The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-10-25
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR OCTOBER %.
Subject: The ProdiGal Son. Luke xv.,
11-24 - Golden Text: Luke xv., 1S -
Memory Verses, 2O-24 - Commentary
on the DAYS Lesson.

II. A certain man The simple. un-
! pretentiouS beginning OF the most beauti-
| fu of all the parallels The man is here
the image of God the Father. Two sons"
Both are Jews. The idea that the elder
son represents the Jews. and the Younger
the Gentiles is foreign to the parable. but
| in character the two sons may be said to
be representative of mankind, for we
have in them examples OF two great phases
OF alienation from God-the elder is blind
ed by his self-righteousncss. the younger
degraded by his unrighteouSness.
| u The Younger He represents
openly wicked persons. such as the puhli
cans and sinners. lie also represents the
thoughtless. careless youth. Give me the
portion of goods" This will appear plain
when it is considered that ii has been a
custom in the East for sons to demand
and receive their norton OF the inherit
ance during the fathers lifetime. He di-
vided-hiS living The Welding to the re-
quest strikincly sets forth the permission
of free-will 10 man. and also the fact OF
| Gods bCStOwing many gifts upon even
the nthankful and diSobcdient.
l3 "Not many days He had decided
upon his course and FASTENED to be gone.
Gathered all together" Sinners that go
astrav from God venture their all. Took
| his Journey" He was weary OF his faith
er'S government and desired greater lib
erty. As soon aS the bride of restraining
grace is taken off We are soon gone. The
! Journey the prodigal took represents the
sinner in his departure from God. He
went into Il far country, far from truth
and virtue Wasted his substance So
sinners waste the gifts God has given
them Time. talents. energies. life. all
wasted With riotouS living In verse
80 we see how low he fell. His body,
mind and soul were dehasnd and ruined.
| H. Spent ALL" He did not stop until
! his last dollar was gone. His passions
reigned This represents the sinner who
has thrown away the mercy. favor and
| love Of God. and has wilfullv rejected the
salvation of Christ. "A mighty famine"
! The soul living at a distance from God,
will very soon feel its own utter empti-
ness. 4 mighty famine will follow. ''In
| want" Real want is soul want. The
prodigal now felt the effects of his dissi-
pated course The steps downward were
''apostasy, prohgacy, penalty See Prov.
u: a.
Is. ',Toiued himself to citizen The
same wicked life that before was repre-
sented by riotous living is here repre-
sented by servilc living. for sinners are
perfect slaves. The devil is the citizen of
that country; he is both in city and coun-
try. ITO feed swine This was doubly
degrading. and especially so to a Jew.
l6. Would fain have been filled with
the husks.' (R W The husks were not
the pods Of some other fruit. but the
! fruit of the carob-tree. used for feeding
| swine" He was driven to the extremity
of trying to satisfy his hunger with the
food that was fit only for swine. So sin
ners endeavor to satisfy the soul with
earthly and sensual delights. No man
gave unto him." Those whom he had
called his friends now deserted hhn.
They had taken his money and then cast
! him aside. Satan's agents do the same
to-day. The saloonkeeper will rob a man
of his money. health and character, and
then kick him out of the back door to
II. "He came to himself" Sin de-
4 thrones the reason. 4 state of sin Is
| state OF Jolly and madness. but the d
ness is in the heart Feel. .: g. His lack
| of reason is seen. !. In that he called
| for his money > When he left home.
/ g. When he went to live with harlots.
T. When he undertook 10 satisfy his hun
ger with swine's food. But he now begins
to sense his condition and see his folly.
Those who have once known the Lord can
not derive satisfaction from the world.
Bread enough and to spare The lowest
in my fathers house has bread to give to
the poor. Gods people are abundantly
supplied With good things. Il perish
with hunger" Sinners will not come to
| Chcjst until they see themselves ready to
| perish.
| Is. Il will arise" He had left home by
his own free will. and he must return in
the same way. God compels no one to do
right. And 60 Following the deci-
sion there must be an effort put. forth.
In returning to God there is something to
do. Il have sinned.' The first thing to
do is to make a full confession OF our
sins. John l:9: Job 80: q. %.
Against heaven Against God, Every
sin is a sin against God And before
thee" He had also sinned against bis
earthly father 1t is ever token OF the
sincerity OF repentance when one views
even the sins committed against others
as transgresSions against God.
10. NO more worthy He is ready to
humble himself He knows that in justice
his father could shut the door against him;
he will plead for mercy only.
20. He arose. He Immediately did all
Of these things that he had decided upon.
His father saw him" So God knows
when we start toward Him. Sin had made
the distance great. but as soon as the lost
one starts to return the father had COM
passion. And ran" etc. This repre-
sents the readiness with which God re-
.eives returning sinners.
2l. "I have sinned' He makes this
confession personal; he aliases himself.
This is always the result of true repent.
ance "And am no more worthy All
true penitents feel their unworthiness.
They are conscious that they deserve
nothing bur death. and their only hope IS
in the mercy of Christ.
% "But the father. The father did
not wait until he had finished his confes-