The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-04-04
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL 8.

1. Judge not Rash, harsh, unchari-
table judgments; the thinking evil, where
no evil seems, anu speaking 1t accordingly.
Unkiud, condemnntory, uncaled-tor judS.
ments. which are neither dictated by duty
nor prom pied iby love. "That ye be not
Judge men. live judge others we must
expect to be judged by others and our acts
will also be Judged by God. "No mercy
shall be sho WI to the reputation OF those
who show no mercy to the reputation OF
others"
Q. 1T shall be measured to you again."
In tho moral order Of things an unjust
| blow will recoil oa him who has dealt it.
With YOUR measure shall 1t be measured to
you. Our judgment Of others frequently
condemns ourselves. Rom. 2:1-3. What
would become o. us IL God should be as
severe In Judging US as We are In judging
others? When we endeaYor to raise our
selves above others by severely judging
them, we only lower ourselves In the esti-
nation OF God and all good people.
8. "The mote. etc." The Splinter" as
opposed to the "beam.", On one side SELF
love blinds US to ourselves; and on the
other, envy and malice give US piercing
eyes IN respect to others. When we shalt
have as much zeal to correct ourselves, as
we have inclination to reprove and correct
others, we shall know our own defects
better than now we know those OF our
neighbor. '@tlss: u t,...s 4. q =.
4. sIn thine own eye" That man Is
wholly unit to point others to the way OF
life whots himself walking In the way that
leads to DEATH. Those who, blame others
ought to be hlameless and harmless them
selves. gsst 30
S. Thou hypocrite." Our Lord tears of
the mask and gives people their, right
name. A hypocrIte Is one who PROCESSES to,
BIZ what he Is not; who;claims to be de-
voted Christian, while his heart is vile.i
But in this case g person is called nghypo--
critic becausehe does not apply to himself
the measure BY which lie judges his
brother. He appeared to have q, ,cnye for
others, but his zeal was onlyn pretenee, a,
mere show for.the pqrpo ossof exalting him;
to the;interests oEour own souls first. Ler
us seek to- knpw ourselves, and get our
selves right, and then It will be,our duty to.
look after the souls Of others.
6. "That which isE holy unto the dogs"
Do not give the sacrlfcial meat that has
been consecrated to God to the dogs. Give
not the holy ordlnnnces, which have heen.
instituted for the true followers Of Christ,
to unholy and stsss men o,sao. who tsyto sSy de-
speaking, backbitthg aud slanderlng.
Dogs alludes totbas "a Low, Ssunclean
and fllnatured; sis as %. st1bborn resist
ance, sensual gtatt IONS and ,impurl-
ties. "Yonr psopis Precious things.
"Trample them. They Wit reject and de-
spise them, aud turn them to IN unboly
account. 90
7. 'Ask-seek-kno This verse con.
tains very important directions. In every
thing, by pruyer and supplicstion, we are
to make our requests known unto God:
and ther we ure to "Ieekn-7c ontinue to
AJAX and knock at the door;'of His mercy.
Our approaches to God Should be in earn
estness and sincerity. These three words
include the ideas OF wants and loss. We
are destitute OF all spiritual good and
have lost God, and are in danger OF losing
eternal life; be In earnest; bs inportunate;
ask With confidence and humility; seek
with cGre and application; knock loudly
and long.
s. Every one that asketh receiveth.
etc." Christ binds Hiluselt to hear and an
swer. No soul can pray IN vain that prays
US God has directed. If we bring Chrlst's
words and Christ's sacrifice with US, not
one of beaven's blessings can be denied US.
But our asking must be in harmony with
the will OF God, and in faith. James 4:2, 8.
9. "What man is there o; YOU" No ono
is 80 wicked as to.give his child n stone IL
he should ask bread The child Is here
represented as asking what Is necessary
and wholesome. The Lord does not al
swer our requests unless they will be fo-
our good.
II. 'If ye then, being evil" Sinful
people arc ready md anxious to give good
gifts to their children. From natural affec-
tion they are ready to provide everything
necessary to their support and comfort.
"How much more" Pow much more will
One whose nature Is love and who Is indn-
itely holy and good give good things to
them that ask Him. The world often gives
stones for bread and serpents for ash, but
God never does. "Good tblngs." The
Father, through Christ, gives "sooc
things" Cbrlst, gives the Holy Spirit
Guke 11:13); His words Of admonttion and
command; His peace and Joy CJohn 1927:
15:1); His love (Rom. 5:5); 10 word, Hs
gives Himself. Cor. 1:30; Coz. Bill.
II. "That men should do to you, ETC.
e., THIS Is the Golden Rule. The principle
here stated is the second great command
ment, "Thou shalt love thy neigbor rs thy.
SELF" Place thyself In the condition OF thy
neighbor and act accordingly. 1. It |:
fundamental, and underlies government
society and religion. 2. 1t Is reasonable
8. It Is universal. T. It Is equitable. 5. II
is portable; we can carry It With US. 6. It
Is evangelical. In order to carry 1t out
fully, we need the grace OF God in large
degree. "The law and the prophets" This
Is the sum OF all that is contained In the
Old Testament, pertaining to mems con.
duct toward euch other. 1t is brief, yet
comprehensive, and cannot be improved
upon.
13. "Enter in at the strait gate" Or.
by this strait gate, referring to the precept
just laid down. But, in general, this Is the
narrow gate OF humility, repentance and
t-us conversion. It is the entire absence OF
At,f 3D. And WA
are told to center in" Luke says, "Strive
Cor agonize) to enter in" The entrauce.is
difficult. /. Because 1t Is narrow. 2. The
gate must be diligently sought. 8, The
devil, the allureraents OF the world, the in
spiration of the crowd and the desires OF
our own wicked heart will all tend to draw
us away from the narrow gate, and these
must all be resisted and overcome before
we can enter in. "Wide is the cate." The
gate OF unbelief, OF carmel affections; OF
fleshly lusts has many allurements, and IA
open to all. aTo destruction" The end is
eternal death. "He that purseth evil pur-
sueth 1t to his own destruction" Prov.
1il9. The why OF sin leads to ruin. "Many
=: 20 in thereat." The way is easy OF &c.
cess. It Is broad, and popular, and re-
quires no effort. The train will run down
an incline without steam.
"A. "Leadeth unto life." Spiritual life
s.consists ii being united to Christ. Without
Christ the sopl is dead. Epb. 2:5, 6. The
sinof Which We are guilty (John 5:40) Is
rs3scting ChrIsts 6uriife. "Few there be-"
Few care to fehounce their sinful pleas
nres. "That find It." Although the narrow
way must be sought, yet 1t Is possible tol
find 1t. All mankind may be saved II they,
will neutrality-suspicious..
ENcLANps GREAT ExToRTIoNER.
Death of Isaac Gordon, Who Wrecked
aIosa .Kax..x,aa Than arx O.har Man