The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-03-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL {.
subject; The Two Foundations. Nav.
VIII, i5-29-Goiden Text, James L.,
22-Memory Verses. 24.25-Topic;
Counseis in Character Bufidinc.

Couuseis In Character Buffdfnc.
]. The false and the true Tvs. 1920.
Jesus has Just been speaking of the
narrow entrance into His kingdom and
the broad way which leads down to
death: He now turns His attention to
the false guides which lead men astray.
IL. beware" Be on your guard;
look out for. "False prophets" Who
will deceive you and lead you into the
broad way. Sleeps clothing" A
symbol of deceptive, wicked men put.
ting OH the garb of piety. See . Cor.
11:13-15. "Inwardly," etc. Under their
outer covering they hide hearts like
wolves, and are ready to tear and dc.
Stroy. 1G Know them" Their real
ratllrc will soon appear. and their false
doctrines will he detected. "Their
fruits" The moral tendency of Their
elives aud doctrines
II. is. Good tree-corrupt tree"
The comparison of men to trees fire.
quently occurs in the Bible.
10. "Hewn down." To this day in
the East trees are valued only so far
as they produce fruit. Cast Into the
fire" Fire IS the symbol of utter de-
structlou
II. Mere profession not sufficient
Tvs. H1-33l. 81 "Not every one"
Christ is here laying down the true
test of admittauce into the Kingdom
of God. He has just told them that
they must enter in through a narrow
gate and walk a narrow way. and now
He intimateS ;hat many will seek to
gain admittance on the ground of mere
profession. That saith--Lord. Lord"
True religion is more than profession.
We may acknowledge the authority OF
Christ. believe in His divinity and nc.
cent His teachings as truth, and still
without The love of God in the heart
we shall be shut out of heaven. king.
dom of heaven" Gods spiritual king
dom where Christ reiCns in the hearts
and lives Of men. % Many" MOI
merely nn occasional one. but the mum
her viii he astoniShirgly large. "Ir
that day The Judgment day. The
day when the final accounts shall he
brought in, and when each shall re
ceive his tlst desert. See Acts 1881
lionL l4:lO; Cor. $40. "Prophesied.'
As the whole gospel is a real prophecy
foretelling the vast future of the hu
man race-deHth. judgment ana eter.
nifty. so every preacher is Il prophet.
%. IL never knew YOU" As NV
disciples How sad From this we
see how easy it is to be deceived. Many
are trusting in the church. their good
name, their generosity. their great
gifts, their employment in the minis.
try, their self-sacrifee. their devotion
TO the cause, ETC. etc. while ut hear;
they are not right with God and at the
last great day will be east to the left
hand. They are destitute Of the love OF
God, which is the all-essential Il Cor.
1919. Depart from Me-" Such be,
long to the left hand-consigned to the
regions of darkness and despair.
Ill. The two builders Tvs. 24-2T. "a
therefore, Jesus now proceeds tc
impress the truth by very striking il.
lustfauon. "Whosoever heareth." See
II. V. Both classes of men hear the
Word SO far they are alike. In like
manner the two houses have externally
the same appearance, but the great
day of trial shows the difference"
"Doeth them.' Thus making them the
real foundation of his life ''Wlu llk.
en- him." st. Matthew who. living
near the lake, had often witnessed
such sudden floods as are described.
uses vigorous language and draws tho
picture vivldly. "A wise man" Pru.
dent far-sighted-a man of understand.
ing who looks ahead and sees the dan.
ger and makes use of the best means
of avoiding it. The wise builder is tho
one who hears and obeys the words of
Christ Built his house" His char.
acter; himself. Each man possesses a
house which is his absolutely, and for
which he alone is responsible. Upon
a rock Our rock is Jesus Christ Cpsa
1lS:22; lisa. 2S:1G; / Cor. BID. He is
the sure foundation. AS we centre
our faith in Him, and build according
TO the maXims which He has laid
down we snail be safe. 70. The rain
beat" So tempests and storms of
aftllctlons, prosecutions, temptations
and all sorts of trials beat against the
soul. 1T fell not" The religion OF
Jesus Christ in the soul will stand
every test. The emblem of n house TO
represent the religious life is very ap-
propriate.
70. "Doeth them not" Fails to do
what he knows he ought to do; negects
them; or processes TO do and does not.
Foolish man" He was short-sighted
and allowed present pleasure gratiti.
cation and profit to so ill his life that
he failed TO look beyond to the result
1 OF his course. The sand" The sand
represents the self-llfe. ~. lit fell"
SO falls the sinner. The floods are
wearing away his sandy foundation.
| and soon one tremendous storm shall
beat upon him and he and his hopes
shall forever fall. Great was the
/ fall" How great is the loss of the
soul! What Il terrible fall for Il soul
created in the image of God, and with
all the glorious possibilities before 1t Of
life OF bliss forever with Christ, TO
be cast TO the left hand at the last day.
~. The people astonished Tvs. IS,
29J. 2S. These sayings" The SER
mon just preached. "Astonished. /"
The teachings Of Jesus all through His
life excited admiration, wonder and
management 20. Having authority"
His power lay in Himself aud in His
life. BY His speaking with authority
may be meant, J. That the truth He
spake came with authority. =. That
the majesty and power with which He
spuke gave Him authority Not ms
| the scribes." He did not speak like a
common Interpreter, but with the air
| OF prophet.