Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON.
Reflections of an Elevating Character
wholesome Food for Thought
Studying the Scriptural Lesson In
tel1igently and Profitably.
Lesson for September 20.

telligently and Proftably.
Lesson for September 20.
Golden Text.-'There Is a way that
seemeth right unto a man; but the end
thereof are the ways of death."-Prov.
l6: %.
This lesson has for its subject DE
structive Vices" and is found in Proverbs
10: 22-33. The book of Proverbs is prac-
tically unknown to ordinary Bible read
ers. A few isolated passages from 1t are
familiar, but the book as whole is sell
dom read. This Is not surprising. when
we observe the entire lack of arrange
ment which prevails, except in the first
nine chapters. In most chapters no CEN
tral thought can be traced, hence it is as
difficult to read Proverbs as to read
dictionary. Yet the wisdom which the
book contains ought not 70 remain un-
known to Bible readers. As to the author
ship and date of the book of Proverbs,
only part of it claims to have been writ
ten or collected by Solomon. Even that
part may have received the name of the
king who was most famous for wisdom,
without his having written all the prov
erbs it contains. Undoubtedly some Of
the proverbs date from the age of Solo
luOu tue ages pTeCeuluS, IOT pTONeTDS
arise early in national literature. But
the present form of the proverb belongs
several centuries later. Date and author
ship are here of comparatively small i'm
portance, for the proverbs attest their
own truth.
Explanatory.
"The instruction of fools is folly" The
revised version reads, ''The correction
of fools is their folly" Neither tyansla-
ton gives perfectly clear meaning. The
clause may mean that fools can teach
others nothing but folly. or that folly with
its consequences is the only thing that
will teach a fool anything.
pleasant words" That is kind words.
"a way which seemeth right unto a
man." 1t seems right because folly has
blinded him; the inability to discriminate
between good and evil is one of the marks
Of folly.
"He that laboreth, laboreth for him
self; for his mouth craveth it of him."
This is probably better rendered, as in the
revised version: "The APPETITE of the la
boring man laboreth for him; for his
mouth craveth 1t of him." The thought
Is, that hunger incites men to work, and
therefore is a good thing. If there were
not the stimulus of appetite, men would
be tempted to idleness. This is true
enough, but has no conceivable relation
to the preceding verse This illustrates
the entire lack of orderly arrangement in
the book, mentioned above.
"He that shutteth his eyes he
that compresseth his lips" Apparently
the cunning and hard-hearted disposition
Of the wicked man is represented by his
facial expression.
"The hoary head is a crown of glory,
IL 1t be found in the way of righteous
ness" Leave out the 'if'' which Is sup
piled in the authorized version. "It shall
be found" Not that there are not gray
haired sinners, but the general tendency
of divine providence, according to the
teaching of the book, is to give the right
eous long life and to cut off the wicked
early in life.
''The lot is cast into the laps" The
thought, there is no chance in the world,
has again no relation to what precedes.
Teaching Hints.
1t Is not an easy lesson to teach If you
feel bound to stick to the subject and the
passage selected. Only one verse (25) Is
a good text for a lesson on destructive
vices" The other verses that speak Of
the wicked man (27-3O speak rather Of
unrighteous dealings with ones neighbor,
not Of the personal bad habits which we
usually associate with. the word "vices."
Verse 26, as has alreatly been remarked,
should not be twisted into a warning
against selishness; properly translated,
1t is simply a statement Of the fact that
natural appetite is an incentive to labor.
The true source Of such wisdom, namely
| h. - ~ a.. - L.
emphasized, otherwise the lesson fails to
teach the whole truth.
A profitable half-hour might be spent
upon practical discussion Of two very
practical maxims found In this passage,
which have direct application to every
day life, though not Immediately related
to religious experience: "a whisper separ-
ateth chief friends" and "he that is slow
to anger is better than the mighty; and
he that ruleth his spirit than he that
taketh CITY," There are not many boys
and girls who do not need to have both
Of these simple ethical truths impressed
upon them. Illustrations can be found
anywhere, in the pupils own lives, in
Bible stories, in history. The meanness
and uselessness Of petty gossip comes
much nearer the needs of many children
than vague warnings about a way that
ends in death. The nobility of self-con-
troll under provocation can be richly illus
notwithstanding with mere stoical forti-
tude, rs displayed by the Roman or the
Indian, which nearly all the boys will be |
sure to admire, passing on to higher type
Of self-mastery shown by martyrs, ancient |
and modern, under persecution, and lead |
Ing up to the examination Of our Lord |
who, "when he was reviled, reviled not |
again" Bring the truth down to the |
small annoyances of school and home life, |
and show how bright face and silence |
solves many difficulties where frowns and |
sharp words fail. Even with older pupils, |
the ethical worth Of self-control will fur |
nish a subject quite large enough for a |
good lesson. If for once, the teacher |
omits all reference to the deeper needs Of |
the soul, the necessity for regeneration. |
perhaps the pupils will all the more read |
lily make that application for themselves
which Is always the best way.
Next Lesson-Quarterly Review.