The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-01-22
Sunday School Notes
Side Lights on Next 'ndoy, Lesson
for Teachers and Pupils.
Edited by Charles K. Meyers

tiers of the bible, I'M That it recounts
the taking of the life of one brother
by the other. 1t is fearful to think
that early in the history of mankind
hatred, revenge and murder were in
the minds and hearts of the people.
Our lesson tells us that Adam and
Eve had two sons, the older Cain,
who titled the soil, and the second,
Abel, who was herdsman. 1t would
appear that they had been told to
make certain sacrifices or offerings
to God as a religious worship and
acknowledgment of His dictatorship.
Cain brought the products OF the
ground he titled and Abel certain OF
his flocks. 1t would appear that the
offering of Abel was accepted, while
that of Cain was rejected. 1t is to us
certain that the reason for the &C.
ceptance of one and the rejection OF
the other did not come because Of
the character of the things offered,
but rather from the spirit actuating
the two men.
We come, almost Immediately, to
one of the most important parts OF
this lesson. The record tells us that
Cain was wroth and his countenance
fell and thereupon the Lord spoke to
him directly and told him a truth
.l,o 4 ohonEoi hic down.
ward career and kept him from the
becoming the first recorded murdered.
Cain was told eff thou doest we'll,
shalt thou not be accepted? And II
thou doest not we'll, sin lieth at the
door," These words directed at Cain
are, also, directed to you and l. If
we are not on good terms with God 1t
is our own fault We have but to
obey His WILL as given to us in the
bible and we will be accepted OF Him.
We find that human nature now is
like that in the days of Cain and Abel.
Cain, upon finding that his conduct
was not approved by God, laid the
blame upon his unoffending brother,
Abel. He did not look to his own
fault as he should have done, but
argued in his mind that Abel was to
blame. He was in this condition OF
heart when the Lord spoke to him.
reasoning with him, and saying that
for the future, if he did we'll he would
be accepted, and at the same time the
warning was given that if he persisted
in doing wrong sin was close at MS
door. A further promise was made
Cain that if he laid away malice
against his brother and acted right,
that he should be considered the head
of the two brothers, and rule over
Abel.
1t would seem to us all upon thus
looking on the circumstances OF the
case, that reason would have taught
Cain to turn over a new leaf and do
right, to avoid the hatred in his heart
which was fast leading him on to the
commission of a fearful crime, but
the record shows that Cain would
have nothing of good advice. He was
headstrong, unyielding. This being
the case, the natural consequence was
that he soon became murderer and
his name has become synonymous with
crime AS we speak OF Benedict
Arnold, the traitor, so we speak OF
Cain who killed his brother.
The bible record tells us that soon
after the two brothers were in the
field alone, that the elder rose up
against the younger and killed him
AS King Ahab, walking in the garden
which he had obtained through the
death of the owner. was met by the
prophet and called to account for the
deed which he had done, so Cain was
Immediately called upon to answer for
the death of his brother. Cain put for
ward the excuse for not being able
to account for the whereabouts of his
brother, "Am | my brothers keeper
The spirit OF theeS words OF Gam
have been expressed many thousand
times since in an effort to throw off
responsibility for the welfare OF an
other person. The teachings OF the
bible all declare that we are respon-
sible not only for the life, but for the
we'll being of all the people who are
under our influence. No one lives to
himself alonge. God will hold us 20
accountability for our example. Jesus
said in lesson we had not long ago,
that woe was to those who caused the
little ones to go estray. st. Paul said
that we should do r hing which will
cause the loss of the soul of any per-
son for whom Christ died.
Persons who commit crime may
think in advance that they will be
able to escape easily the consequence
es, but even if not taken in charge
by the law, remorse for wrong doing