The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-02-17
THE PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
TIE REV. a. c. DIXON. .. D


Gospel News by the Rev. 4. &. Dixon
~. I'D. IL is entitled The Book OF Wis
dom, and is an appreciation OF Prov,
trhs. lie took for bis text, The prov
erbs OF Solomon. tie son OF David
klng or Israel Proverbs IL.
To preach a sermon on the whole
book or Proverbs may be n difficult
task. but / shall attempt il this morn
Ing in order that, IL for no other rea,
son, | may impress upon you the i'm,
portsnce Of reading the whole book at 2
sitting.
II We should read a part OF a friends
letter and another part tomorrow, and
another part the next day. we should
have AT the close 4 very confused no.
tion Of what be had written 10 us. The
method which many have Of reading
the Bible by piecemeal may impart i'm.
portant instruction. but il does not give
ms the setting of'the books nor view
or the Bible as whole.
Readers OF fiction think little Of sit.
ting up late at night that they may
finish a thrilling story. If the lovers
Of Gods Word would spend the same
time reading il consecutively they
would find il more thrilling than any
book OF fiction.
TO a 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 closer
study shows 10 BE an orderly arrange.
neut.
The first nine verses are the preface
in which we have the use OF proverbs
They enable us 10 know wisdom and
instruction, 10 perceive the words OF
understanding, 10 give subtlety 10 the
simple, 10 the young man knowledge
and discretion" II he hears and
needs 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
Fubies.
From the tenth 10 the nineteenth
verses there is described the socialism
OF sin, and the young man is warned
against it, MY son. if sinners entice
thee, consent thou not" IL 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
The social element in sin is one OF its
most dangerous features. The habit
Of social drinking has made many q
drunkard. The social nature carries
the young man TO the saloon. the pool
room, the gambling den, and entices
him TO destruction. Men and women
so in fiocks like sheep TO the slaughter,
and, when one tries TO escape. the so
cial nature becomes a 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 a Christian
for time and eternity. Watch, there
fore, against the socialism of sin.
When sensualists say, Cast in thy
lot among US. let us all have one
purse" go the other way. Such a
community of goods means n fedora.
ton OF death. which sooner or later
viii lead to destruction.
Beginning with the twentieth verse
Of the first chapter there is revealed
10 us the mission Of wisdom. Many
eXpositors believe that wisdom here
refers TO Christ, as He lis made wis
dom for us And He is certainly he
Incarnation of wisdom. But the s'.'-
plest and most natural definition yl
wisdom. as it seems 10 us. IS common
sense. Common sense crietb without,
she uttereth her voice in the street;
che crieth in the chief place OF con
rourse, in the openings of the gates.
Wherever a man goes his common
sense appeals to him to fear God and
keep His commandments.
If he refuses he will sooner or later
see his mistake, and the Common Sense
that called upon him Will laugh at
his discontinue. Because | have
called. and We refused; have stretched
out my hand, and no man regarded
but We have set at naught all my coun-
eel, l will also laugh at your calamity.
| will mock when your fear cOmeth."
do not believe that God in this pass
age is represented as laughing at the
calamity or mOcking at the fear OF any
Dne. Our Common Sense laughs at us
and mOcks us when distress and an
guish come upon us. We saw what we
ought TO have done and did il not.
We appreciate opportunities lost. never
10 return, and In such a condition We
call upon our Common Sense. but get no
answer, for it has no remedy 10 supply.
We seek the 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
Df the fruit Of their own way and be
filed with devices" The mission OF
wisdom calling 10 us from every quar-
ter. is to lead us TO do right, 10 trust
God and walk in His ways, and If
we fail 10 hear this voice and heed its
aounsels there will come a 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 chastisements
come with il. And this chapter fur
niShes a 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 Ii shall be
health 20 thy navel. and marrow 20 thy
bones. Honor the Lord with thy sub
stance. and with the first fruits OF all
thine increase: so shall thy barns be
hllfu Win Ulfnls dAA Wy HAfENfN Shal
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 Testa-
mcnt dispensation. when wealth was
the result OF faithfulness. But under
the reign OF grace there is something
better than money promised. There
o 80.