The Harrison times., 1911-06-24
Commencement Sermon

lOnIe NCnOOls VI GdNAiNh ~ 49, ~ ->
Jones. of Yellvile:
Proverbs 47-"Wisdom is the prin-
cipal thing, therefore get wisdom. and
with all of thy getting, get under
standing
AS the 18th verse of the Srd chapter
of John is sometimes called the Lit
Tie Gospel" because the entire Gospel
is epitomized in that verse, so may
the verse have selected FIR subject
be called the Little Proverbs" be-
eause the entire book of proverbs IS
epitomized in it.
The Book of Proverbs is said to
have been composed by Solomon, the
wise king of Israel; but it is believed
now by most of the Bible students
that Solomon, like Shakespear, not
only wrote original things, but had
the happy faculty of digestlng the
best and wseSt things that had ever
been said in the history of the world,
and boiling it down until what he
wrote contained the pith or quintes-
ence of all the wise sayings OF an
tiquity, freed from the residuary dross
of The ancient writers.
In fact, unlike Shakespeare, Solo
mon spake and digested aS he was
moved upon by the Holy Spirit, and
the very essence of his mes .age to
the world was Wisdom is the princt
pal thing; therefore get wisdom, and
with all thy getting get understand
ing" :,
want my hearers, and especially
the graduating class to notice that
Solomon makes a distinction between
wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom was one of the names used
by the ancients for the Holy SPIRIT,
and no one can get into proper re-
lation with God except he is born OF
this Spirit. Except ye be born
of the water aud of the Spirit, ye can
not enter into the Kingdom of God.
This may sound strange to those
who have not CLOSELY pondcred the
Book of Books, but when you go home
turl to the Sth of Proverbs, begin
ming with the 22nd verse and read
this description of wisdom as spoken
BY herself:
"The Lord assessed me in the be-
ginning Of His way, before his works
of old. | was set up from the begin-
ming, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths | was
brought forth. when there were no
fountains abounding with water
Before the mountains were, before
the hills, was brought forth
While as yet He had not made the
earth nor the fields, nor the highest
part of the dust Of the world.
When He prepared the Heavens |
was there; when He set compass ou
the face Of the depth; when He estab-
lished the clouds above; when He
strengthened the fountains OF the
deep:
When He gave to the sea his decree
that the waters should not pass Hts
commandment; when He appointed
the foundations of the earth
Then | was by Him as one brought
up with Him. and was daily His de-
light, rejoicing always before Him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part OF
His earth, and my delights were with
the sons Or men.
Now, ~ rrfore. helrkcu unto ne,
oh ye chl.dren; Tor blessed are tucy
who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise and
refuse it not.
Blessed is the man that heareth me,
watching daily at my gates, waiting
at the post of my doors,
For whose indeth me tndeth lite
and shall obtain favor of the Lord,
But he that sinneth against me
wrongeth his own soul; all they that
hate me love death"
In the light, therefore, of the neces-
sity Of every mortal finding this i'm
mortal. imperative, eternal Spirit OF
Wisdom. is it any wonder that Solo
mon should have said Wisdom is the
principal thing" therefore get wis
DOM" And here we grasp the truth
that the advice given by Solomon
in our text, is the same that our Lord
nearly thousand years later advised
when lie said seek first the king
dom of God" And as man could not
anciently obtain favor of the Lord
except he found the Spirit of Wisdom,
neither can he enter into the Kingdom
that God has set up in this world,
without the aid of this self-same
spirit,
And Solomon says we should find
this wonderful Spirit of Wisdom early
in life He urges; Remember now
,hy Creator in the days Of thy youth,
while the evil days come not, nor the
years draw nigh when thou shalt say
81 have no pleasure in them
And the Creator is found row as
then by listening to the wooings OF
the spirit Of life-the spirit of wis
dom, with this in our favor-we have
now Mediator, who assists the Spirit
Of Wisdom in bringing us into a prop
err relation with God; by whom we
may obtain eternal life. In all ages
and under all dispensations the para
mount necessity of man has been to
know md be in proper relation to
God. Under the dispensation in which
we live there is another factor added
The knowledge of Jesus Christ, After
his coming he said This is eternal
life; that they might know thee, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent"
And only those who have been led
by the Spirit OF Wisdom can truly
know them, but all who are so led
may find them. For the inspired Paul
said: LAS many as are led by the