The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-09-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xl. SEPT a; oEUTERoN'
omY so:1f.2o-LovlNo GOD.
Golden Text-"For This Is the Love Of
God, That We Keep His Command.
ments"-i John 5;s-A Lesson In
Falthfuiness.


The Hebrews were near the end Of
,heir long schooling in the desert Moses
had almost completed the baecalaureate
address Of the great commencement
week. After the rehearsal Of the laws.
he closed ODeut 20 with the command
that when the nation reached Canaan the
laws should be inscribed IN plaster on
stone tablets. and with the recital In
sublime passagelDcut. 2S),o the blessings
that would attend obedience 70 the law
and the curses that would follow disope-
dience Then. as n lingering lovingly
with his people. the aged leader added
still further words Of warning and en-
couragement. and at length closed with
the matchless exhortation to faithfuineAs
that forms our lesson.
T. "Faithfulness is Possible. The Law
in the Heart. VS.. lila H. FOR
Moses goes on TO say, this obedience Is
possible; the commandment is not too
hard for you.' "This commandment
Moses was not referring to the vast and
complete series Of laws he had been re-
hearsing. What the great law-giver m
sists on as the one essential command
meut is the precept laid down In vs., 8
10. 18 and 90 namely. love to God.
Which l command thee this day Ihe
commandment was Gods, though spoken
through the lips OF Noses IL is not hid
den from thee" Or. V. too hard for
thee')
Illustration. The commandment was
not too hard yet It was hard. Christs
yoke Is easy. his burden is light, but II
is yoke. a burden. II a trainer In attn
ietics should prescribe exercises that
were perfectly easy. there would be no
Strengthening OF the muscles. He gives
exercises that are hard but not too hard.
and the young athlete practices them TN
they become easy.
Neither is IL far on" THAT is to say
thtNc is no difficulty or mystery about
this commandment Of love. ANDREW
Harper.
y. 1T Is not In heaven II is not
spiritual mystery, far above comprenen-
sion. and needing some messenger from
the heavens TO explain It. 'and make ua
to hear IT, (R- W. Many are waiting
just such an experience Of religion.
is. Neither is it beyond the sea" The
true religion does not need travellers TO
bring it from foreign countries
Il. But the word is very nigh unto
thee 1t is the substance Of what Coo
was teaching them in his wilderness
training school II Is the Kingdom OF
God Within which Christ preached
duke l7;2D.
IN thy mouth" Gods word must be
on our lips as wen as IN olA ntuhAN. 41'N
In thy heart" Heather religions are im-
pressed on the worshiper from without
and the assent OF his heart and mind Is
not even asked Our religion alone ap-
peals TO mans soul to testify 70 It's truth
THAT thou mayest do IT," Gods law Is
not impracticable. 1t can be done, ana
therefore It must be done.
II. "FaIthfulness nill receive Rich
Reward Tvs. Is. ls. is. "see. have set
before thee this day II was great
satisfaction to Moses to know that he
had made a complete testimony faui
at Ephesus had the same satisfaction
(Acts 20.2s 10 and every Christian
should have il in his intercourse with
the world Life and good And death
and evil" Such evils had been predict
ed as disease. pestilence. the sword
blasting and mildeW OF crops, IocuSta'
siege captivity, the srorn OF other ma
tons: and all this viih the strongest
emphasis and solemnity.
16 In that I command thee this day
to love the Lord thy God This com
mand is so often dwelt upon that II ls
the keynote OF Deuteronomy (Deut t;5i
1912. III: 1879; s0.6) Thus 4 is shown
that in spite Of the inslstence on material
good and material harm as rewards ana
punishments Deuteronomy takes the
highest spiritual ground, requiring men
to serve God. not because he enrlchea his
friends and casts down his foes, though
he does. but because they love him
Therefore Moses goes on to command
that the Israelites walk in his ways.
And the Lord thy God shall bless thee
God cannot violate his own nature, and
so he cannot bless an unfalthful nation
or man But he is always eager % bless
w "Unfaithfulness will bring Ruin"
VS.. Il. IS Moses now turns 10 the re-
verse of the picture. H. III thine heart
furn away" II Is always mems hearts
that turn away. never Gods so that
thou wilt not hear. but shalt be drawn
away" Sinners are wont 20 excuse
themselves by saying that they were
drawn away. but every man r. tempt
ed when he Is drawn away BY his own
Inst. and entlced" tJas i:lil. And wor-
shin other gods" Idolatry became the
great temptation Of the Hebrews. ana
the cause Of the nations downfall
ls ..Ye shan surely perish. 50 IN our
own history. all our national troubles
have sprung from sin-sins OF slavery.
speculation. worldly ambition. "fe shall
not prolong your days upon the land.
..,rhe irst commandment with promise
tells us that obedience 70 parents viii
rrolone ones DAYS upon the land. SO
20 our heavenly Parent VIII
shorten the days either Of man or q
nation.
". "A Solemn Appeal.@-vs. is. %;
II Il call heaven ana caflh 10 ttcofu
this dnv against YOU Heaven and earth
are fuli Of witnesses to Gods goodness,
ara. IL we are disobedient, they are Wit
neascs against u.s.
Therefore choose life" You can
choose. You must choose. Either good
or evil. life or death. is yours for eter-
nifty. Life Is the wise choice. Any other
choice Is the height Of folly.
Thou and thy seed" Fathers were 10
hand down to their children the law. the
warnings. and the promises One Of the
strongest motives 10 q faithful life is ~
blessed influence on all that come after.
20. Love the Lord thy God" The
crown Of the law Is love In the Old Tes-
lament as well as the New For he Is
INV life Obedience 10 God is the con-
aifion or thy life. and OF It's prolousation
IN the missed Land. Cook
Nothing can be more solemn than this
closing appeal 10 the congregations q is
IA fnii keeping with the tone and charar-
ter OF the entire book Of Deuteronomy
. book marked thruughput b. the most
sowcrful exhoriations that ever Zen op
n9rtni cars.-C II. Mnckintush