The National tribune., 1896-10-15
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

|
A Study Of the International Sunday
School Lesson. Appointed for Oct
| ]Yst
Is, 1896. l@
Subject: The Proverbs of Solomon. Prov,
1:1-19.
zone reading these notes should first carefully
| study the paragraph from tho Holy Scriptures as
| indicated above.l
INTRODUCTION.
The Book of the Proverbs is great in its ex-
cellency. richness. and variety. It's rules for
the conduct of life are excellent; its truths are
very practical the maxims are wonderful in
variety. proverb is saying which has be-
come accepted and fixed in ordinary converse
| tion-a something so often stated before, or in
| times past, as to become sort of axiom or un-
disputed truth. We may say. it is the product,
development of observation aud experience. A
proverb is as rule brief expression. One
| such, often repeated and passing with a sort OF
unquestioned authority, has great influence on
| the popular mind. truth Of this kind sticks
to person. So proverb is valuable.
| Concentrations of the Book of Proverbs.
Basil wrote: He is wise, not only who hath
| arrived at a complete habit Of wisdom but who
| hath made some progress towards it: nay, who
doth as yet but love it, or desire it, or listen to
| it. Such. by reading this book. shall be made
wiser, for they shall be instructed in much d.
vine and in no less human learning.
| It brides the I'M furious tongue, corrects the
| wanton eye, aud ties the unjust hand in chains.
1t persecutes sloth chastens all absurd desires;
teaches prudence; raises mans courage, and
represents temperance and chastity after such
a fashion that one cannot but have them in
veneration."
We observe that the grand utterances of Solo
mon are not only intended for didactic purposes,
but splendidly adapted to such uses.
DR.. Good declared: =" The great object of each
of the proverbs or axioms. is to enforce moral
principle in words so few that they may be easily
learned, and SO curiously selected and arranged
that they may strike and fix the attention in.
simultaneously; while, to prevent the mind
from becoming fatigued by long series of de-
tached sentences, they arc perpetually diversi-
fed by the most playful changes Of style and
6gnre" The proverbs are as medicinal pellets
coated with rhetorical saccbxrine.
Proverbs are pthy, pointed aim straight to
some practical direction in the line Of success;
clothe moral principles in bright and attractive
color crystalize the best results of experience;
are adapted in special for pedagogic use. and so
find great use in teaching the young.
1t is said proverb is 'the wit of one-the
wisdom of many"
Coleridge once said of the Book Of Proverbs,
it is 1.-The hest statesman's manual that was
ever written"
Stanley, describing the Book of Proverbs,
said it is the philosophy of practical life."
INTRODUCTION TO THE Book OF THE Prov
ERBs.
qua Data.
The introduction covers the first six verses
OF Chapter l. hEA
references.
VI. Proverbs of Solomon. 1 XII, 4: 80;
Prov, 10: /; %: l.; Eco, 1873.
vs.. Instruction of wisdom. 2:19.
VA. Simple. 9:4.
To the young man. Ps, 1919.
VS.. wise man, Chr, &c: ID; Prov,
80; IL: 80; 10: Id, 20; 1872.
We Dark saying. Ps., 1914; 1852.
Time
The Book of Proverbs was written about 1000
B..
ii Pluce
The Book was written at Jerusalem.
Aulhor
There is no question but that Solomon wrote
the Book. exrept the last two chapters. See
l XII, y; ..se-. 1879. His was sad ilIustra-
ton of they =, but do not" They teach
the right and live !,r wrong. This is the first
book Of the Bible having the name of the au thor
heading the volume
Some have attributed the first six verses of
the book to Ezra, but they are moro likely the
work of Solomon.
Definitions of Words and Phrases
]. Proverbs. VI. The noun comes from a
verb which means to liken. A proverb is a
similitude, parable, an ingenious likening of
two things, comparison Of the unknown to |
some well-known fact for the purpose of ex-
planning or throwing light or that not yet ap.
parent. parable is = long proverb. A prov
erb is pro tbefore) word or saying, a saying
uttered long ago, and in use commonly from |
then on to now.
2.AWisdom. V. g Like tho Greek sophos. |
senHbleness righteousness, skill, the use of |
reason. sagacty. ability to pass good Judgment,
capacity to utilize experience, ingenuity in |
adaptation of means to ends.
3. Instruction. V.2. The word comes from
verb which means to correct chastise disci- |
pine, warn. We can sec the kind of instruc-
ton implied.
L. Understanding v. 2. The Hebrew is |
from verb meaning to mark, perceive dis.
Germ, TO become acquainted with, ETC. The |
understanding IS the process of perception, in
stRHt, ihtelilSeuce. we get the idea OF dis |
elimination. 1t is a great mental attainment
to be able to distinguish right from wrong,
good from evil. good mind twisdom), much |
instruction aud discipline. resulting in great
experience, aid much in quickening the under.
standing and enabling it to choose the best
course i'll any given case.
5. Instruction. V. 3. The Hebrew for in.
struction is different from that for the word
instruction in e. 1t refers to the sort of
discipline which should be exercised by mar.
ents over their children-carres the idea of
correction and even hastiscment-im plies re.
proof aud warming
6. Wisdom. V. 3. The Hebrew is not the
same as fer wisdom in e. In the present
case, there come in the ideas of prudence, cir
ETC.
z. Justice. V. 3. Brightness, recttude 1t
Is opposed to crOokedness. 1t keeps the straight
path. 1T is specially quality demanded in
Judge or ruler. The word Judgment" is of
very nearly the same significance.
8. Equity. V. 3. The root idea is that of
evenness. rightness. We recall the balances as
symbolic OF justice. The three wortls-iustice,
judgment, equity-are very similar in idea, and
all three are given for the purpose of empha-
sizing, reinforcing, the idea of rectitude,
8. Subtlety. Va. Tho original idea is that
of nudeness, and SO Of smoothncss. We say of
a man given to mhtK stalk. that he is slippery.
The word is used IN d good sense, and also in
. bad sense, in The Bible-in the sense of
craftness. and also Of prudence. Our word
subtlety" has the idea of thinly. woven
substance. and suggests delcacy. Asubtle man.
In tho had sense cuveru his nm rooaa ood coou,u |