The Penn's Grove record., 1905-02-17
THE PULPIT.
. BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. A. c. DIXON. D. D.
Subject: The Book of Wisdom.

L;on was contributed to the Union
Gospel News by the Rev. A. G. Dixon,
u. ID. 1t is entitled 1.-THE Book of Wis
DOM" and is an appreciation Of Prov
cribs. He took for his text, 1.-THE prov
cribs of Solomon, the son Of David,
king of Israel" Proverbs ii.
To preach a sermon on the whole
book of Proverbs may be q difficult
task, but l shall attempt it this morn
ing in order that, if for no other rea-
son, l may impress upon you the i'm
portance of reading the whole book at a
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 a very confused no.
ton of what he had written to US. The
method which many have of reading
the Bible by piecemeal may impart i'm
portant instruction, but it does not give
us the setting Of the books nor q view
of the Bible as a 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 it ~consecutively they
would find it 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
a plan in the book which a 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
heeds then they will be an ornament
of grace unto his head and chains
about his neck. Each prOverb is a
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 it. "My son, if sinners entice
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
of social drinking has made many a
d%runkard. The social nature carries
the young mar to the saloon, the pool
room, the gambling den, and entices
him to destruction. Men and women
go in fiocks like sheep to the slaughter,
and, when II tries to escape, the So
cial nature becomes a lasso with which
Satan drags his victim to the slaugh.
ter pen. 1t is so hard to tear away
from nniiaarr company. The social
club has wrecked many a Christian
for time and eternity. Watch, thei%'
fore, against the socialism of sin.
When %sensualists say, Cast in thy
lot among us. let is all have one
purse" go the other way. Such a
community of goods meal a fedora
tion 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
expOsitors believe that wisdom here
refers to Christ, as He sis made wis.
dom for us" And He is certainly the
incarnation of wisdom. But the sim.
plest and most natural definition of
wisdom, as it seems to us. is 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 of the gates.
Wherever a man goes his common
cancn onnno1c 70 him 20 fn0r God nn6
keep His commandments.
If he refuses he will ooner or later
see his mistake, and the Common Sense
that called upon him will laugh al
his discontinue: Because 1 have
called, and We refused; 1 have stretched
out my hand, and no man regarded
but We have set at naught all my cOun
sci, l will also laugh at your calamity
l 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
one. 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 it not
We appreciate opportunities lost. never
to return, and in such a condition We
call upon our Common Sense, but get NJ
answer, for it has no remedy TO supply
We seek the of wisdom, but
we cannot find them, for that we hated
knowledge and did not choose the feal
of the Lord. Therefore they shall ca
of the fruit of their own way and bt
filled with Devices The mission o.
wisdom calling to us from every quar-
ter, is to lead us to do right, to trus'
God and walk in His ways, and II
we fail to hear this voice and heed iti
counsels there will come a time wheI
this very wisdom will be III creates
distress.
The first eighteen verses Of the third
chapter establish the fact that godli
ness pays. even though chastisements
come with it. 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 tht
Lord and depart from evil. 1t shall bt
health to thy navel, and marrow to thy
bones. Honor the Lord with thy sub
stance, and with the first fruits Of al
thine increase; so shall thy barns bt
filled 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 whc
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 wa'
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 ar,
not to expect pay in money for services
rendered to God, but if we are faith
full we can plead the promise that HI
will supply all u need according Il
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
With this four-fold introduction as Il
the use of proverbs, the socialism O
sin, the mission of wisdom, and tn,
reward of goodness, we now come to
classification of the proverbs. 1t is no