Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-02-16
1.-THE BOOK OF WISDOM
A Scholarly Sunday Sermon By the
Rev. A. 6. Dixon, D. D.
Thanks Be to God Who Giveth the Victor,
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ"


cribs. He took for his text. "The prov
CRIBS of Solomon. the son of David,
king of Israel" Proverbs n.
To preach Il sermon on the whole
book of Proverbs may be difficult
task, but I shall attempt it this morn
ing in order that, if for no other rea
son, may impress upon you the i'm.
portance of reading the whcle book a t
sitting.
If wo should read part of a friends
letter and another part tomorrow, and
another part the next day. we should
have Mt the close Il very confused no.
ton of what he had written to us. The
method which many have of reading
the Bible By piecemeal may impart ini'
portanl instruction. but it does not give
us the setting OF the books nor view
of the Bible as n whole.
Readers of fiction think little of sit.
ting up late at night that they may
finish thrilling story. If the lovers
of Gods Word would spend the same
| time reading it consecutively the!
| would find it more thrilling than any
! book of fiction.
| TO superficial observer, reading
| the book of Proverbs may be like
reading the dictionary. The subject
changes so often. And yet there is
plan in the book which n closer
study shows to BE an orderly arrange
ment.
The first nine verses are the preface,
In which we have the use of proverbs.
| They enable us to know wisdom and
| instruction. to perceive the words of
| understanding. to give subtlety to the
| simple. to the young man knowledge
and discretion" If he hears and
| hccds then they will be an ornament
| of grace unto his head and chains
| about his neck. Each prOverb is q
| jewel of wisdom more precious than
| rubies.
From the tenth to the nineteenth
verses there is described the socialism
! of sin. and the young man is warned
| against il. "My son. il sinners entic"
, thee. consent thou not" If they say.
| Cast in thy lot among us, let us all
| have one purse" Walk not thou in
the way with them; refrain thy feet
from their path: for their feet run
| evil, and make haste to shed blood
| The social element in sin is one OF its
most dangerous features. The habit
drunkard The social nature carries
| the young man to the saloon, the poo'
room, the gambling den, ana entircS
| him to destruction. Men aud women
| go in tiocks like sheep to the slaughter,
and, when one tries to escape, the so
cial nature becomes n laSSo with which
| Satan drags his victim 10 the Slaugh.
| ter pen. 1t is so hard to tear away
| from congenial company. The social
| club has wrecked many Il Christian
| for time and eternity. Watch. there
| fore. against the socialism OF sin
When sensualstS say. Cast in thy
| lot among us. let us all have one
purse" 90 the other way. such
community of goods means a fedora.
| ton of death. which sooner or later
will lead to destruction.
| Beginning with the twentieth verse
of the first chapter there is revealed
to us the mission OF wisdom. Many
cXpositors believe that wisdom here
refers to Christ, as He is made wis
dom for us" And He is certainly the
incarnation OF wisdom. But the SIM
plest and most natural definition of
wisdom, rs it seems to u j. common
sense Common sense Crieth without
she uttereth her voice in the street;
she crieth in the chief place OF con-
course. in the openings o. the gates.
Wherever a man goes his common
sense appeals to him to fear God ana
keep His commandments.
If he refuses he will sooner or later
see his mistake, and the Common Sense
that called upon him VIII laugh at
his discomiiture: because | have
called. and We refused; 7 have stretched
out my hand, and no man regarded;
but We have set Mt nuucht all my coun-
sci, will also laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when your fear cOmcth.'
do not believe that God in this pass
nge is represented as laughing at tho
calamity or hooking Mt the fear of amy.
one. Our Common Sense laughs at us
and mocks us when distress and an
gush come upon us. We saw what we
ought to have done and did it not.
We appreciate opportunities lost. never
to return, and in such condition we
call upon our Common Sense. but get no
answer. for it has no remedy TO supply.
We seek tho resources of wisdom, but
we cannot find them. for that we hated
knowledge and did not choose the fear
Of the Lord "Therefore they shall eat
of the fruit of their own way and be
filled with devices" The mission OF
wisdom calling to us from every quar-
ter, is to lead us to do right, to trust
God and walk in His ways, and if
we fail to hear this voice and heed its
counsels there will come o time when
this very wisdom will be our greatest
distress.
The first eighteen verses of the third
chapter establish the fact that Godli-
ness pays. even though chaStsements
come with it. And this chapter fur
nishcs motto which every Christian
ought to adopt as the rule of his life:
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart,
and lean not unto thine own under
standing In all thy ways acknowledge
Him. and He shall direct thy paths.
BE not wise in thine own eyes; fear the
Lord and depart from evil. 1t shall be
health to thy navel, and marrow to thy
bones. Honor the Lord with thy sub
stance, and with the first fruits of all
thine increase; so shall thy barns be
filed with plenty, and thy presses shall
burst out with new wine"
The man whose trust is in the Lord,
with entire lack of confidence in him
self, God will direct, and the man who
honors the Lord with the first fruits
shall have an increase of wealth. This,
of course, applies to the Old Tesla
ment dispensation. when wealth was
the result of faithfulness. But under
the reign of grace there is something
better than money promised. There
may come poverty and persecution,
and with this true prosperity. We are
not to expect pay in money for services
rendered to God, but If we are faith.
full we can plead the promise that He
will Supply all our need according to
His riches in glory BY Christ Jesus"