The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-09-03
Sunday School Notes
Side Light, on Next Sundays Lesson
70, Teacher, and Pupils.
Edited by Charles K. Meyers

|
Exodus 20, Ill.
Our lesson last week told of the
founding of the Jewish nation at the
base OF Mount .s.Sinai.~ After the
thunderings and great showing of the
presence and power of God Moses
was called to come to the heights
above and to him there was delivered
"The Ten Commandments" Then
was announced to the world most
remarkable code of laws, the declara
| tons of which have been the stand
ards of excellence for all peoples. Re
ligious leaders of other nations have
set forth systems of morals, but none
compare with the words given to
Moses on Mount Sinai. The fact that
to this day no nation or body of PEG
pie has outgrown the commands. that
they hold the respect and obedience
of all civilized governments. is mag
nificent tribute to their divine origin
To all of us who have never known
the temptation or thought to recog
nize any other God than that of the
| bible, the first command does not
come with striking force. But it did
mean much to the Jews to whom i,
was delivered. They had just come
out from Egypt from people who
worshipped many gods and We're sur
rounded by nations which had deity
for nearly every passion of the mind
or action of the element. Looking
over Hebrew history we see that ii
was only after the captivity of Baby
Ion that the danger of going off into
some form of idolatry ceased. At all
times few faithful upheld the belief
in the one invisible God. In due time
Jesus came and found people who
worshipped at Jerusalem the God
whose voice shook Sinai, and who
gave to their forefathers the law
through the hands of Moses.
Only those who have lived in nc
bible lands and among idolatrOus PEG
pies fully appreciate the words of the
second commandment. against max
ing images Of the deity. To witness
the degradation and superstition
which go with the worship of gods
made with hands. is most revolving
Blessed indeed are the people who
have needed the second of the com,
mandments. Saint Peter in his won
derful address on Mans hill set forth
q most powerful showing Of why wor.
ship of idols is unreasonable and
should be abandoned.
The early Jews needing the com.
mand not to take the name of their
deity in vain seldom spoke the name
of God. Mention of God is common
in our day. 1t would be well if there
was more reverence shown for the
almighty God, creator and preserver
of the universe and through whom
we expect eternal spiritual> life. OF
course profanity. perjury with an oath
before God to tell the truth are con-
demned by the third commandment
The fourth commandment which
tells of the observance of a Sabbath
day is one which comes close home
to us, at all times There is the ever
springing up discussion over whether
observance of the first or the seventh
day is most pleasing. to God. Person
ally this controversy over days has
ever seemed trivial and unworthy of
intelligent men and women. God
commands rest from labor every sew
en- days. and whether the sacred day
comes on what we call Saturday, Sun
day or Wednesday makes no differ
ence in His sight With the changes
in the manner of keeping the record
of time since the ancient days there
is no assurance that what We now
name as the seventh or the first day