The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-03-03


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"
With this four-fold Introduction as to
the use of proverbs, the socialism of
sin, the mission of wisdom, and the
reward Of goodness, we now come to
classification of the proverbs. 1t is not
exhaustive, but think it will be sug-
gestive and enable us to finish the
classification as we carefully read the
book.
The application of the Proverbs Of
Solomon to the family life will make
a perfect home. He that spareth the
rod hateth his son, but he that loveth
him chasteneth him betimes." Modern
sentimentalists pronounce this old
fogyish, and inveigh against its cruelty,
but you will notice that the homes in
which disobedience HIS become asso-
ciated with punishment. and disobe-
dience with reward, send forth into the
world the manifest sons and most
womanly daughters. To refuse to adj
minister loving chastisement to a child
is to train him in life of disobedience
that will unfit him for citizenship in
the State or usefulness in the church.
Let there be no anger, for anger only
provokes anger. Love can administer
chastisement with regret and tears,
but it must not shrink from the duty.
Keep thy heart with all diligence,
for out of it are the issues of life" This
proverb expresses the teaching of Jesus
Christ. The heart is the source of good
or evil. and if the heart is right the
life will be right Let Jesus Christ
fully occupy the heart, and you may
be careless about everything else. Over
the archway in the old Tombs prison
in New York We're the words: 1.-THE
way of transgressors is hard" and
every criminal who passed beneath it
needed no argument to prove its truth.
On the walls Of every store should be
hung the words: "a false weight is
abomination to the Lord, but a just
weight is His delight" Our God be-
| lieves in fair dealing The man who
gives good measure pleases Him, and
we need to know that honesty in trade
is as holy a thing as prayer.
And when you hear anyone laughing
at an oath, vulgar remark, or a
wicked deal, quietly repeat the words:
"Fools make mock at SIM" The man
who plays with the poisonous adder is
wise compared with him who sports
with sin or treats it lightly.
If you are tempted to surrender your
convictions in order that you may
further your interests, social or finan-
cial, recall the words: BUY the truth
and sell it not" They will give stiff
ness to your moral backbone and SIAM
ina to your character. No man can
afford to hold the truth for sale. 1t is
the most priceless thing that he can
possess, and whatever the father of
lies may offer him for it, he should
scorn the price with contempt.
There are so many of these that
barely to mention them would take the
time of a sermon. "a merry heart
doeth good like medicine" If, there
fore, you would save the doctors bill,
be merry in heart, and if you have true
heart merriment, let Christ the Lord
of joy reign there. Link with this
proverb its oppOsite: HE that loveth
pleasure shall be poor man." The
pleasure-seeking spirit brings poverty
of soul and purse. The man and
woman whose sole object in life is to
have a good time rarely have a merry
heart Their laughter is hollow, be-
cause their very pleasures have be-
come burden. 1.-THE fear of the Lord
prolongeth days" If, therefore, you
wish to live to a ripe old age, cultivate
the fear of God, which will cast out all
other fear. "He that walketh uprightly
walketh surely" The position of sta
bility is not in prostrating yourself. or
crawling, or creeping after the worlds
fashion. but in the upright walk of a
manly, conscientious life.
The man who has wandered from
God needs only to hear the words:
"The backslider in heart shall be filed
with his own ways" to realize that
they apply to him. Gods way is the
way of light, peace and joy. Our way
without God is the way of darkness,
turmoil and despair. The backslidN
who has turned from Gods ways to his
own ways is truly to be pitied. When
our hearts seem unprepared and our
tongues are not right for service, let
us recall the fact that "The preparation
of the heart and the answer of the
tongue is from the Lord" We will
then give the heart to the Lord that
He may prepare it, and surrender the
tongue to him that he may use it.
And then we will experience the
truth of the other proverb, "Whoso
trusteth in the Lord, happy is he" And
in hours of conscious weakness we will
repeat with triumph, 1.-THE name of the
Lord is strong tower, the righteous
runneth into it and is safe"
All these proverbs make mosaic of
rare beauty. They form the parts of
an oratorio, every note harmonizing
with every other note, and filling the