Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-02-20
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
February u.
Subject; Christian Love, Cor. l3-uoiden
Text, Cor. kill, l3-Memory Verses
l.3-Condensed Commentary on
the Days Lesson.

that the cases cited in this and the two
following verses could never occur, but this
has nothing to do with the apostles argu-
mient. He does not stop to discuss whether
It would or would not be possible for these
things to actually take place, but even If it
were possible, yet without charity there
would be no profit. Tongues" etc, That
guages spoken upon earth, and with the
eloquence of angels, and though have the
gift of tongues bes towed by the Spirit at
Pentecost. But have not love-" That
love to God and man which is shed abroad
in the regenerated And sanctifed soul by
the Holy Ghost .Rom. 5: 81. Love is a
word as impossible to define as it is impos-
slble to define life. GAS sounding brass"
NO better than the sounding instruments
heather gods. Thinking cymbal" The
cymbals were two pieces of hollow brass,
which, being struck together made tink.
ling, but with very little variety of sound.
So the highest eloquence even about the
gospel is 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. IA: 81. "All myster.
les" Though 1 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-
yealed to his saints. knowledge refers to
truths long known. "Remove mountains"
| See Matt. II: 20; 81: 81. Removing mount
aims, is 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-
pish the greatest possible results. 'But
assert that one could have these things
without love, but says 'if' he could. II
am nothing" Nothing in myself, nothing
in the sight of God, nothing in the church
and good for nothing to mankind.
8. "All 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
will not live its spirit, which is love. With
out the soul God rejects all else, and so
rejects the man, who is therefore profted
nothing:
II. THE qualities of love Tvs. AZ. 4.
Glove" Fifteen characteristics are here
pointed out. 1t cannot be defined. The
qualities and results "Suffereth long"
This is the negative side of love. 1t suffers
all the weakness, ignorance, errors and in.
frmities of the children of God, and all
the malice and wickedness of the children
of the world, not only for a time, but to
the end. SIS kind" This is the positive
side. 1t is mild, gentle, inspiring the suf-
ferer at once with the most amiable sweet
ness and the most fervent and tender af-
lection. "Enyisth not" Has no i'll will;
does not partake of that disposition which
Is a mingling of hatred and jealousy and
covetousness. Love envies not the advan-
tages, gifts or graces which others possess,
but rather takes pleasure in them, and en-
Joys or shares them as its own.
s. "Unseemly." Unbecomingly, Taught.
lily. "Seeketh not her own" Love is an
utter enemy to selfishness. Charity never
seeks it's own to the hurt of others, or
with the neglect of others, but prefers
their welfare to its own. us not easily
provoked" But easily" does not appear
in the Revised Version. 1t is not in the
original. True love "is 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 tempers.
a. hin no evils "Taketh not account
g. "Rejoiceth not in unrighteousness."
It is not love, but its opposite that rejoios
eth in the downfall or injury or disgrace
Of others, and in the triumph of wicked.
| hess. "But-in the truth" In the victory
Of truth in the earth. 'The truth" fire.
1uently 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. l:
1918.
7. "Beareth." Reproaches and hard.
ships; or covereth the failings Of others.
| ,Believeth" 'Is ever ready to believe the
best of every person, and will credit no
evil of any but on the most positive evi.
dence" "Hopeth." Hope is desire, mingled
with expectation. "Endureth." Accepts
everything as from the Lord; faithful I'M
| der all circumstances.
| III. Love enduring and abiding I've. g.
| l3). s. "Never faileth" 1t is eternal in
its very nature and must endure as long
rs God endures, for God is love. "Prophe.
,ies." The gift of prophecy 4"shall be done
away" The revelation given by God to
prophecy will be no longer needed. 4 And
then, too, the time will como when the
prophecies will be "done away because
| fulfilled, and no longer of any value to us.
! Tongues" O Speaking with tongues
will be no longer necessary and will cease,
Ind (2) the many languages Of earth will
be lost in the one universal language Of
to an end because but partial and incom.
| plete.
Gil. Tn part" God reserves for His
children 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.
lustration. The present state is state Of
childhood; the future that of manhood.
Such is the difference between earth and
IL. 'For now" In this present life.
"In mirror, darkly." Ancient 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 I know" That
is, there will be a thorough, complete
knowledge, as the original wordesignifes.
Mysteries will no longer trouble us.
i3. "Now abideth." Amid things
changeable and perishing the Christian re.
s tsR' at sdei Sersgs GR sayhS v sn
Of t the nt Ft ad Aogs with TS sen ss
pectation Of future good. Faith and hope
will be stronger and more 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
IL, by faith similar to our present belief
In the gospel" "Greatest-is love-" Great
est in extent, in endurance, in manifesto
lion. Greatest because without love the
others would profit nothing.
A Mormon Family Reunion.
A Salt Lake City correspondent
sends us a clipping from a Mormon
newspaper describing the family re-
union of Grandfather Merrill. This
prolific gentleman, an apostle of the