The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-09-20
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR SEPTEMBER %.
Subject: The Duty Of Watchiuiness'
Luke XIII, 35-4G- Golden Text: Matt.
XVI, IL - Memory Verses, 43, IL -
Commentary on the Day's Lesson.

the East. which those who wear must bind
up before they engage in any active EN-,
pioyment" Jesus had just admonished
| them against undue anxiety about temper
al affairs Tvs. 2-32). and now he gives an
| adrnonit!on to watchfulneSs. And your
light burning" The master was likely to
return az any hour of the night. and IN or
| der to be ready to receive HIM their lights
must be burning.
| 3S. When he will return from the we'd
ding" The Jewish weddings were con-
Quoted with great pomp. The ceremony
was usually performed in the night. lEs
festivities lasted from three to seven days.
That when he cometh.' As these serr-
ants waited. with girded loins and burning
lights. all ready TO meet their master ard
,un at his bidding as soon as he ap-
| oroached: so we are TO wait for the COM
| inC of our Master. Wait (D with eager
| longing and (2i with JOYOUS expectation.
Nav open-immediateiy Few will thus
'open immediately They will have some
thing to do frst-will have to get ready.
81. Blessed Those who are ready are
blessed and are highly ho2ored by. their
master. when He comcth; CHRIST re-
the end Of the world, when He has taken
10 Himself His bride the church; to each
| individual He comes when He stands sud
denly before man at the hour OF death.
''Shall find watching" We are to watch
| against foundations from within and with
out against pervading iniqulties which MI
| the air with moral malaria. and even chiii
the piety OF the church; against failure IN
duty; against the loss OF the warmth OF
love; against the day OF death ana OF
| Judgment, so as to be prepared tor them
when they come. We are also to watch foT
the coming of the Lord; watch for it with
hope and Joy: watch for the signs OF HIS
special presence and power; watch Tor
OPENINGS to serve Him by helping HIS poor
! children; watch for opportunities OF COM
forting the sad. upholdlng the weak, re-
claiming the erring. teaching the ignorant,
leading men to Jesus, aiding HIS cause.
"Gird himself-serve them. WhateFer
we do for God He will do IN return Tor
ne II j. unusual for masters to wait upon
their servants. but Jesus Christ was among
His disciples rs one that served. See John
I3. ! :. This also signifies the JOY with
which they shall be received into the cther
world bv the Lord Jesus. who has gone be,
fore to prepare Tor them. and mas t"!u
them chat His Father vii! honor them
John y: 26. ,, W.,
IS, The secon4-or-third watch" The
Jews had adopJed the Roman custom OF
dividing the night into four watches. lhe
first watch was from six to nine. the Sec
ond from nine to Twelve. the third IRON
twelve to three, the fourth from three 20
30, Had known what hour The house
holders ignorance of the time when the
thief would come is the reason why ne
does not watch. He cannot always keep
awake. so he has to go to sleep ana Is
| robbed But our ignorance is the reason
for woEefulness. because we can keep splr-
ituallv awake all through life. The house
holder watches TO prevent, but we TO
share in that for which the watch is Kept.
Put with all the obscurity thus intention
aljv thrown around the day and the hour
of Christ's coming, let US not forget tnay
no obscuritv, no uncertainty hangs around
the great event itself. In the East the
State Furnishes, but leaves the prefehtii1Gn
and detection of theft and robbery to the
;ndividual interested Hence the watch
man is necessary and important every
where. ;, ,,
teadv so we will never be taken unawares.
Watchfulness insures readiness; readiness
insures safety Indifference marks the
way 10 sin and despair. A scripterai
preparation includes repentance and con,
version. "Cometh-when ye think no.;
See Thess. S: .: Pet. 3: 10. we should
reS;st the temptat;on TO spiritual drowsl-
moss Nothing is much worse than sleepy
religion. Rev. 3: l6.
II Peter said unto him" This aposS-
t,e was the one who afterward most need
cd the admonition Matt. 2S: ~, and IN
90 sad a manner forgot it. Those VINO
stand in most danger are often slowest 10
profit by words of warning: Unto us us, or
even to ALL" Is it meant Tor us as hine Ii
apossles. or for all men? Our Lord IN HIS
answer in speaking OF a steward, int!-
mates that the parable has its highest rel rel
erence to the ministers and rulers OF Hls
chnrch. but shows at the close ". 4sl that
il applies to every one according TO the
r,cosifTe of his knowledge and OF the du-
ties laid SSon hifl! fl!essa<1----.-~-~'
q ~. Faithful and wise steward. Inc
steWard was a middle person between the
master aud slave, and had the care OF tne
whole household. 1t was a post OF cont;- i
dence in which faithiuiness was IequlreC'
As the steward to the rest OF the sert
ants, so should the apostles s'and T''n n,aic
erence to othcr believers, Shas nlHac nr.
nIer" That one would be made :~Sr &c
who had previously proven hmSet Iatth,
fuI and wise. who attended to ms duties
in,ir,, his masters absence with the same
GJaj;fr that he did when he was present.
70 civc-meat." As Gods stewards we
ebonlJ be readv to give out to others WhaI
he places ~ ou' disposal. :,
- blessed" lie is blessed IN his 9et3 ;
he rejoces because re Is iouhu III Inc ne -
and he is blessed with high promotion
:SbalI @Sb find so doing We see here what
Christ means by watching: mot gazing up
into the heavens for signs, but the faltA
iu a. He will set him over all that :, he h,
hath" GR. W So each saint owns all o OF
Gods possessions, even now: Cor. s: q
% The reward is both outward ana IN
ward; more glories and blessings ana }oys,
and larger capacities for usefulness and en-
s auu iSI r. lin that hath shall be given.