The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-04-26

Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning May 8.

A'A@~S
Topic.-Crowns trodden under foot.--Isa
xviii III; Rev. Iii, II.
The crown is a symbol of royalty
and is worn by kings and queens. 1t
is an ancient and universal ornament
and probably originated from the fl
let's used to prevent the hair from be-
ing disheveled by the wind Such FL
let's are still common. They gradually
developed into turbans, which, by the
addition of ornamental or precious
materials, assumed the dignity of mi
tiers or crowns" In the Bible the
thorns that were placed upon the Saw
iour's brow are called crown of
thOrns," and Paul calls the wreath of
laurel given to the victor in the Gre
clan games a crown. The expression
crown is used in Scripture also to set
forth the supreme blessings that God
will bestow upon His people in such
expressions as "a crown of righteous
ness" "a crown of glory" and IA
crown of life"
In the topical references three crowns
are spoken Of-Da crown of pride; e.
crown of glory; 81 crown of serv-
ice.
!. The crown of pride. That He
may warn the people of Judah against
the sins of pride and drunkenness the
Lord, through the prophet, calls their
attention to the fate of Ephraim or
the ten tribes for the same offenses.
The Lord is to destroy the glorious
beauty of Samaria because of its sins,
and He warns Judah against sim
liar condition and consequently sim
liar fate. This is His denunciation:
'Woe to the crown of pride of the
drunkards of Ephraim and to the fad
ing flowers of his glorious beauty,
which is on the head of the fat valley
of them that are overcome with wine"
Though drunken and rebellious against
God, pride, like crown, sat upon the
heads of the people of Samaria, but
God humbled that pride, He trod I'M
der foot that crown, and this will be
the experience of all who break the
laws of God and are yet filed with
spirit of self complacent pride.
2. The crown of glory. The unfaith-
full were to be uncrowned, while God
himself was to become the crown of
the few who remained faithful. 'In
that day will the Lord of Hosts become
a crown of glory and a diadem Of
beauty unto the residue of His people,"
We have a strong contrast that should
make deep impression upon U.S. II
living in sin we still crown ourselves
with pride and boastfulness, God will
humble and uncrown us; but if we are
faithful to His laws and command
ments He will become "a crown of
glory to us. 1t should not take us
long to decide which of these two con-
ditions we prefer
3. The crown of service Hold
fast that thou hast, that no man take
thy crown" This must be the crown
or reward for service. 1t cannot re-
fer to the crown of life, for no man
can take that from us If we have it.
But If God has work for us to do,
and we neglect it, and some one else
performs it, he will receive the
crown of reward which we will there
fore lose. Let us therefore not be
weary in well doing, for in due season
we shall reap, If we faint not" We are
saved to serve Let us serve, therefore,
that we may have in time to come
both the crown of life and the crown
of service.
BIBLE READINGS.
Prov. xi, -; Xxx, L; xiii, 1921, 90
80; l Cor. XIV, 5S; Gal. v, 1926; vi,
0; II Tim. iv, Z, 8; Jas. i, IL; Pet.
v, IA; Rev. ii, 10.
From Turkey and India.