The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-03-02

desire. but by its satisfaction. They
shall be filled with that for which they
hunger
Lessen " Fifth Beatitude.-V. z.
Blessed are the merciful." Mercy is
near OF kin to love. IL is love to the
needy, the troubled, the sinful, even
those who have wronged us. 1t re.
lieves spiritual want and darkness as
well as temporal; would give the Cos
pei to the heather as well as food to
the hungry. For they shall obtain
mercy" From man and from God.
Like begets like. The echo is like the
original voice. But most of all do we
need Gods mercy. And showing mercy
to others proves that we have a state
of heart which makes it safe for God
to forgive us.
Lesson VI. Sixth Beatitude.-V. s.
Blessed are the pure in heart" Pure,
sincere, unmixed with evil or imper-
lection in motive, purpose and love.
Seeking Gods kingdom with undi-
vided heart" For they shall see
God" There must be likeness of
nature and feeling, in order to under
stand another. So only the pure can
cannot even see him, much less enjoy
him. They do not understand his ma
ture. They do not know the meaning
Of his character. They are color
blind. The selfish do not believe that
unselhsh love exists. The vile do not
believe there is real purity. They can
not see. Seeing God, understanding
him, realizing his character. in perfect
sympathy with him, and hence dwell
ing in his presence is a blessing
whose full meaning is beyond concep-
ton.
Lesson VII. Seventh Beatiude.-V.
8. Blessed are the peacemakers."
"The active. heroic promoters Of
peace in a world full Of alienation,
party passion, and strife. Exp.
Greek Test. This does not mean that
we are not to oppose that which is
wrong or disturb the quiet of corrup-
ton and crime. Nothing is settled
till it is settled right. There can be
no peace to the wicked. Our first
duty, therefore, is, at any cost of div
turbance, to get things where peace is
possible. So the Gospel, Matt. 1884,
but always with peace as the object.
They shall be called the children"
DIETER sons, full grown "of God"
Because they are like the Father.
They inherit his nature, and being
children, are also heirs of God of his
home his joy, his blessings, his love.
God is ever seeking TO bring peace
to men. The very song of the angels
at the birth of Christ was Peace on
earth" Jesus and the Holy Spirit
are ever seeking to reconcile men to
God The Gospel ever brings peace,
restoring the lost harmony of the soul
with God and with nature and with
itself. The reign of the Gospel will
be the reign of peace, peace that
passeth understanding"
Note. That the virtues of the Beat
itudes are manly and heroic virtues.
They pertain to genuine manhood, and
require muscular Christianity"
The rewards are not arbitrary, but
are the fruit of the characters to
which the reward is given. Grapes
will not grow on thstles."
Lesson VIII. A Lesson of Comfort
and Courage for those who try to live
the Beatitudes in an evil world.-Vs.
1912. Those who live the Beatitudes
are almost certain to receive some
kind of persecution. TO- blessed are
they which are prosecuted for right
eousness' sake" who are such posi-
tive factors in making the world good
that they arouse the hatred and OPP
position of bad men, as described in
verse IL.
Note that there are two conditions.
% 1T must be for righteousness
sake for my (Christ's)
sake" w. IL. So far as we use bad
methods, or censorious language, or
passion, or false denunciations, we
lose the blessing. Many person has
been prosecuted more for his un-
Christly way of reform than for the
reform itself. (2) II must be false
ly" The charges against us must be
untrue. Persecution and suffering In
themselves do not inherit the bless
ing.
10. For theirs is the kingdom or
heaven. IL. Great is your reward in
heaven" They have proved that they
have the kind of virtue which belongs
to heaven, which makes heaven. here
and hereafter. After the battle comes
the crown of victory, after faithful
ness in doing well comes the benedic-
ton, Well done; enter into the joy OF
your Lord. The larger part of their
reward must of necessity be in the
future. Their cause will succeed.
Their endurance of persecution proves
their fitness for the reward. The'per-
secution itself developed their char
acter, enlarged their goodness. made
a higher heaven possible. For so
prosecuted they the prophets which
were before you" This is in confirma-
ton OF the assurance of reward. The
best and greatest men, who stand
highest, have suffered OF the kingdom
of heaven. Profess your faith, live
a pure life in an Impure world, speak
ouf what Christ has done for Won