The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-18
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER 22.
Lesson Text: Rewards Of ObedI.
ence," Prov. ILL.,, 1-17-Golden ~
Text: Prov. K, 22-Com-
mentary.

1t&C.' EFoV. H, 6z-VOM. -
mentary.
/. my son, forget not My law; but LEI
thine heart keep Ny commandments. +" Bel
tween the lesson on Gods blessing upon Sol.
omon and the going forth OF his fame wd
have this one on the secret Of all blessing
and true honor. These words are for wis,
dom's children, those who are children of
God by faith In Christ Jesus (John L, 12)1
for inasmuch as the law cannot give life only
those who have life can keep the law (Gafl
ILL.,. q. %; Rom. Z, 4; viii. 8, ~. Beeauss
therefore we love His law and keep BIS com.
mandments. (
2. For length Of days and long life and
peace shall they add to thee" "He Is our
life and the length Of our days" (Deut. Xxx,
20. "He is our peace Eph, Il. 40. To
receive Him Is life q John ", l2). Many
saved people miss much OF heaven upon the
earth Deut. xi., 18-21) because they do not
eat the word Of God and lay 1t up In their
hearts for constant meditation. 4,
8. "Wnte them upon the table Of thine
heart" All the paths OF the Lord are mercy
and truth unto such as keep Ills covenant
and His testimonies (Ps. Xxx, 10Y. And
every believer Is expected to be living Wit
ness to this fact, an epistle OF Christ, written
with the Spirit Of the living ,God In fieshi9
tables Of the heart Oh Cor. ill.,, 81. ~
4. $50 shalt thou find favor and good uns
derstsndingir in the sight Of God and man.
Not that all men will praise you OF love you
II you Live holy life, for NOT all loved ouI
Lord, and the disciple must be content to ba
as his Master (John xv., 20). But the con!
scious blessing OF the Lord will be yours,
and the favor OF all such as truly love tha
Lord. When 1t Is manifest that the Lord ID
with us, there will be abundant blessing 10 4
many, as in the case Of Joseph, David and /,
Daniel. ~;
s. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understand.
Ing Since it is not in man that walketh to
direct his steps (Jer. x, 23) and the heart IL
deceltful above all things and desperately
wicked, is it any wonder that the Spirit has
written, "Gursed be the man that trust IN
man and maketh flesh his arm: Blessed I'd
the man that trusteth In the Lord, and whose
hope the Lord is9" CJer. xviii, 8, z. 81 And
again, "Commit thy way unto the Lord,
trust also In Him, and He shall bring it to-
pass" s;gl
6. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and he shall direct thy paths" This goes
we'll with Phil. iv., 6, I, where we are fors
bidden to be anxious about anything and s
commanded to be efprayerful about every
thing. Guidance and blessing are assured
to all who rely upon Him to direct and man
age them and their affairs See for further
comfort Pa. xxxii., 8; IIjChron. xvi, 8.
the Lord and depart from evll," Here .s
the secret of soul health, and the health OF
sickness Of the soul oftentimes wondrously
affects the body. The fear Of the Lord In i
cludes. at least, q fear to grieve Him and
humbling Of self to walk with Him (Mic. VI,
8, margin), in, complete subsection to Him
and to His word. PSI
9, 10. "Honor the Lord with thy sub.
stance and with the first fruits of all thine
Increase Here Is the secret Of blessing In
temporal things; barns and wine presses full.
The same thing lie strongly emphasized In
Nal. Ill. 10. He who in all things acknowi-
edges God and with cheerfulness renders to
God becoming gratitude cannot but enjoy
the blessing Of God. The nine lepers who
went to the priest did as they were conn
manded. they did their duty, but. the CRATE
ful tenth received had an abundant blessing
which the duty fellows missed. Let all
Christians give at least grateful tenth, and
God will make HiS promises literally true.
II, 12. "My son, despise not the ehRsten-s
ing Of the Lord" Our Heavenly Father
earnestly desires the highest happiness for
all His children, but He Is often hinderedin
q
wilfulness, therefore to fit us to receive His
bounty He has to chasten US, to humble us,
to make US see the folly Of our ways, that we.
may yield to Him and His ways and be
blessed indeed.
10. "Happy is the man that flndeth wis.
dom, and the man that getteth understands
ing" Christ is the wisdom Of God. Heaiso5
Is life, and also understanding q Cor. 1, 24;s
Prov viii, IA, 15). Give heed to chapter w.,
s, z, and take the comfort Of Prov Ill, "a;
w., IL; vi, "a. Think OF an unfailing friend
and guide with US day and night to lead us,
talk with US, keep US and guard Us from
stumbling. Compare Jude XIV, and Eph
ill.,. 20.
"A. 'sFor the merchandise of it is better
than the merchandise Of silver, and the gain
thereof than fine gold" Silver and gold and !
all the gain of earth are only for the earth
and pass away, but wisdom is eternal-it en-
dureth forever. To increase in wisdom Is
heavenly and eternal thing, and to make I
the highest and wisest Of all occupations.
IS. "She Is more precious than rubies, and
all tine things thou canst desire are not to be
compared unto her." So also In chapter
viii, II. And again, in Job xviii. 1S, 1t Is
written, "The price of wisdom is above
rubies." When Mary sat at Jesus's feet and
heard His word, and Martha seemed to find
O little fault with her, Jesus said, But one
thing Is needful, and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away
from her," Whatever he meant by those
words we certainly know that he Himself,
the wisdom Of God, is to US the one thing
needful, and in Him dwelleth all the fullness
Of the Godhead bodily (Col. H., 81.
16. Iength Of days In her right hand, and
In her left hand riches and honor" In chap
ter viu., 1s, it Is written, "Riches and honor
are with Me; yea, durable riches and righte-
ousness." There are riches which perish,
which are of use only In this world, and
there are durable riches, which only He can
give. "There is that maketh himself rich,
yet hath nothing; there is that maketh him
self poor, yet hath great riches" (xiii., y.
He made Himself poor that we might be
rich. We may be poor, yet make many rich
(II Cor. viii, 8; vi, 20). -.
II. "Her ways are ways OF pleas2ntness.
and all her paths are peace" They are also
paths of righteousness (Ps. xiii, 81, and the
work Of righteousness shall be peace, and
the effect Of righteousness quietness and as
surance forever Elsa. xxxii., 17). The path
OF the just is as the shining light that shiDeth
more and more unto the perfect day Qv., 18).
he himself Is the way as well as the WISDOM
and to abide in Him Is the secret OF 1t all
Lesson Helper. ..
THE MILITARY ACADEMY LoUalsHINc