The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-05-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for May 10, 1S0o-
Lessons ON Prayer-Luke 40: CIT.

GOLDEN TExT.-The publican stand.
ing afar of. would not lift UP so much as
his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, God be merciful to me q
einner-Luke 16: 13eN
THE SECTION includes the whole chapter
in its relations to prayer: ~ Prayer must
be persev ering. VS.. 1-S; (O self-rtghteous
prayer is vain VS.. 1912; (O prayer, humble,
heard, vs. Il, IA; ~ prayer for children. W.
Is, Is: (6 child-like, trusting prayer, " III
(G prayer for life and light, VS.. 1890, 31-sA:
CD an example Of prayer and Its answer.
vs.. 35-43
LIGHT FROM OTHER scRIpruREs.-Parall-
els: Blessing the children Tvs. IBID. Matt.
10: 1915: Mark 10: 1915. Rich young ruler
Tvs. 1890, Matt. 10: 1890; Mark 10: 1881.
Foretelling His crucifixion Tvs. 31-34) Matt.
20: 17-19; Mark 10: 1924. Prayer: Matt. g.:
6; Dan. 9:19-23; Heb. 1922; 2 Chron. 7:14;
'Tatt. Is: s; Isa. IS: To; Prov. L: 2S. %; Isa.
=: II.
...IE.-March, A. D. 80. two or three
weeks before the cruciixion.
PLAcE.-Perea, beyond Jordon.
LESSON NOTES.
I. PERsEv ERING PRAYER. - VS.. 1-8.
God is not compared to the unjust
Judge, but contrasted with him. If
hard-hearted, wicked judge, who
cared for neither God nor man, but
only for himself and his own interests,
would yet grant justice on account
of the perseverance of the widow, how
much more, how infinitely more read
Heaven, who loves to give far more
than we ure willing to receive, give us
the help we need against our adver-
saries. And if the unjust judge does
this for poor widow, in whom he has
no interest, how much more will our
Father grant the prayers of His own
children, even His select ones, whom He
has chosen. Prayer must be i'm
Fortunate, not because God is unwilling
to bestow good things, or must be over
persuaded. for He is more ready to
give than we are to ask. Prayer that
is not persevering indicates lack of
faith, and obedience, and fitness to re-
ceive
1.-THE KIND OF PRAYER THAT Is FALSE
AND UNANswERED-Vs. 9-12. Having
illustrated to His disciples one cause of
the failure of some prayers to receive an
answer, Jesus points out another dam
ger. There is a generation that are
pure in their own eyes, and yet is not
washed from their filthiness" prov. 80:
12) (which say: Stand by thyself, come
not near TO me; for l am holier than
thou. These are smoke in my nose."
lisa. 6:5. Self-righteousness is a right
eousness of outward acts and forms,
not of true and loving spirit. 1t is in
teresting in this connection to note the
position the Pharisee took. That he
"stood" is not of consequence, for it was
the ordinary attitude of prayer, but
the word employed here differs from
that used to designate the publican's
standing and gives a very different
impression. It means stationed him
SELF" "struck an attitude" ostenta-
tiously.
Now as to the prayer. 1t is well to
be thankful, but his thanksgiving was
| pride and boasting, in the name of graf
| itude, that he was not as other men,
the rest of mankind. And then his
eye, alighting on the publican, he
drags him into his prayer, making him
to supply the dark background on
which the bright colors of his own vir-
tues shall more gloriously appear. He
tasted twice in the week. The law only
required one fast-day in the year. Sure
ly he did more than his duty. And
he gave tithes Ia tenth) of all he pos
sessed. The fact that he does not say
a word about his sins shows how low
his standard. One might do all that
the Pharisee claimed for himself, vet
be q most hardened sinner.
III. THE PRAYER THAT Is HEARD
AND ANswERED.-Vs. 13, IA. The
publican had no doubt committed
the sins of his class, who were often
chosen from the dregs Of the people,
and were notorious for their extor-
tions. He ''would not lift up so much
as his eyes unto Heaven" SO deeply did
he feel his guilt, "but smote upon his
breast, saying: God be merciful to
me sinner" Literally ito me the sin
ner," as if, like Paul, he felt himself to
be "the chief of Sinners" This man
was justified rather than the other,
because the Pharisee, though as great
q sinner as the publican, was still
proud, unloving and unrepenting.
every one that exalteth himself shall
be abased" by his own vanity which
| blinds those whom it infects, and
draws them into many pernicious
errors and indiscretions; land he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted"
out of his SORROWS and tears into peace
| with God, out of his sins into holiness,
out of his outcast position and charac-
| ter into Heaven.
| ~. PRAYER FOR CHILDREN.-Ns. IS
II. How fortunate it was that this
solemn and important discourse to old
er people Matt. 19:3-12) was inter-
rupted at just this point by the coming
of small children whose parents were
anxious that the blessing of Jesus
should rest upon their young lives; for
it furnished just the needed principle.
For of such is the kingdom of God" )"
They are humble, teachable, obedient,
have a perfect trust and possess a
wealth Of warm and expressive affec-
tion. The disciples thought that
Jesus ought not to stop His important