The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY ~.
Subject: Christisn Love, I Cor. 13-GoideA
Text, I Cor. KILL, 13-Aemory Verses,
Is - Condensed Commentary ON the
Day's Lessou.

Day's Losson.
Though / speak" The objector insists
that the cases cited in this and the two
following verses could never occur, but this
has nothing to do with the apostles argu-
men:. He does not stop to discuss whether
it would or would not be possible for these
things to actually take place, but even il it
would be no profit. Tongues" etc. That
is, though ! were able to speak all the lan-
guages spoken upon earth, and with the
eloluence Of angels, and though / have the
gift Of tongues bestowed by the Spirit ar
Pentecost. But have not love-" That
love to God and man which is shed abroad
in the ~regenerated and sanctiied soul by
the Holy Ghost rom. 5: 81. Love is q
word as impossible to define as it is impos.
sible to define life. AS sounding brass"
No better than the sounding instruments
S Sea s : used seS, in t :Af;n Tf9Ef,hip Of soIs Of the The
cymbals were two pieces O: hollow brass,
which, being, struck together made a tink.
hing, but with very little variety of sound.
So the highest eloquence even about the
gospel 10 but an empty sound without the
love Of God in the heart.
2. Gift Of prophecy" The knowledge
Of future events, and also ability to speak
Gods word ,(chap. "A: g.. "AIl myster.
les" Though l understand the meaning
of all the types and figures Of the Old Tes:
the dark things in Gods, providences. "All
knowledge" Every human art and
science. Mysteries refer to the deep coun.
sells Of God heretofore secret, but now re.
vealed to his saints. knowledge refers to
truths long known. Remove mountains"
See Matt. II: 20; q: q. Removing mount.
aims is 4 phrase used to signify the re.
moving or conquering great difficulties, get:
ting through .perplexities. Though l had
the highest kind Of faith and could accom-.
have no: love-" Notice that Paul does not
assert that one could have these things
without love, but says "if' he could. Il
am nothing" Nothing in myself, nothing
in the sight Of God, nothing in the church
and good for nothing to mankind.
8. IAN my goods" Though ] distribute
them piece by piece with the greatest care.
BODY to be burned" Men will fight for
Christianity, or die for Christianity, who
viii not live its spirit, which is love. With.
out the soul God rejects all else, and 20
rejects the man, who is therefore prohted
nothing.
ii. The qualities Of love Tvs. ~. 4.
Love" Fifteen characteristics are here
pointed out. 1t cannot be defined. The
greatest minds can only describe it by its
qualities and results. "Suffereth long"
This is the negative side Of love. It suffers
all the weakness, ignorance, errors and in
6rmities OF the children OF God, and all
the malice and wickedness of the children
of the world, not only for a time, but 10
the end. is kind" This is the positive
side. 1t is mild, gentle, inspiring the SUI.
ferer ut once with the most amiable sweet.
ness and the most fervent and tender az.
lection. "Envieth not" Has no i'll will;
is a mingling of hatred aud jealousy and
c~ovetousness. Love envics not the advan-
tages, gifts or graces which others possess,
but rather takes pleasure in them, and en-
joys o. shares them as its own.
S. "Unseemly." Unbecomingly, haught.
lily. "Seeketh not her own" Love is an
utter enemy to sel6shness. Charity never
seeks its own to the hurt of others, or
with the neglect of others. brit prefers
their welfare to its own. rs not easily
provoked" But easily" does not appear
original. Trle love rs not provoked"
Is not irritated or made sour or bitter.
There is power in the blood of Christ to
cleanse the heart of all unholy tcmpers.
"Thinl;eth no evil" ''Taketh not account
OF evil"
8. "Rejoiceth not in unriehteousness."
1t is not love, but its opposite that rcioic.
eth in the downfall or injury or disgrace
of others. and in the triumph Of wicked.
meas. ".But-in the truth" In the victory
quently means "the gospel" Love Joys in
the triumph of virtue and is glad when the
gospel is extended. even though it be
through rivals or enemies. See Phil. !:
1918.
7. "Beareth." Reproaches and hard.
ships; or covereth the failings of others.
"Relieveth." us ever ready to believe the
best Of every person, and will credit no
evil OF any but on the most positive evi;
denee." "Hopeth." Hope is desire, mingled
everything as from the Lord; faithful un-
III. Love enduring and abiding (vs. e.
l3). S. Never faileth." 1t is eternal in
its very nature and must endure as long
as God endures, for God is love. "Prophe-
cies." The gift of prophecy shall be done
away" The revelation gwen by God to
the church being completed the gifts Of
prophecy will be no longer needed. And
then. too, the time will come when the
prophecies will be done away" because
fulfilled, and no longer Of any value to US.
Tongues, ~ Speaking with tongues
VIII De uO IOIlxCt uCNCSSaiy IL "AA -
and (2) the many languages of earth will
be lost in the one universal language OF
heaven. "Knowledge." Shall &c brought
to an end because but partia! and incom-
plete.
ell. "In part" God reserves for His
children a knowledge far superior to what
He has revealed to them here. Their
greatest discoveries in nature and grace
are only the beginning OF better things.
Perfect" The. state of eternal blessed.
ness. "a child" Paul uses this as an il;
childhood: the future that OF manhood.
Such is the difference between earth and
heaven.
IL. For now" In this present life.
"In q mirror. darby" Ancien. mirrors
were not made of glass, but Of polished
metal, and the reflections were very OBJ
scure and imperfect. Then" In the
life to come. "Shall l know" That
is, there will be a thorough, complete
knowledge, as the original word signifies.
Mysteri .x will no oh l4nsfrI trouble am;S u.s. thine,
chanseabie and perishing the Christian re-
tains these principal saving graces both
here and hereafter. Faith" The vision
ouens trust in God" Hope" The ex.
pcctation Of future good. Faith and hone
viii be stronger and moro complete in the
next world than in this. That our happy
state will continue forever We shall know
simply because God has promised it., that
it, by a faith similar to our present belief
in the gospel" "Greatest-is. love- Great.
ct in ~extcnt. in endurance. in manifesto.
ton. Greatest because without love the
others would profit nothing.
sucks its Way Along.
A boat on somewhat new lines has just
been patented by Albert K. Weisz, q me-
chanical engineer, of Brooklyn, n. Y.
which has the novel feature OF having its
proDallo. ,o,t,;oaI x,;th;p tho hall ipstoatj