The Brinkley argus., 1910-02-11
WORLDLINESS AND TRUST
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 13, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Matthew 6:19-34 Mem ory verse, 24.
 l GOLDEN TEXT-"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God. and his righteousness; | and all things shall be adGod un.o you. l Matt 6:33.
 1 TIME. place and circumstances the same as in our last lesson.
 Suggestion and Practical Thought.
 Question-How can we live in this world without giving our time and strength to gaining the things of the world?
 | Answer-God wants us to have the | bet things of both worlds, but we cannot have the best of this world without seeking first the kingdom of God and it's righteousness.
 Two Great Treasure-Ideals Placed Before Us.-1. Earthly Treasures, V. 19 Lay not up," use for needs, but not hoard up merely for the sake Of holding possession. For yourselves, se!fsh,y, without thought of what good can be done with this surplus. One test of anyone is what he does with his time and earnings beyond what is necessary for his own living and work.
 Treasures upon earth" are the ma terial things, connected with our phys ical needs and desires, such as money, houses, clothing, food. pleasures.
 where moth and rust doth corrupt" The orientals had no savings banks, no bonds, in which to invest their wealth; hence costly garments were favorlte way of hoarding wealth. But these had one deadly enemy, the moth. Rust, the consumer, corroder, refer ring not only to treasures hidden in the ground, but to houses, books, furni- ture, etc. Where thieves break through" Lit, dig through" the mud walls of house. The Greek name for burglar is 'wall-digger."
 2. Heavenly Treasures. V. 20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven" God wants us to be rich, but with riches toward God, Heavenly treasures. This refers indeed to the blessedness of Heaven, all it's rewards, it's glories, it's joys; but chiefly to the kind of treasures which make Heaven what it Is, Heaven begun here on earth through the heavenly life, treas ures of character, of enlarged being, of good deeds, of blessed work done, of souls made better, of faith, love, peace, godliness, brotherly kindness, honesty, meekness, and all the fruits of the spirit These Heavenly riches we may acquire and enjoy here.
 Second The Power of Heavenly Treasures Over Life " 21. For where your treasure is." That which you most prize and love and seek for; that into which you put you life. There will your heart be also"
 Third A Clear Vision of These Treasures Essential. Vs. 22, 23. "The light" of the body, our earthly taber. nacle, "is the eye" as lamp is the light of a house 'If therefore thine eye be single" etc, seeing things just as they are, with no double vision.
 23 Thy whole body shall be full of darkness" groping in ignorance, un- certain as to truth and duty.
 24 "No man can serve two mas ters," standing for opposite principles. belonging to hostile kingdoms, demand ing characters, feelings, lives and fruits that are in essential contradic- tion of one another, as light and dark ness, god and evil Either he will hate the one, and love the other If one loves goodness he must hate evil; if he loves evil, he will hate the good ness, which interferes with It. "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."
 But the question arises: How can we live in this evil world without giv. ing time and strength to the gaining oi worldly things, such as money, posses sions, houses, clothing, food, and the comforts of civilization?
 The answer Is: God wants us to have the very best of both the heavenly and earthly, but we cannot have the best of even this world without making God and his righteousness first and chief.
 Therefore, do right seek first the kingdom of God, and do not be anxious lest your Heavenly Father fail to keep his promises.
 Illustration. The physician author of Why Worry? has chapter on "The Doubling Folly" in which he shows the evil of continually doubting whether we have done the right thing. We have all heard of the centipede with it's hundred feet who could no longer proceed upon his journey, when it occurred to him to question which foot he should next advance" It is the worry of continually making new decisions in minor things that ex hausts the mind. One great underly- ing choice (settled once for all carry ing with 1t the whole being) to do right under all circumstances-"th single eye"-both eyes seeing a single pur- pose-will solve most doubts and questionings.
 Civic Nirfue