Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-03-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON XII, FIRST QUARTER, lNTERNA-
TlCNAl SERIES, MARCH "a.

Text of the Lesson. lisa. xxviu, 7-13.
Memory Verse, T-GOIden Text, Hos.
fv, II - Commentary Prepared by
Rev. ID. Nj. Stearns
copyright, 1907, by American Press Association
To find merely d SO called temper
ance lesson in such q chapter as this is
something like eating the smallest por-
tion of food from a beautifully sup
j piled table. l was asked recently to
| write an article for one Of our reviews
on systematic Giving" but the sub
stance of what / did write was to the
effect that the need of the churches is
| not more system in giving, but bet
! ter knowledge of God and of the con
straining love of Christ.
| In reference to intemperance and all
its evils, the whole matter is summed
up in Eph V, IS, BE not drunk with
| wine, wherein is excess: but be filled
with the spirit" The writer goes on to
| tell Of Christ loving the church and Civ
| ing Himself for it that He might sane
| tify and cleanse it. Until we know and
| believe the love that God has to us
| q John ~, 16) and have learned to say
| Thy love is better than wine Song
| j, p there is not much use in merely
| trying to lay restrictions on corrupt
anu sinful nature which cannot be i'm
| proved Rom viii, z.
Our lesson chapter from which we
| are asked to study q few verses which
set forth the denominations OF the nat
ural man even in priests aud prophets.
| whose one occupation should be to
| plead With Goa 81 behalf OF men and
| plead with men o.. behalf OF Cod gives
us the heart of tIie remedy for all evil
| in verse 16, one of The grandest words
| in the book 'Theret0re thus saith the
| Lord God Behold ] lay III Zion for .
! foundation stone, a tried stone, a pre-
ciouS corner stone, a sure foundation.
| He that believetb shall not make
| haste" Then see il verse % a sugges
| ton of how He becomes to us the only
| foundation, not by trying to initiate
His life. but by seeing Him bruised
| for our iniquites" lisa lii, 5. O.. He is
the corn of wheat who said that He
| must die for our sakes John xii, "A,
| 25), and we must first receive and then
| follow Him. Put with this foundation
verse Acts iv. H. 70: Pet. ii. As; John
| i. l..
! There is a drunkenness and a stag
| gering that is not the result of wine
or strong drink. but that is the result
Of turning away from the word of God
| Chapter xxx, 9-13), and this was Isra-
| els guilt and is the guilt Of the church
| today. Israel Knocked the messengers of
| God and despised His words and mis-
used His prophets until the wrath of
the Lord arose against His people, till
there was no remedy III Chron. Xxxvi,
| 49,.
Literal drunkenness, with all its dis
; gusting filthiness as set forth in verses
! and S Of our lesson, is but one phase
! OF the manifestation of the flesh the
! sinful nature in all mankind Gal. Y,
| 1920, and those who continue to pos
sess only that sinful nature can never
| inherit the kingdom Of God but as
some such at Corintb became washed
and sanctified and justified q Cor. vi,
| GID, so have many others in all ages,
Him that cometh to nae / will in no
| wise cast out (John vi, 30 Wey-
mouths rendering is. Him who comes
| to me | will never on any account
! drive away" He is sorry for and
| longs to give deliverance to every
weary sin sick soul, but the trouble is
| that they will not hear and will not
come. See verse II and compare chapter
xxx. Is. and Matt XII, 2S: xiii, 81.
Verses 9, TO- Indicate the rebellion of
the natural heart against the simplici-
| ty of Gods way of deliverance. These
proud, self indulgent rebels seem to
say. Does He think that we are babes
| Just weaned, that He must prattle to
| us with His line upon line, precept
| upon precept? SO the mere natural
man turns from the things Of God and
| counts them foolishness, not knowing
| that the kingdom Of God must be re
| ceived as little child would receive it
| Matt. xviii, 8; Luke xviii, II; / Cor ii,
| IA A vision of Christ In His love TO
us, bearing our sins in His own body,
dying in our stead, the just for the I'M
| just, is the only thing that will break
! the hard heart. and if that does not
nothing will Each believer is Il priest
| dealing with God Oh behalf of his fel
| lows and also a prophet bearing Gods
message to his fellows. 1t is ours to
tell the message lovingly and faithful
| ly. and He who sends us will take care
| of the results.
If we would be fun of courage and
JOY, as the Lords messengers should
always be, we must understand His
plan and be agreed with Him about
everything, for otherwise we cannot
walk with Him amos iii, 8, 2. This
is suggested by the fact that we are
today having lesson from Isaiah,
/ whose message was primarily to or
| concerning Judah and Jerusalem Il, i:
| ii, u, and, as DR.. Robert Anderson
says: 1T is impossible to exaggerate
the importance of an earnest, prayer
4 n. So