Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-01
9nternational gessolls.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xl, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT IL.

ory Verses, 16-18-Golden Text, Rom.
kill, e1-Commentary by the Rev. d. M.
Stearns.
8. "Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which Is evil Cleavc to
that which is good" The R. V. says,
"Iet love be without hypocrisy" The
Holy Spirit through John says, "Let us
not love in word, neither In tongue, but
In decd and In truth" II John Iii, 1S).
The title of our lesson is christian Liv-
ing" which is elsewhere defined as 1.-THE
life of Jesus made manifest in our mortal
hesh." The thirteenth chapter of I Corin-
thians describes the love that was mani
fest in Christ as never in any other, and
He will manifest that love and that life
in us in proportion as we present to Him
our bodies living sacrifice (verse ~
10. "Be kindly affcctioned one to an
other with brotherly love, In honor pre-
ferring one another" This Is the love
that soeketh not her own; not our own
profit, but the profit Of many, that they
may be saved Il Cor. Z, SS; xiii, 81. The
therefore" of verse l of our lesson chap
ter takes US back to the Justified freely"
Justified by faith, - "no condemnation,
"freely with Him all things" etc., Of
Rom. iii, "a; ', l; viii, l, 81, and because
Of all this it is surely reasonable thing
that we should let Hin have our whole
being, that He may by renewing our minds
transform US into His own image (Rom.
viii, 29).
| II. "Not slothful IN business, fervent
In spirit, serving the Lord" The R. V.
says, "In diligence, not slothful, 3" and In
the margin says that some manuscripts
give, "serving the opportunity" The
latter would suggest the simplicity of
Sam. K, z, "Do as occasion serve thee, for
God Is with theo," and the former would
be in the line of Col. iii, %, "Whatsoever
ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and
not unto men,"
10. Rejoicing in hope, patient In tribu-
lation, continuing instant in prayer" l
think we arc safc in saying that the hope
In the New Testament generally, If not
always, refers to the second coming OF
| Christ and the events Herewith associated.
Sec Rom. V, Q; viii, "a, %; Titus II, 13;
John iii, g. The teibulation that work
eth patience Is our privilege all along the
Journey (Ro1iI. V, g.; John xvi, 33; Rev.
/, 9; Heb. Z, SO, 81, and the attitude Of
increasing prayer Is our great privilege az
well as necessity Il Thess. Y, II; Heb. ",
16).
18. "Distributing to tho necessity Of
saints, given to hospitality" If one
should be asked why he worked so hard
early and late at his daily toll, and should
reply, "That may have to give to him
that needeth," he might seem to be lit
tie unbalanced in his mind, but he would
be talking, as we'll rs living, according to
the Scriptures (Eph. iv, 2S).
IA. "Bless thon which persecute you;
bless and curse not" Now this Is easy
talking, but the practice Of 1t is not so
popular as to have as yet become the fash.
ion. 1t Is, however, the plain teaching Of
our Lord (Math. v, AZ, and He always
practiced what He preached. If His life
Is to be made manifest In US, this phase
of it is surely included. 1t was beautifully
manifest in Stephen when he In the midst
of their persecution looked like on angel
and acted like the Lord Himself (Acts vi,
15; vii, COY.
is. IRE joice with them that Go rejoice,
and weep with them that weep" Tho
unity of the body of Christ is such that
when tho members arc abiding in Him If
one member suffers all suffer with that
one, and if ono member bo honored all
the members rejoice with 1t Il Cor. xii,
| 26). This is .:s 1T should be, but where Is
1t seen? WAat, then, ails the bodyP Is 1t
as In Phil Ii, 21, "All seek their own, not
the things which are Jesus Christ'sP" II
so, how can the body expect tho blessing
of the Head? Let each ask himself, Am
healthy member of His body or grief
to Him?
16. "Be of tho same mind one toward
another. Mind not high things, but con-
descend to men of low estate. Be not wise
in your own conccits." On the second
clause the margin says, "Be contentcd
with mean things" The margin of the
R. V. says, "Bo Carried away with them
that arc lowly." If we will allow our
selves to bc carried away with Him who
| Is meek and lowly, who made Himself OF
no reputation and humbled Himself unto
death for us, He will surely take possession
of us and manifest His life in US.
II. "Rccompense to no man evil for
evil. Provide things honest In the sight OF
all men," Not rendering evil for evil, but,
contrariwise, blessing, knowing that ye
are thcreunto called that ye should inherit
| O blessing II Pot. iii, 9). Providing for
honest things, not only in the sight OF the
Lord, but also in the sight of men III Cor.
viii, 21). Whatsoever things arc true,
honest, jus lovely, we are to think on
these things phil iv, s..
18. "If it bo possible, as much as lieth IN
you, live peaceably with all men," This
seems very carefully worded. There are
those who know nothing of peace, they
seem born for war, and yet somehow they
| get united to or mixed up with those who
are for peace, and tho peaceful party seems
| to be in coed school for the cultivation
Of patience. Well, we must "let the peace
Of God rule in our hearts" and be thankful
that He is able to subdue, for He Is the
Prince of Peace (Col. iii, 10; Phil Ill, 21).
10. dearly beloved, avcnge not your
selves, but rather give pluce unto wrath,
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; l
will repay, saith the Lord" This certainly
| cannot mean that we are to be satisfied
with getting angry, but without taking
| vengeance. Rather, Us in the Il. V. mar-
| gin, give place to the wrath of God. Let
| Him take charge of all the wrath and
vengeance business.
20. Therefore, If thine enemy hunger,
feed him; if he thirst, give him drink, for
in so doing thou shalt heap couls of fire on
his head 4" This is quotation from Prov.
XIV, 81, %, but the last clause of that
passage is omitted, 1.-The Lord shall reward
thee"
81. "Be not overcome of evil, but over
come evil with good" The ornament Of
a meek and quiet spirit is in the sight OF
God of great price Il Pet. Iii, 4), and the
meek and lowly one who when He was re-
yiled, rcvilcd not again; when He suffered,
He threatened not, will work In us. this
spirit and live in US this life whenever we
Il. IIn chn,,ld 4ha Hu0rd