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Text of the Lesson, Cor. xiii--Mem-
cry Verses, 4-7-Golden Text, l Cor.
xiii, documentary Prepared by
Rev. ID. Nj. Stearns-

the matter of tongues" which some
believers make so much of In our day,
and when he does mention them they
are last on the list and in connection
with the Interpretation of tongues
schapter xii, Z. 10. PSI. He also says,
Let him that speaketh in an unknown
tongue pray that he may interpret"
and II had rather speak five words
with my understanding. that | might
teach others also, than ten thousand
words in an unknown tongue" chapter
XIV. Is, 19). The more excellent way OF
Love he sets before us In our lesson
chapter. The great chapter on Faith Is
twenty times. The great chapter on
Hope is Rom. viii, and this is one of
the great Love chapters, but as to the
use OF the word, If we include the verb
and the noun beloved" 1t is found in
/ John Nv about thirty times, while In
John xiv and our lesson chapter 1t Is
used nine times In each, If I have
counted correctly.
We are certainly safe in saying that
there is no topic In the whole Bible so
wonderful as the love of God. but the
great matter is always the love Of God
to rs, never our love to Him, which Is
not worth mentioning compared with
His love to us. John is not spoken Of
as the disciple who loved Jesus, but the
disciple whom Jesus loved. 1t is not
the love of Martha and Mary and Laz
arus, but Jesus loved Martha and
Mary and Lazarus" John xi. 8; Kill. %;
xix, &c; Xxx, 2; xxi, Z. 20). The words
that hold me most strongly are such as
these: THE Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself for ne" Having
loved His own He loved them
unto the end. or the uttermost." II
have loved thee with an everlasting
love" (Gal. ii. 20; John xiii. 1; Jer.
XXI, 81. These, with Eph. V, %; John
liz, 16; the many verses in | John Iii
and iv. and Song viii, Z. are to me some
Of the most wonderful, with John XIV, o.
The first three lesson verses show
the utter worthlessness of tongues, or
teaching. or understanding mysteries
or knowledge, or miracles, or giving
an our goods to feed the poor, or even
our bodies to be burned, apart from
2 love. What a complete laying low of
an that men might boast OF that the
love of God may be magnified and His
love constraining us and working in
US the works He has prepared for us.
There is no room for Boosting nor for
any pride OF man because of his abili.
4 20 10 fho& ho II r1 oil
must be exalted. Such love as is here
described In our memory verses, Al,
was never fully manifest in any one
except in Jesus Christ. but He is able
to manifest it In us.
It is no doubt true that all the fruit
OF the Spirit in Gal V, %, %. is but
different manifestations of love, joy
being love exulting. peace love in re.
pose, and so on. According to Col.
4, IL, It requires all the might OF His
glorious power TO make us patient and
long suffering with joyfulness, but He
is able TO work all this in us if we
viii let Him. To be kind always, free
from all good opinion OF ourselves or
envy of others. never provoked. never
thinking nor speaking evil of any one.
bearing and enduring all things for
His sake-what a heavenly lifel Yet
do not turn from ii or say it cannot
be done. but rather turn to Him and
say, Lord. do thou it in me for Thy
great names sake" All our knowl.
edge now is but partial, and IL any
man think that he knoweth anything
he knoweth nothing yet as he ought 10
know verses o. 10; chapter viii, y.
We may know that we have become
children OF God by faith I'm Christ Je
sus and gladly sing, 81 know that my
Redeemer liveth" (Gal. iii, 1926: Jot
XIX. POI, but OF the life we are yet tc
live and the unseen realities OF His
kingdom and glory we know but little
There is a lot of childish prattle and
self conceit we would do well to have
done with and rather say, 20 magnify
the Lord with me. and let us exalt His
name together" II Will extol Thee
my God, o King. and bless Thy name
forever and ever" ops. xxxiv, 3; cxlv
n. Note the double contrast of now
and 'then" in verse II. and may we by
faith so know the power OF the then
that we shall live better IN the now
to His glory. Then. face to face, know
ing as we are known. like Him, fol
we shall see Him as He is. even oul
bodies being fashioned like unto His
glorious body q John iii. l. 2; Phil. iii
20, 2D.
Do not misunderstood the last vers,
Of the lesson, We never heard Of any
r thing so great as the love of God. bu
the greatest thing on our part is faith
without which II Is impossible to PLEASE
God and by which alone we can be
come children Of God. II Is the on'
thing He looks for In US. the faitl
which worketh by love, because WI
have known and believed the low
which God hath to us (Gal. v. O; Johr
~. fB). See how He commended thu
great faith Of the centurion and tn,
woman OF Tyre and Sidon. while III,
reproved His disciples because of thei
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