Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON CON-
MENTS FOR JANUARY p BY
THE REV. L. w. HENDERSON.

Subject: The Story of Cain and Abel.
Gen. 4:3-15 - Golden Text, 1
John 3:15 Memory Verses,
$40.
The story of Cain and Abel is the
| story of a great variety of human
sins. Centrally it may be said to be
| the story Of human faithfullness on
the one hand, and on the other of hu-
man jealousy. This jealousy is the
| direct result of deep rooted desire
upon the part of Cain to have every
| thing his own way. And to desire
| ones own way is to be self willed.
From this point of view we may be
| justified perhaps to push the appli-
cation Of the story back one step far
ther and say that we have here a
picture of the opposing elements of
| faithfulness and wilfulness in hui
man life Cain and Abel make Offer
! ings to God. Abel evidently per-
| manded and evidently Cain does not.
God honors the sacrifice of Abel,
which is according to His command,
and He has no respect to the Offering
! of Cain. He respects the faithful
ness of the one man and, may we not
say it, rebukes the wilfulness of the
| other. Being rejected, hot sin
| surges, resentfully, in the heart of
Cain. He puts his hand out in evil
against his own kin. Witness now
the train of wickedness that results
| from the first irregular act. Cain,
with the calculation of man who
| has decided to commit a grievous Of
| fense, waits until he is far from hui
man sight and hearing and then he
| commits murder. To cover it up he
lies about it. And he not only lies
to God, but he adds insult to injury
by unworthy remarks, to wit Am I
I my brothers keeper?" This is a
| fair sample of the consequences of
an inquitous self will. And to give
| the rein to self will is to invite the
same consequences in our own lives.
| Gains life is an illustration of the
need for several prohibitory COM
| mands such as we have in Exodus
| 20, |. e., "Thou shalt have no other
, Gods before Me- Thou shalt not
| kill" Thou shalt not bear false wit
ness" not only against thy neighbor
| but concerning thine own acts. When
| Cain elevated sin and self will above
| God in his life he laid the foundation
| for the first command. And in like
| fashion he laid the ground for the
others.
The other great lesson from these
verses is to be found in the patience
| of God with the man who becomes
| ryith thn Of hic
unworth. Guilt and punishment
weigh heavy on the heart and mind
! of Cain. He cries out in anguish
unto God. The Lord hears his petit
ton. He lightcns the penalty and
| provides a way of escape for Cain by
placing a brand on him to warn the
peoples that Cain is under the di-
rect protection of the Almighty
| wherever he may wander. Cain cam
not escape the consequences of his
sin, in large degree, however. The
mark that notifies humanity of the
magnanimity of God at the same
time recalls to their attention the
sin of Cain.
AS with Cain so with us. We may
be forgiven. we may feel Gods par
don, but we never can lose the men,
Ory of our unworthiness.
VS.. 8. Process" many years
pass between the events Of VS.. l and
vs.. 8. How many years is not re-
corded. Evidently it was long
enough time for quite a number OF
people to gain maturity, for we read
in VS.. IA the words every one inl-
plying that there were many others.
"Offering. This assumes an altar
and sacrifcial offerings. No account
of their institution is previously CIV
en-, however.
VS.. 5. Respect" for what reason
we cannot learn. There may have
been some laxity in Gains Offering.
He may have not complied with Il
a ceremonial law as completely as
did Abel. But we must hazard the
reason.
VS.. 7. Commentators seem to be
unable to explain adequately this
verse. 1t is likely incomplete. Parts
Of it perhaps are lost. At any rate
1t is not intelligible.
"Field," the free countryside. Per-
haps a distant place far removed
from near acquaintances.
VS.. y. w mere, dOu gives hili d
chance to make breast of his crime.
Il know not" Cain doesn't try to
excuse himself, to dodge, to beat
about the bush. He simply brazens
1t out and lies directly and shame
lessly. Keeper" Abel kept sheep.
We may not unreasonably read bit
OF INSCRIPTIONS irony in these re-
marks.
VS.. IA. "Hid." "In the primitive
tradition Jehovah is specially the
ruler Of the cultivated district of Ca
naen, and to leave Canaan for the
surrounding wilderness was to lose
the divine protection in its ordinary
manifestation"
VS.. 15. Vengeance" The MUIR
derer and six of his kindred as
rule were put to death together See
2 Sam. 21:S. Sign" for protection.
This was to indicate that he was un-
der divine protection and not to de.
clare his sin to the world. However,
It is likely that the brand did both.
Note that death is not absolutely
prescribed as q penalty for murder.
The right of revenge was a family
one as much as any. But its exer-
ci.e was not compulsory. This Sec
ton will admit of much thought.