The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-18
TIE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST ~.

Lesson Text: "The Excellence OF Chris
tian Love-" I Cor. kill, 1-13-Golden
Text: I Cor. kill, 13-Commentary on
the Lesson by Rev. d. M. Stearns.
1. Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not love, I
an become as sounding brass or o tinkling
cymbal." 1t Is said that this is the only
chapter in all Paul's epistles in which he
does not mention Jesus In one or other Of
His titles. But 1t Is q portrait so wonder
full that one cannot fail to recognize the
likeness even without the name. The first
three verses set forth love versus
prophecies, tongues, knowledge, faith,
goods, etc. All are nothing apart from
love, but Jesus combined all in Himself,
and He spoke with more than tongues OF
man or angels. See lisa. l, 4; Math. VIII, %,
20; xiii. 81; Luke w., %; John viii, Is, 46.
2. "And though I have the gift Of proph-
ecy and understand all mysteries, and all
knowledge, and though l have all faith,
80 that I could remove mountains, and
have not love, I am nothing" He foretold
all things. In Him are hid all the treas
ures Of wisdom and knowledge, and He is
the author and fnisher Of our faith ozark
from or severed from Him we can do moth
lHS loOhnA ' ~, - ~
through US, can do all things.
8. "And though bestow all my goods to
feed the poor, and though I give my body
to be burned and have not love, 1t profteth
me nothing" He actually gave US every
thing, all the glory OF heaven, and became
so poor for us that He often had not where
to lay His head, and He gave Himself a
sacrifice for us that we might by His blood
be saved, and then eat Him and live, and
~ ~ from, drcf RI Loot lnya RI Cod md RI
US John vii, SO, with viii, 1; Luke tx, So;
I Cor. viii, 81; also eek. xii, 8; John vi,
Sc. 81: Phil. H., 8; Gal. H., 20 |. c.). When
this great love Of His constrainS US or
takes hold OF US as q burning fever, We will
reflect Him.
4. Glove suffereth long, and Is kind. Love
envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, Is not
pulled up" His patience, kindness, con-
tentment and humility. Never was this
Lord Jesus. Oh, Jesus, Master, give me
this love! Love passive, love active. love
to those in the same work. love at Jesus
feet, willing to be used in any way or set
aside, willing to be used to open some ones
eyes and then to be washed of into the
pool. Delighted with Christ, wholly occu-
pied with Him, and fully yielded to Him.
5. "Dorh not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, Is not easily provoked,
CQlQh6Lu uO evil. 1uc IT,. Z. says, ID uOL
provoked, taketh not account Of evil" He
never pleased Himself, nor sought His own
will nor glory, but did always those things
that pleased the Father (Rom. xr., 8; John
", 80; vi, 3S; viii, 29). When oppressed and
afflicted He opened His mouth. When re-
viled, He rsviled not again. When He suf-
fered. He threatened not Elsa. ill.,, 7; l Pet.
H., 23). Therei is no way to live this life,
which every Christian ought to live, except
I--.llI--k n;,o that ua n fvn q IN
US. If we are willing, He will do it.
6. "Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but re-
ioiceth in the truth" has no part in nor fell
lowship with that which Is evil. Neither
does evil, nor tolerates 1T In others, but
loves the truth, lives the truth and speaks
the truth. He said, IT am the truth" The
Holy Spirit is the Spirit Of truth. God is
the God Of truth John xiv, 6; xvi, 10; Isa.
lxv., 16). He desireth truth In the inward
parts (Ps. lvit.. g, and when He who Is the
truth has full control 1t will be even so.
z. "Beareth all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things" In meekness suffers as in the
sight Of God, and for Christ's sake puts up
with everything, believing that all things
are from God and for our sakes to accom-
plish His blessed will until He come. I'm
complaining, unresisting, meekly yielding,
simply trusting, having confidence In God
and seeing Jesus only.
8. "Love never faileth. But whether
there be prophecies, they shall fail; wheth-
or there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, 1t shall van
ish away" Whatever else may cease with
our s~oujourn here love shall not cease.
Every prophecy shall be fulfilled and pre-
diction be no more needed. There shall be
one language as before Babel, and all our
present knowledge Of the future be swal-
lowed up In the sight and enjoyment OF
the actual realities, while love h be
known, manifested and enjoyed as never be-
fore. God Is love, and he that dwelletn in
love dwelleth in God and God In him q
John w., 46).
g., 10. "For we know in part and we
prophesy in part. But when that which is
perfect is come, then that which Is in part
shall be done away" We may know much
now, but we shall know more hereafter, Tor
eff any man think that he knoweth any
thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought
to know q Cor. viii, p. The child OF God
in this world has not what he will have, is
not what he will be, sees not what he will
see.
II. "When I was O child, I spake as a
child, I understood as a child, I thought as
a child. But when I became a man, | put
away childish things" He refers to some
phases OF the talk Of little children in chap
ter ill.,, is, which are often met with to-
day. All talk that savors Of church or de-
nominational pride, or that boasts OF what
we do, or Of what We are, Is mere childish
prattle, baby talk. But with this differ
ence, while the children's talk may be inno-
cent and ever attractive, the baby talk OF
Christians Is positively sinful. The cure
for oil such thoughts and words Is found
in lisa. w., TO. Let the thoughts and
words of God take the place Of, ours, n
as we are filled with them ours will be
crowded out.
u. "For now we see through a glass
darkly, but then face to face. Now l know
in part, but then shall I know even as also
I am known" All our knowledge here Is but
partial, and I believe that when we shall be
at home with the Lord, even the most fam
liar words from His book will then open
to US with o breadth and length and depth
and height Of meaning that we never
dreamed Of.
ID. "And now abideth faith, hope, love,
these three. But the greatest OF these Is
love" Heb. xi. is the great faith chapter;
Rom. viii. is the great hope chapter, and
this Is the great love chapter. The love OF
God to US is the greatest thing we ever
heard Of, and His love to Others manifest
through us is the greatest service we can
render. But we must also remember thai
without faith it Is impossible to please
Him" (Heb. XII, g.. and also that the hope
is the great purifier OF our lives q John
ILL.,, 81. There are no contradictions here,
but we must take the whole testimony and
put it before US to see the whole trrh~