The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-02-08


ed thirty years of the Masters life.
Here is an illustration of what is
meant by the inspiration of election
only those things that we're of vital
aud redemptive Importance in the life
of Jesus are recorded. John says,
Many other signs truly did Jesus
which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name"
For this reason, we should value every
word that is written.
The lesson furnishes a model in
character building for the youth
Jesus is the example and the model
boy. Jesus was a real boy. He ate,
drank. played, grew. asked questions,
just as other boys do.
His character, like all other char
acter building. was growth: "He in
creased in wisdom and stature" No
character is instantaneous; IL is the
work of growth and of years, indeed,
of a lifetime. An icicle Is formed drop
by drop. Character is formed by sim
gle words and acts. A mushroom may
grow in a night, but surely not the
character of a man. Just as words
and sentences are formed by means
Of the single letters of the alphabet.
so words, thoughts. deeds, actions,
= looks. motIves-these are the alphabet
from which we spell character. Sow
a thought, and reap a word; SOW a
word. and reap an act; SOW an act,
and reap habit; SOW n habit, and
reap n character; SOW a character, and
reap n destiny.
Christs character was developed in
the home. He had Christian home
the greatest gift of God this side of
heaven. What chance has many a
child today to build character In a
home where the parents know not God,
never read the Bible, never pray, new
er go to church! IF for no other rea-
son, parents should become Christians
for their children's sake. If our chill
dren are lost, we parents are to blame,
unless we have set before them the
example of a Christian life.
Az boy, Christ was obedient to his
parents. This was manly thing.
Parents are in the place of God to the
child: God cannot be everywhere, so
he made parents. The first command
ment on the second table is obedience
10 parents, and 1t is the first COM
mandment with a promise. The apron
M he hat.
reins OF government of the nation We
must obey before we can command.
The character oil Jesus was develop
ed in the church also. His parents
were churchgoers, and they had cul-
tivated that habit in the child. In
speaking OF Jesus as a churchgoer,
Lake says that "as his custom was,
he went into the synagogue" What
great thoughts must have come to the
mind of Christ as he visited the tenn
ple! What dormant potentialities were
areused as he sat and listened to the
exposition OF Gcd's word! Humanity
'reck,ng, Christ owed great deal In
i.' dsveloTment of his character to
t'Nn ce at the temple. Can
go character be produced
." 81" O., tse church and religion?
Va thi"F not; certainly TIE best char
""t'" ot be Ha q In one who
e1f - -ctc. u -r.te OF all her fail
'e", t-' ."A best institution
Z. { o1.i t,1ry - the building of
tef. W. 40 our children a great
eo77 wton We d. I've them of the
i'l!eges of the church.
INt Jesus was also a member of the
lilh.a school-the teaching part of the
tadich. This is evident from the fact
lH@i he Instruction received was In
"nS" ctlL5 and asking questions No
Doubt many Of the Scripture passages
quoted by him were learned In the
Jewish Eible school.
The boy Jesus was an Interested
as well as an interesting scholar in
the school. He was no mere visitor.
lie came with a well prepared lesson,
and that indicated that he had studied
tte lesson at home under the instruc-
iion of his parents. What lesson for
parents today!
Have you ever considered how many
great and noble men the Sunday
school OF our land have been instru-
mental In producing? Did you ever
think how many of the most influen-
tdal men of the world today give their
time to Sunday school work, thereby
recognizing the power that their own |
early training In the Sunday school |
had been In their lives?
Consider the great characters that |
have played upon the stage of Ameri- |
oaa history--or the history of the
world over for that matter-and you
win find that great part. If not the
greatest part of the credit for the
characters possessed by these
noble men and women is to be given
10 religion and the church.
For what are men better than sheep or
goats
rhet nourish a blind life within the
brain.