The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-02-20
COPYRIGHT DAVIS W. CLARK
PLEASANT FIELDS OF HOLY WRIT
Save for my daily range
Among the pleasant fields of Holy Writ,
might despair. -lennyson.
The International Sunday School
Lesson.

LESSON.
First Quarter. Lesson viii. | Cor.
xiii. February %, 1903.
CHRISTIAN LOVE.
"What is the chief good of li'e?" is
the question handed down from one
age to another from the beginninr
II is a problem at which philUSO-
pliers fail. Paul addresses himself
! fearlessly to the theme. and, as IL re-
suit, gives us this immortal psalm
of Love-" second only to the Sermon
on the Mount.
Paul is 4 past master in the use Of
antithesis, but nowhere does he use
his art with such consunnate skill
as in this instance. His purpose is
! to differentiate love. He makes it
appear, as it really is, a basic princi-
pie of character. He shows it to lie
other than and superior to the mere
accidents Of elOquCnca and mental
| insight, from the active cOnquestS Of
faith and benevOlence, and the pas
sive endurance of the pains of mar
tyrdom.
Now he gives us spectrum analy-
sis of love Like prismatic colOrs tie
|
principle of character appear. Nine
Of them, viz, patience, kindness,
generosity, humility, courtesy, un-
selfishness, good temper, guileless-
ness, and sincerity. Now he shows
love to be the strongest as well rs
the greatest thing in the world. II
endures and bears all the tests pm
upon it, even the Sc 'erest. 1t
Hbides, and never fails. This love
which is shown TO be the best thing
in the world, and as imT erishablc
it is good, is affirmed to be a direct
fruit of the Spirit of God The seed
of it is planted in the soul of man; is
quickened into life, nourished, pru-
tected, and brought to perfection by
heavenly grace.
But in this divine process the hap
Ply subject is very far from i'm
passive. He chooses and puts him
self in the more excellent way which
the apostle has so admirably shown
He cUvets earnestly the best gift.
and, when received, he exercises
himself in it He works out
while God works in. ~
Paul agrees with John, and both
chord with Jesus in describing love
as the fundanent of religion. The
apostle to the Gentiles declares love
to be the fulfilling of the law. The
beloved deciple says. HE that
dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God"
Finally the Master On his part affirms
that everything may hang upon hi.
golden, dOuble-hooked command
ment, Love Cod Glove neighbour
The divinity of Christianity is in
this instance illustrated by the ease
with which it is epitomized. Other
religious are inveterate in their ten
dency toward minutie and their re-
sistance to condensation. But Chris
ttianity eXcels in that it is capable of
expression in compendious form:
One word sut1ices. 1t is love.
Here is another historic instance
of good coming out of evil. In the
Corinthian Church there was I'M
seemly emulation. Some sought
the honor attaching to eloquence :;
some to prophecy. 1t WAS to offset
this tendency that Paul wrote this
immortal chapter. III it he shows
love to be the only way to true and
lasting eminence. Right well does
he fulfill his promise to show the
Corinthians "a more excellent way,''
Love inSures the fulfilling of the
whole law; for love will not admit
rivals to Gods majesty; will not pro-
fame his holy name; will remember
the aay ne mas sanctinea; VIII, H.
point OF 1act' lhstiincGlVely, uncoll-
SclouSiy' perSlstehUly OBEY Ghe Whoit
Decalogue' II man Violates 900 :
law sucn HIolaCloii Is In lIsell COLI
elusive evidence that ne does ho'
love 6oa ANA not loving 0oo Is
tne SIN OF sltls'
Absence Oh love as the dominant
element OF character ana the mann
spring OF acIlnh as certainly TENDS TO
ieegailslll ana HypocTlsy IoIuay aus Ill
the days OF the s scr ana fharlsees'
one may easily lose hlhsell III
pretty details ana anna the tang
ing routine OF Giarl1y forget the
sPlriC 3l IoIG' me 9Ioqueiice De-
hind which there Is no love Is always
unpersuaslVe'
rms cnapter Is tne Irue RUE anu
guage OF tne lnuIVluutl anu collec-
tive lie OF the Church C0-day. IN
the degree tnat IL lalls snort IL Is
worthless: MucI OF tne current
learning, beneVolehce' ana sacrlflce,
Thought 10 DE 0hrlstlal ana worthy
OF admlratlGh, II trie4 III Cills aieih-
DC proves Dase metal anu no golu'
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
This chapter is an interlude, Il
matcbless prose poem, in one of the
most logical COMPOSITIONS that ever
was pe3ned. It is a solitaire in a
band of gold.
Henry Drummond once said: "A
man Tmeaning himself once read
this chapter once week for three
months, and il changed his whole
lite" Out of his hearts experience
he contributed his peerless brochure,
,I1NLo Hro,toSt TbinO in tho WnrId -