The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-05-23
LESSON FOR MAY rs.
TRuTHFuLNEss.

liz
GOLDEN TEkT-"Putting away false
hood, speak We truth each man with his
neighbor; for we are members one Of
another. Eplf. 4:25.
In this lesson Jesus makes still
further application. or rather gives us
another illustration OF the righteous
ness Of his new kingdom. which must
be greater than that taught by the
Pharisees. We have studied the sa-
cred relations of the righteous life.
now we are to consider the matter of
truth. We have first paragraph from
Jesus, then an ethical teaching and ap-
plication from the writings of James
| the apostle
Under the old law men swore by
heaven which is Gods throne, by the
earth which is his footstooI. by Jeru-
salem which was his peculiar chosen
city They swore by the head and
yet they could not change one hair
/ white or black Jesus contrasts all
OF this with his new kingdom in
which absolute simple veracity in our
L
This makes all oaths profane. When
men live in these new relations, with
this new consciousness Of God they
| will speak the truth naturally and OF
necessity To such there will be no
need for any form OF speech or oath,
for the simplest, plainest speech will
be the only necessary and the alto
gether satisfactory medium OF giving
and OF creating assurance. How about
oaths in court? Jesus is speaking to
the members of his new kingdom. Be
tween them yea and nay is sufficient,
but as between them and others we
must adjust ourselves and therefore
we do not read into this any admoni-
/ ton not to take an oath in court.
Should BE Swift to Hear.
BE not many teachers" We now
turn to paragraph from the Epistle
of James which has it's peculiar value
i and interest as showing the difficulty
of mastering the tongue. in the
church OF Christ there must of neces.
sity be great many more disciples
(learners) than teachers. Every man
should be swift to hear, but the posi-
ton of teacher carries with it such
burden of responsibility that no one
should audaciously assume it, see
Eph. 4:11, etc. With this Responsible
ity is also correspondingly heavier
Judgment il we stumble He that
stumbies not in teaching, in the use
OF his tongue, is indeed a perfect mar
and one that is able to bride the
| whole body; to guide the ship Of life
of state, and of the church, amidst
the fiercest storms.
The tongue Is a fire." 1t is In
4 deed for it infiames with anger the
whole body, the family, society ane
the nation. History is ablaze with the
CONGREGATIONS that are a consequence
Of untimely words and Of unbridleC
tongues, Prov. 1871, etc. The tongue
giving utterance to the thoughts of tht
heart (for out Of the abundance OF thu
4 heart 1t speaks), will inhame lust
wither purity and consume strength
It fires jealousy and burns the swee
1
ties OF home, burn away the founda
tions OF character, Of commercial in
tegrity, social purity and destroy thu
bonds of civic righteousness. 1t II
indeed "a world of iniquity among oul
Emembers." Let US quote from DR.. X
A. Torrey: The fires OF hell arr
kindled by idle words that set mel
thinking wrong about God and sin ant
Christ and the Bible. Men usual,
careful in handling fire are careless
about the tongue. Whence come tn,
words that infiame the Imagination
and the passions? Whence come th'
words that undermine faith and tn,
credibility OF the Bible? II any mai
question James words that the tongue
q can no man tame he has evidenti!
never tried it himself" This does no
mean, however, that the tongue cal
not be tanned. for what is impossible
with man is possible with God. Jane
draws frightful picture OF the IN
tanned tongue and OF its evil conse
quences. He shows US that 1t ha
proved a physical, moral, sptritua
4 0LeTnal Qeatu TO tH0 WuOlS CiEClc y
| life. He also draws attention to an
other alternative. for with the tongu
we may also bless God. James !
the mosl intensely practical OF tn
. New Testament writer's and when b
alludes to the sixth commandment b
strikes at the root of the whole mai
ter.
. Profane Men Classified.
These things ought not to be.
:. No more can fountain yield fres
and salt water at one and the sam
time, or fig tree yield olives, tina
for Christian to bless God and wit
the same tongue curse his fellow mel
! Not only is It unkind but It Is III
I Christiike. Sarcasm means fherall
4 ito tear flesh like dogs" thS char
! oteer,s whip tore the flesh. so We us
: the tongue 40 lash, biting the sens
: tive spirits OF men; verify these thing
t "oughf not to be-" Phillips Brook
s said, Tell me the words a man use
:. and reproduce his tone OF voice an
i I'll tell what sort of man he Is"