whom he de-
| lighteth:
| 10 Happy is the man tina. findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.
4. IA For the merchandise of it is better than the
merchandise of silver,
And the gain thereof than fine gold.
| Is She is more precious than rubies;
And none of the things thou canst desire are
to be compared unto her,
16 Length of DAYS is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and horror.
| II Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
The paternal instructor does not for
get that no human life is lived in I'M
Swallowed sunshine. To all is allotted the
dark discipline of suffering. All must
pass through the school of Jehovah,
The need of Christening is universal.
When it is made your portion, accept it,
do not rebel against it.
The saying Tvs. 12) that the trials of
life, the providential allotments which
we must endure, are to be interpreted
as the bestowings of good father. ex
pressive of his delight and good will
rather than Of his carelessness or anger,
breathes the best spirit of the Hebraic
faith. This sublime thought underlies
the Book of Job Dob SID; it is elaborated
in the New Testament by the writer of
the Epistle to the Hebrews Q2:5-O 1t
is the faith that stays the soul in suffer
ering. As an earthly father designs that
the child in whom he delights shall be
trained, disciplined, corrected of natural
faults, so the Eternal One sends chas
Jennings to his children in the earth
This earthly life is Divine school,
Wisdom. whether gained by endeavor
or by endurance, is worthy of being
priced more than anything else the
heart can covet. Silver, gold, rubies.
are in their place good; Wisdom is incotn
parably better. She stands before us as
the Beautiful One. Her pleading hands
are outspread. In her right hand is the
proffer of long life free from the waste
and haz ard of intemperance and wrong;
in her left hand she proffers worldly
prosperity and human favor.
The Lesson Commissions recommen-
dalton to teachers and scholars that
the entire passage (31-35 be carefully
read. will. if fulfilled. carry to compile
ton this attractive lesson.
The old Hebrew poet gives to US a
glimpse of high range of truth where
the Old Testament becomes enc with the
| New.
TT CEJING DnTNJTC