The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-09-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,

Lesson xIII.-Third Quarter, For
Sept. 27, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the lesson, Isa. v, 11.23-Men-
ory Verses, a, 23-GoIdsn Text, Prov.
XXX, f--commentary Prepared by Rev.
%. NJ. Stearns.
lCcpyright, 1908, by American Press Association ]
We cannot too often study and pom
der any and every topic which the
Holy Spirit has seen ct to set before
us. but we must beware Of considering
the Bible simply as book to give us
daily texts or notices. We must keep
before us the whole plan Of God as set
forth in the whole book If we would
walk with God in peace and equity
and turn people away from iniQuity.
This chapter In which we have our
lesson begins with a record Of vine
yard, and we are told that the vine
yard Is the house Of Israel and the
men Of judah His pleasant plant, but
that. although everything had been
done for the vineyard that could be
done or thought Of by it's owner, the
Lord OF Hosts, the fruit was most un-
satisfactory. His people had therefore
become manifestation of woe and
not OF blessing and the owner of the
vineyard dishouored in the eyes of 9TH
ers. Their sin is summarily stated In
the last clause Of verse "a, They have
cast away the law of the Lord Of
Hosts and desplsed the word Of the
holy one of Israel"
We have seen something Of this In
our recent studies In Samuel It is the
testimony of all the prophets and of
the Lord Jesus when here In humilia-
ton as He taught the people in para
bles. He said Of them, This people
have formed for Myself; they shall
show forth My praise" lisa. xliii, 21)
but after long patience with them He
had to say, "Be ashamed and con-
founded for your own ways, 0 house
of Israel (Ezek. xxxvi. 81. 32). Wheth-
er It be Jews or gentiles, saints or sin
ners, 1t is manifest in all that 'the
carnal ml3d is enmity against Cod" yet
"God Is love" and not willing that any
should perish and is ever beseeching
men to turn to Him that He may for
give them and bless them and make
Himself known through them. but His
pttiful cry still Is, 'How often would
I, and We would not, ,".r''Ye Will not
come unto Me" Matt xiii, 81; John
v, 40l. The quotation from Matthew is
in the chapter OF many woes, teaching
US that while He Is compelled to say
'woe" he longs rather TO say blessed" !"
The woes In this lesson chapter re-
fer to those who give themselves up
to becoming wealthy. who live only
for their own selfish gratincation, who
SIN with all their might, defying God
to do anything. who call evil good and
good evil. proud, self conceited, con-
niying at wrong for the sake Of re-
ward. What a picture Of the world
lying In the wicked onel But these
words describe those who bear His
name. who are prOfessedly His chill
dren, Of whom He says In chapter 1, 2,
II have n0urished and brought up
children, and they have rebelled
against Me-" He does not expect
either fruit or good works from people
who are dead In trespasses and sins
such, being dead, cannot do anything
to please Him-but from all who are
saved by His great work He does ex-
pect both fruit and good works, for to
that end He saves us. Note carefully
Eph. II. S-10; Tit. iii. 8. 8. Is there
any hope for such as those upon whom
these woes are pronouncedi Yes, truly,
for His salvation is for the lost, and
any who truly turn to Him are never
cast out Nuke XIX, 10; John vi, 81.
See in Cor. vi, Oil, the kind Of peo-
pie who by Els precious blood became
washed and sanctified and Justified,
and remember that He is Jesus Christ.
the same yesterday. today and for
ever Heb. Kill. -. Do not waste time
telling poor sinners Of any kind, NOR
81 or immoral, drunken. profane. licen-
tious or as good as Nicodemus, to do
anything In the way OF signing 4.
pledge or turning over q new leaf or
trying again, but by the word Of God
in the power Of the Spirit and in the
name OF the Lord Jesus show them
that they are as impotent as the man
at the pool Of Bethesda (John VI or
worse than the man who fell among
thieves (Luke x). for they are not only
half dead. but wholly dead, guilty be-
fore God tRom. iii. 10), but to all such
the grace OF God bringeth salvation.
and eternal life Ia free gift IN Christ
Jesus. and. receiving Him. the sinner
at once becomes child of God, new
creature in Christ, having new ma
ture which cannot sin Crit. u, I'D.
The old sinful nature that can sin In
still there, but the new, II yielded to,
will hinder the old from doing as II
would (Gal v, 16, II, r. w. lisa. 1, IS
is the FIRST step, and then the next
verse follows. All the haughtiness and
lofty looks OF man must come down
and the Lord alone be exalted (chapter
H. IL. 10; then shall there be deliver
ance. Failure to accept Gods plan can
only result In the final without" OF
Rev. xii. 15, the depart" OF Matt vii.
~, 23: XIV. Al. These things are hid
dam from fha ~yusnA sys %hafYs Sswwv avnr \