The Elbert County tribune., 1912-05-24
INTERNATIONAL.
SONDNSCIDOL
LESSON
By q. o. SELLERS. Director OF Even
ing Department. Tho Moody Bible In
stitute OF Chicago)
LESSON EoR MAY 2e.
raurHFuLnEss.

LESSON rExT-Matt- b:ss-s7: James d
l-l2
GOLDEN TEnr--Putting away false
hood. speak ye truth each man with his
neighbor; for wo arc members one Of
another."-Eph. AIS.
In this lesson Jesus makes q still
further application, or rather gives NJ
another illustration Of the righteous
ness of his new kingdom. which must
be greater than that taught by tho
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 footstool. 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
speech is all that is to be required.
men live in these new relations, with
this new consciousness OF God they
will speak the truth naturally and or
necessity. To such there will be no
need for any form OF speech or oath.
for the simplest. plainest speech VIII
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. N
should BE Swift to Hear.
BE not many teachers" We now
turn to paragraph from the Epistis
Of James which has its peculiar value
and interest as showing the difnculty
OF mastering the tongue. In the
church of Christ there must of necea-
sity be q great many more disciples
'Qearners) than teachers. Every man
should be swift to hear, but the posi-
Ition Of teacher carries with 1t such
q burden Of responsibility that no ono
should audaciously assume 1t, see
Eph. All, etc. With this responsible
ity is also a correspondingiy heavier
Judgment II We stumble. He that
stumbles not In teaching. in the use
of his tongue. is indeed perfect man
and one that is able to bride tho
whole body; to guide the ship OF life.
OF state. and of the church, amidst
the fiercest storms.
The tongue is a fire." 1t IL IN
deed for 1t infiames with anger the
whole body, the family. society and
the nation. History is ablaze with tho
connagrations that are consequence
OF untimely words and Of unbrfdied
tongues. Prov. 1851, etc. The tongue
giving utterance to the thoughts OF the
heart (for out of the abundance OF the
heart 1t speaks), will infiame lust,
wither purity and consume strength,
1t fires jealousy and burns the sweet
bonds OF friendship. 1t Will sever the
ties OF home, burn away the founda-
tions Of character, Of commercial In
tegrity, social purity and destroy the
indeed "a world OF iniquity among our
members" Let US quote from Or. K
A. Torrey: "fhe hreS Of he'll afS
kiMdled by idle words that set men
thinking wrong about God and sin and.
Christ and the Bible. Men usually
careful In handling fire are careless
about the tongue. Whence come the
words that infiame the imagination.
and the passions? Whence come the
words that undermine faith and the
credibility OF the Bibie7 II any man
question James words that the tongue
can no man tame he has evidently
never tried 1t himself" This does not
mean. however, that the tongue can
with man Is possible with God. James
draws a frightfui picture OF the un-
tanned tongue and of its evil conse-
Quences.
Profans Men Classified.
'-These things ought not to be-
No more can fountain yield fresh
and salt water at one and the Same
time. or a hg tree yield olives, than
for a Christian to bless God and with
tho same tongue curse his fellow men.
Not only Is 1t unkind but 1t IL un-
Christlike. Sarcasm means literally
ITO tear flesh like dogs" the chart-
oteer's whip tore the flesh, 80 we use
tho tongue as a lash, biting the sensf-
tive spirits Of men; verify these things
fought not to be-" Phillips Brooks
said. Tell me the words a man uses
and reproduce his tone Of voice and
I'll tell what sort Of man he is"
It is literal fact that the truthful
man is he VINO usually exemplifies all
other virtues and we cannot em-
phasize too strongly that no gentle
man swears. Profane men are OF