Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-06-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xI-JUNE 13-PAUL' s
ADVICE TO TIMOTHY.
Golden Text: From Child Thou
Hast KNOWN the Holy scriptures,
Which Are Able to Make Thee Wise
Unto SalvatiOn'-U. Tim. His,

UR lesson for to-day
N ~ includes Tim. /: /
rjf.ssg9,sp = M and 81 1i-17, as fol-
tas8M$ssg%gl lows: / Paul, an
fA,SESHifGN apostle of Jesus
TAScSssass Christ by the will of
,fsA2gSl God. according TO
ecsJSsIIEl the promise of life
| t-t55gyJ fsassY%ya which is in Christ
swt9;1sy SssSSsy Jesus. . To Tim
s15SS;;..-2 othy. my dearly be-
ES,$GV loved son: Grace
TSy mercy. and peace.
from God the Faith
er and Christ Jesus
our Lord. 3 thank God, whom L serve
| from my forctathers with pure conscience
that without ceasing | have remembrance
of thee in my prayers night and day.
| Greatly desiring to see thee, being mint
full of thy tears. that / may be nleu
with JOY. When I call to remembrance
the unfeiSncd faith that Is in thee, when
dWeit hrst in thy GRANDMOTHER LOIS, anu
thy mother Eunice: and | am persuaded
that in thee also. Wherefore | put thee
in remembrance. that thou stir up the
gift of God, which is in thee by the put
ting on of my hands For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear; but OF power
and of love- ana of sound mimi.
II But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned and hast been assured
OF, Knowing of whom thou hast learned
them. IL And that from child thou hast
known the holy Scriptures. which are able
TO make thee wise unto salvation through
faith which II i'm Christ Jesus. IL All
Scripture is given by Inspiration OF GOD,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
FOR correction. for instruction in right
cousness. j. That the man of God may
he perfect thoroughly furnished unto all
good works.
The Second Epistle to Timothy.-The
Second EDistle to Timothy was probably
written about 60 or 81 \. D.. while PAU
was imprisoned at Rome, and in con-
stant expectation of martyrdom. 1t may
be regarded the dying counsel OF the
venerable apostolic father to his son III
the Lord. 1t contains a variety OF IN
functions TO the duties of Christians
under trials and temptations. and con-
cludes with expressions of a fun ana trl-
umphant faith III the Lord Jesus Christ,
and in all the glorious promises made to
his true followers, "-Schatf.
Lesson previcw.-'L Look back TO chap
ter 8: LIE. What 4 picture of the time
10 come. And is that time. to which Paul
looked forward. yet past? Look only AT
Il few touches i'm the picture: Men snail
be lovers of self, lovers of money, boast
ers (Revised Version Is not that pic
ture OF this present time? And look again:
They shall turn away their ears from
truth, and be turned unto fables. That
is what is going on now; all sorts OF false
doctrine, follieS, and wickednesS taking
the place that should be given to the
truth of God. SO Paul cannot congratu-
late Timothy on the time that is coming
cannot tell him his path will be smooth
and pleasant and prosperous. But what
does he tell him? First. that III the
| midst of all this sickness confusion, per-
plexity, and darkness there IS one true.
sure ana holy sLide-the written word OF
God.
Lesson Hymn:
Father OF mercics, in thy word what end
| less glory shines.
| Forever be thy name adored for these
| O may these heavenly pages be our ever
dear delight:
And still new beauties may we see. and
still increasing light.
Divine Instructor. gracious Lord, be thou
forever near:
Teach us to love thy sacred word, and
view the Savior there.
Anne Steele.
The theme of this lesson is found i'm it's
| final sentence. That the man of God
| may be perfect" What are the forces
| that contribute to form perfect char
acter? Some of the most powerful are
suggested in these verses. Taking them
up in the order here named, they are the
following:
l. Friendship. Verses il. The COM
| partnership OF the young Timothy was a
benefit and help TO the apostle Paul; but
| how much more was the friendship OF
| Paul blessing TO Timothy! No one could
associate long with that noble nature and
not have his character shaped by it's in
| fluence. The best in Timothy was awak-
| ened by contact with the apostle.
q Prayer Verse s. Paurs prayer in
behalf of his young friend was another
| force in the shaping of his character.
There are spiritual powers In this world.
as well material: and these invisible
| influences are called forth by prayer.
Many youth has been kept from evil
| and helped in the right by the power of "a
mothers prayer.
3. Faith. Verse ). Timothy was
| Christian young man. He possessed faith
| i'm Christ; that is, he accepted Jesus
Christ as his master, and gave himself
| up to his Lords will. That ''unfeigned
taith," his allegiance to Jesus Christ. help
ed nightly TO strengthen the charac-
ter of Timothy, and make him a COM
plete man.
4. Parental Influence. Verse ;. There
was am hereditary quality in Timothy's
faith 1t dwelt first in his grandmother
| Lois: then was transmitted TO his moth
cr ounce, anu lnuS WaS received Dy TIM
othy as u precious inheritance. But he
| redity does not fully account for charac-
| ter. There was the holy example, the
gentle responsiveness, the godly training
| IN the home, which sowed the seeds of
character i'm the receptive nature.
5. Spiritual Endowment. Verses G, :.
Timothy had been endowed with spirit
ual gifts. His was a nature peculiarly
open to divine influences. lie received a
holy Impulse from on high, and he was
obedient to its monitions. There are
| heavenly gifts In abundance for all who
will accept them and improve them.
6. knowledge of Scripture. Verses IL
H. The child who becomes acquainted
with the Bible. and who grows in his
knowledge of 1t as he advances in years
builds his character on tie true foun-
dation, and will become the perfect
man."