The Progress., 1896-10-31

! (@t%ASNHSt>sI( ' TSs" We can stud
~ WV27 q the dedication ser
~ NV vices. the great as
= sembly. Solomon
prayer and Gods answer.
And laatly We may consider what W
Temple was to d. for the people Oh y
rael AL these Things are oV'rUo""
with instruction for our times. rs hoh'
oVeFi|ows from the comb
The section includes I Kings :: l-'h an
,: Ia: and the parallel account in 2thro'
'c'cs, chaps, >, G. and &
| Time. The Temple was cottrfeteu !,
the month tjuT October November. -.
fo01. IN the eleventh year of Sofotff""
| reign, having been seven and one ia,
years in building. The dedication toof
place one month earlier. in Ethanim GU"
| RID. Ecptemhcr-O ctohcr). at the s'e"
national festival of the Taherhac'rS
probably ahou, the first OF oc'o"''
Stanley and GoilSic think the time wa
| IN" October following the complexion -
October Of the previous year: put ~
Hammond, in The Pulpit Commentary ar
CUES conclusivcly that it was the tesl'Vh
! before the entire completion of the rem
! pie for the date Of dedication would nave
! to be announced some time before aho
! the last things tu be done in any grea'
building almost always overrun the ti'h'
| set IT was practically finished by the
| Feast of Tabernacles. and there was eN'
| cry reason why the dedication should take
plac" as soon as possible, Place. Jerusa'
lem. at the Temple.
The text Of today's lesson, with eXplana
tory notes, follows:
SnlHn4}'S f4f ian "A
his prayer Solomon stood again before the
people and expressed his good desires for
them. It was sermon and prayer
united. 1t was high ideal set before the
people ever to he remembered as that TO-
ward which they should strive.
At. blessed be the Lord that hatf
given r.st unto Ills people Israel accord
ing to all that He promised: dist1ftc!
reference TO Deuteronomy IL: y, ~ "t,
): 2o). where we read that when the Lord
should have given rest to Israel, then u
place for sacrifice. etc. should be appoint
ed ". ~. promised by the hand OF
Moses" The rest referred to above:
peace. prosperity. victory over enemies
the presence of God Uev. 26: 3-l3. Deut
Is: Ito; and the whole extent Of terri
tory promised in Joshua l: 3, a: see z
Chronicles .: 70. In no place is there such
assurance and experience of promises ful'
filled "a in the house of God.
81. THE Lord our God be with us. as he
was with our fathers" The visible proof
of this was in the glory which tlien filled
the Temple as it had in former days filled
the tabernacle. Gods presence includes
all other blessings. for he is the source
of all. and in Gods house Is the special
manifestation of his presence.
5s. That he may incline Our hearts,
God is the source of all life and action,
physical and spiritual, and of that free
responsibility of man which is the ult-
mate truth of the inner human conscious
tess. God inclines the heart and yet the
heart must yield Itself. "-E1licott We
need continued help "to will" as "to do"
of Gods good pleasure Phil 9: 10. This
help specially comes to us In the services
of Gods house: and the influence of the
church and its services Is measureless to-
ward helping men Ito walk in all his
ways, and to keep his. =. statutes" A
revival of true religion Is always a revi-
val of morality: and there is no time
when 1t Is so easy and so natural to do
right as when under strong religious in
fluences. His judgments" His decisions
as to what is right; his law.
49, Let these my words. the words Of
his prayer In the previous portion of this
chapter. BE nigh unto the Lord: be a
perpetual prayer, always heard and an
swered. THAT he maintain the cause of
his servant" guide him, protect him.
watch over him.
50. THAT all the people Of the earth NAV
Know" Israel was not made and kent
a people of God for their own sake alone
but as the best way of proclaiming the
true God to all nations Their prosperity
and wealth. their victories. the wisdom
and glory of their king were all az hin
on which the knowledge OF the true God
was placed that 1t might be seen far AMI
VIDE Every living and growing religion.
whether I'll the individual heart or in Tho
church, is missionary religion mo
house of God is the source of missionary
impulse.
Sofomon's marvellous wisdom ana
countless wealth. and wide extended k;ny.
dom were given him. not for h,msalf
alone, but as an instrumentality for max.
ing known the true God and the true re-
ligion, as high mountain on which Tho
altar tires of Jehovah, burning brightly
could be seen by the world lying IN dark.
ness. This privilege was the nob,est plft
OF all. Had he continued to use Il ariuht
his missionary activity would have keni
him from falling, and the glory would
have remained to him and to his ,,,,oo.
sors.
6l. Let your heart therefore be nerfeoy
with the Lord" Although Solomon VINO
better at preaching than at practic,ny he
own precepts q Kings II: d, vet IN his
wisdom he saw clearly that every unn5
he had hoped for his people depende5 ~,
sincere. heart-deep obedience and loyn
The more true religion IN the natt,, ~.
more of every good God cannot y,,,, ~,
a disobedient people the blessings IF ohaa,
ence. "As at this day" He honaa ILL.,.
would not backslide from the fee,in.s Ivy
resolves they were making under ,, qua
powerful religious influences. >'ese
vi. The Answer to the PRAYER -
q l-22; l Kings Q: 10 Az tho
king concluded. the cloud which bad rat
ed over the Holy of Holes grew hr,rhta.
and more dazzling e"'e'
VII. The Festival.--Vs. 49, g. Tho ro,.,
Of Tabernacles was held as usual sn'
seven days; but in this case the feat,uo,
continued for fourteen days-seven ha'
fore the feast, and the seven OF The faas,
with two additional days for tho r.,,.s,1
were not dismissed till the twentv.th,,s
day u Kings s: 65. 60: 2 Chron :, in
u. Two and twenty thousand ovor :,
etc. THESE were peace offerings. and
we're mostly eaten by the peonla nv
vast numbers of people required a II n ny
amount Of food. See on Lesson II Of th,a
quarter. WIS
NrrEo 1E