The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-23

Memory Verses, 3, 4-Golden Text,
Isu. xviii, Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. II. Stearns.
copyright, 1901, by American Press Association
1t is helpful and necessary to keep
in mind that, as Dr.. Weston says, the
Bible is the story Of the conflict be-
tween Christ and Satan for man and
mans dwelling place, this earth. Hu-
mility, subjection to God, faith in God,
obedience to Him, these are Christ
like, for among His first recorded ut
terances as God manifest in the flesh
we have these: 'T must be about my
Fathers business" "Suffer it to be
so now" And these also are among
His most significant utterances: Il
came not to do mine own will" II
seek not mine own glory" And to His
Father He said, 81 have g'orlted
Thee" II have manifested Thy name
Luke il, 40; Matt. iii, Is; John Vi. IS;
vii, 90; -yn, 4, 6).
The opposite of all this, self will,
self assertion, self indulgence, pride, is
of the devil, and God is ever seeking
to win from the devil and give them
Life, life eternal, abundant eternal life,
those whom the devil would destroy.
If they will not listen to the voice Of
His love, He sometimes visits them
with His judgments, if perchance He
may thus deliver them from the wrath
to come "Lo, all these things work
eth God oftentimes with man, to bring
back his soul from the pit, to be en-
ughtened with the light Of the living,
for He says, Deliver him from going
down to the pit; have found ran
SON. Job xxIii, %, 80, 2D.
The drunkards Of Ephraim in their
self will and pride said, Eve have
made a covenant with death, and with
hell are we at agreement; when the
overhowing scourge shall pass
through, it shall not come unto US,
for we have made lies our refuge, and
under falsehood have we hid ourselves
(verse 15). Inasmuch as the devil is
the father Of lies, this was equal to
saying, We have chosen the devil in
stead Of God, and he will take care Of
US.
The people, seeing the drunkenness
Of their teachers and leaders, seemed
to think that Isaiah was no better
than the rest, and so they Iesp1sed him
and his teaching and said, Does he
think we are babes just weaned from
the breasts, that he comes to US with
his precept upon precept, line upon
line, here a little and there little:
Oversees 9, 1O) So in their sinful pride
and self indulgence and vain conf
dence they despised him and his mes
sage. But the Lord had prepared him
for this in His commission: "Go, and
tell this people. Hear ye indeed, but
understand not, and see ye indeed,
but perceive not' Chapter vi, 81.
So He encouraged jeremiah when
He gave him his commission, "They
shall fight against thee, but they shall
not prevail against thee, for am with
thee, satin the Lord, to deliver thee"
Ger. i, 19). So to Ezekiel BE said,
Thou shalt speak My words unto
them whether. they will hear or
whether they will forbear, for they are
most rebellious" (Ezek. ii, .. No true
prophet or apostle or faithful messen-
ger of God is ever promised what the
world calls popularity or success. To
the twelve he said, Behold, l send you
forth as sheep in the midst Of wolves
Matt. <, 16), and we are never taught
to expect more than Paul found.
All that is not Of God, however
much pleasure the sinner may find in
it and however he may glory in it, is
as q fading flower; nothing is really
enduring that is not Of God, and there
is day coming that will declare 1t.
In the last two verses Of the previous
chapter, in verse 5 Of our lesson and
in many places in Isaiah it is called
'''that day." then shall the hail sweep
away the refuge Of hes and the wa
tiers overflow the hiding place (Verse
ID, and all that Is not Of God shall
perish, and the mockers and the scorn-
full men who would not hear the word
Of the Lord (verse ~ shall fpd their
portion with the devil, whom they
chose instead Of God CA1att. XIV, AZ.
What then is the only remedy for
the drunkards Of Ephraim or any other
drunkards or self indulgent, self right
eous people? For there are many drunk
en-, but not with wine; many who stag
ger, but not because Of strong drink.
They are like people walking and talk
ing in their sleep; they listen to words
Of men instead Of the word Of God,
and their worship Of God is with
mouth and lips only, and not with the
heart, for their heart is not right with
God Qsa. xxx, 9-i3; lvi. 1912. There
is no remedy but to "hear the word Of
the Lord" (verse 14), forsake all false
foundations and begin to build upon
the foundation Which the Lord God
has laid-tne stone, the tried stone, the
precious cornerstone, THE sure founda-
ton (verse 16).
But before we can build upon this
foundation we must be cut down of
our own foundation, just as truly as a
board or pillar in the tabernacle, be-
fore it could be placed upon the silver
or brass sockets and be q part Of the
tabernacle, had first to be cut down
as a tree in the forest. No amount Of
reform or signing Of pledges Or resolu-
ton will accomplish anything eternal
for any sinner: there must be q new
heart, a new birth, which only God
can give. The sinner must see his help
lessness and humbly receive the Lord
Jesus Christ; then shall the Lord Of
hosts be his crown Of glory and dia-
dem Of beauty in that day, and he
shall be the same to God (yerse s.;
chapter Iii, -. If any sinner will not
accept the rest which God has provided
q =