The Tupelo journal., 1903-07-17

give thee;" and would never have felt
a great need outside of himself and
have asked for Divine wisdom in adj
ministering the responsibilities Of the
kingdom. He must withdraw from the
rush of human activities, he must get
out of the sound of Human voices that
he might realize that God was a factor
in every human activity and that he
might hear His voice speaking. 1t is so
always. The king on his throne, and
the humblest peasant in the realm; the
public official directing the affairs of q
nation. and the most obscure citizen; the
man in whose hands rest great finan.
cial, commercial and industrial inter-
ests, and the 7 struggling clerk; the
skilled artisan, and the commOneSt la
borer; the gifted and cultured woman
with her wide social and charitable OBJ
legations and responsibilities, and the
shut-in housewife who bears, single
handed, the burdens of her home: the
business woman, struggling amidst the
trials and temptations of the business
and industrial world. and the factory
hand whose weary toll keeps her at the
machine in m%onotonous s%ervitude; the
boy or girl on the playground or in the
schoolroom-all alike have need of that
wisdom which cometh down from the
God of all wisdom, and the realization
of hat need is felt only as one with
draws for quiet meditation and prayer.
eff any of you lack wisdom" James
says; and we would add: If you feel
no lack, seek God at Gibeon-the place
of retirement and worship-and in the
midnight watches the voice of God will
be heard speaking and the soul will cry
out: Lord. l am but a little child;
give me wisdom for the duties and the
responsibilities which rest upon me-"
COURCE of Wisdom.-It is not in
y man, that is certain. The united
wisdom, skill and energy of the peo-
pie of the world after the flood but
plunged them headlong to the disaster
and confusion of the tower of Babel.
All the learning of the Egyptians, which
in our day appears as a marvel OF hui
man achievement, was as nothing be-
fore the faith and the rod of a Moses
who, following God, led the children of
Israel in great wisdom and skill out of
Egypt to the promised land. All the
astrologers and wise men of the far
east could not aid the king of Babylon
in his perplexing dreams and troubled
thoughts, but a Daniel who was in touch
with the all-wise, all-powerful God was
not only able to foretell the events Of
the future, but to administer the vast
interests of the extensive kingdom in
a manner never before experienced. All
the rabbis and scribes and keen-witted
lawyers of Jesus time, though they
rested neither day nor night in their ef-
forts to frame questions that would en-
tangle Him and trip Him up, were like
chaff before the wind, as His God-given
wisdom swept them aside and He passed
on with undertaking step.
We are told that the "foolishness of
God is wiser than men," God is called
the God of all wisdom" and Paul, in
his letter to the Romans, eXclaims: 20
the depth of the wisdom of God" One
question which the neighbors and coun-
II llCI dShCu SoHCCl liHS CCodo "oS
Whence hath this man this wisdom?"
The united arguments of the scholars
and advanced thinkers from every Sec
ton of the world were not able to stand
before the wisdom with which Stephen
| spake. Why? Because man in touch
with the God of all wisdom Is always
more than a match for the wisdom OF
the world. God is the source of all wis
dom, both for temporal as well as spir-
itual things. Solomon did not search
the world for the wise men who would
be able to help him administer the king
dom, he did not trust to human abilities,
but sought out God alone at Gideon,
whom he knew was the source of all
wisdom, and obtained from Him the
wisdom he needed. 1t must he so with
you and me. Human advice, human
counselors and your own human wis
dom must not be allowed to crowd God
out. or obscure your sense of depend
ence upon the God of all wisdom. No.
"Ask of God, that giveth to all men lib
orally and u%pbraideth not"
NEQUEST for Wisdom.-To my mind
X one of the most charming pictures
we have of Solomon is this where, in the
attitude of a little child, he is bowed be-
fore the Lord. One might prefer the
scene of the matchless splendor and
richness of his palace, his throne, and
his gorgeous apparel and stately dig
nifty, but l love to picture the young
king at Gideon clothed with beautiful
humility, and stirred by pure earnest
purpose for the right, talking with God
and asking, not something for himself
but something for his people and ma.
ton. And here is the key to his sue
cess. There are three things we wish
to emphasize in connection with this
incident in Solomon's life and In the
unfolding of our text. First, the sim
pie faith of the suppliant; second, his
genuine humility, and third, his per
feet unselfshness. No doubt comes be
tween Solomon and his God at this
time. There is no question in his hear
as to Gods ability and willingness tt
grant the request. This is the way thu
soul must always go to God if it would
obtain from Him. James emphasize:
this very point in the verses following
our text. He likens the man whit
doubts to a wave of the sea driven hith
er and thither by the wind, and solemn
ly declares: Let not that man thinl
that he shall receive anything from tn,
Lord" Read carefully the verses which
follow the request which Solomon
makes of the Lord. No immediate ev
idonnn that Colonnn has hnnn cl0fhn,