The Brinkley argus., 1910-02-04
.ALSMCTvINc.
 AND PRAYER
s.aisy sehssl Lssss. fsr Fss. s., 1910
Specially Arranged for rhis Paper

W II LESSON TEXT. -Matts s:i-15. Memory verse (. A
 GOLDEN rExT.-~rake heed that ye' do not your rsghtcousncss before men. 10 be seen by thcm.'s-@;L R. VI
 TJME-The summer of A. D. g. near .hp r,iddle of Chrfst's ministry.
 PLAcE.-The traditional site Is the Horns of IIattfn. two or three miles west of the Sea of Gaiilcc.
 Suggestion and Practical Thought.
 The lesson today dwells on sin cerity and truth applied to giving and praying. 1. Sincerity versus Hypocrisy in G;ving.-vs. 1-4.s First, the Principle, underlying the actions referred to Is, that SO far as relates to virtue or character in the doer, 1t is the motive that determines the value of an ac- ton, no matter how good the action in itself, or how important the gift may be to the receiver.
 Second. It's Application to Giving I. Take heed" emphatic because what follows is very important. That ye do not your alms." R. w.. accord ing to the best MSS, your righteous ness," your good actions both moral and religious, before men" for the purpose or design to be seen of them, 10 gain applause. fin order to be re- xarded as righteous and generous.
 II. Sincerity versus Hypocrisy in Praying.-vs 5-S Thou shalt not be ,s the hyrocrites are" who do not eeally pray, do not desire or expect what they ask, or hold communion with God; but desire to appear very religious to men, aRd hence stand apart like the Pharisee. in the para ble, as if absorbed in devotion.
 III. A Form of Prayer Filled with the Srifit.-vs. 9-15. The Lords Pray CT as given in Luke. perhaps on an other occasion, Is prefaced by re- 1uest from the disciples that Jesus would teach them how to pray.
 1. We need to learn how to pray. If we would gain the most possible from prayer. "bet the soil be titled that the germ may grow.
 2. Jesus gave a model, expressing the true principles of prayer
 3. A model or form is useful only when filled with the real Spirit of prayer.
 4. We can interpret the model by the way Jesus and his disciples used it. We have no recorded instance of their usirg this prayer, but the pray ers of Jesus were in accordance with its principles.
 The Hearer and Answerer of Praper. Our Father which art in Heaven" This expresses that aspect of God which most attracts us ta pray ta him: He is not mere bright Essence in. create" power that makes for righteousness" but Person. as really as our spirits are persons; infinite. omnicotent. omnfscicnt. King. Creator. Ruler, but withal Father whose quail .ities we learn from his Son, our Elder Brother Jesus.
 The Chief Aim and Goal of Prayer is expressed in threcfold form, whichSrepresents the highest the best. the happiest, the nobicst conceivable ideal and goal for every child of God md fer the whole hun.nn race. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither has eyered into the heart of man anything beyond these which God hath prepared for. them that love him."
 Prayer for Our Material We@arc. II. Give us this day. or as Luke re- ports. day by day" our daily bread. Daily bread" includes supplies for all our wants, food for hungry hearts as we'll as bodies, for the mind. the spirit. the taste, for beauty and music, and for every appetite and longing.
 Prayer for Dcliverance from Evtl.- Vs. 12-l5. The deliyerance Is tarcc- fold
 1. From the Burden and Effects of Past Sins. Forgive us our debts" the duties we owe to God and man and have not. Forgiveness is thus the first step in being delivered from evil.
 The Second Step in Peliverance
 
 13. Lead us not into temptaticn.' Thou, who art the guide of our life, lead us, but away from temptation. Temptation is trial. proving. the con- ditions meant to test our characters, our choices.
 3. Deliyerance from All Evil of All Kinds. But deliver us from evil. ' "The evil. not the evil one" as in he F. V. for that narrows and belit- ties tife- prayer (the "one" Is not Tn the Creek but from evil every evil, temporal and spiritual, including the evil one, but most of all from sin tue great evil, and the source of most other evils. God answers this prayer by removing many evils.
 The Power That Assures the An. swcr.-v. 13 The rest of this verse is not found In the oldest MSS. and IL n.