Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-06-11
CHRISTIAN ENnEAVOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For Week Be-
ginning June is, 1918.

ginning June IS, 1918.
Topic -Favorite veraes-IL In the book
of Proveeb s.--Prov. IL, 1921 Edited by
Rev. Sherman H. Doyle, D. ID.
No book in the Bible perhaps has
had a greater practical influence upon
the moral lives OF men than the book
of Proverbs. This was its essential
purpose, in that it contains short cpl
grammatic sentences emphasizing the
Importance Of doing the right and of
stunning the wrong Its object is
partly moral ard partly intellectual"
says a great writer. 1T seeks to in
struct in the way of wisdom, to edify
those who have already made progress
and to discipline hearers to receive
and assilnilate the highest teachings.
THE wisdom mentioned lin Prov
erbsl is no mere philosophical attain
ment no merely secular advancement
in the knowledge of things. Ii is this:
1t includes all that can be known. But
it is much more. 1t is distinctly re-
ligious and has for its object the d.
recting of mans life according to his
highest interests, so that 1t is equiva-
lent to the fear of the Lord That is
practical religion and is often inter
changed with that expression. 1t
teaches what God requires of man.
how God would have all men behave
in ali circumstances Of life. 1t teaches
piety, duty. justice" That a book
with such q purpose and written in
such a style should WELD an untold
influence for good is not to be wonder
ed at and young and old may well
study the book OF Proverbs and prac-
tice its precepts In their daily life.
A few of the many favorite verses
of Proverbs are as follows:
/. The fear of the Lord Is the be-
ginning Of wisdom prov. i, =. To
whom is this verse not familiar, and
to whom Is it not Of Importance?
A book on wisdom must certainly de-
fine ''the beginning Of wisdom" Ac-
cording to the wise man, ii Is not the
laying of a proper foundation for
university education or the acquire
ment of the fundamental principles of
politics or of business, but the fear
of the Lord" And how. true this is
of the truest kind of wisdom? No
man can be wise in the practical af-
fairs of life or even in those things
which deal purely with the intellect
until he has first learned to fear and
reverence God. Who can live truly
moral life without the fear of God in
his heart? And what are mere intel
lectual attachments without belief in
God and reverence for God, the sound
of all true wisdom? Instead Of being
wise he is a fool who says. There is
no God" No less a fool is he who
tries to live an upright. moral life
without belief In God and help from
God.
2. Happy is the man that flndeth
wisdom and the man that getteth I'M
principal thing; therefore get wisdom
and with all thy getting get under
standing prov. iv, 10; V. y. The
wisdom" verses are favorites with
all. But the wise man here refers TO
practical wisdom-the knowledge Of
right and wrong and the ability to do
the right and to shun the wrong. 1t
is essentially religion put into prac-
teal application. True, religion in
ciudes morality. Morality is its basic
principle, and no confession OF reli-
gious faith can take the place Of right
living. There may to some extent be
morality without distinctive religion,
but no religion without morality.
Therefore wisdom [religionl is the
principle thing; get wisdom in this
sense.
3. A wise son maketh a glad father,
but a foolish son is the heaviness of
his mother prov. (, y. This should
be a favorite proverb Of every child.
II young people only knew the love
and anxiety Of parents for their tenn
poral and moral and spiritual welfare
there would be more wise sons and
daughters and fewer broken hearted
fathers and mothers. Nothing In all
human life can pay child for taking
the gladness out Of fathers heart
and bringing heaviness to that of a
mother.
4. "A good name Ia rather to be
chosen than great riches" No amount
OF wealth, no temporal position, no
earthly pleasure, can repay any one
for the loss Of the most priceless Of