The Dermott news., 1916-03-09
LESSON FOR MARCH II
HEROES AND MARTYRS OF FAITH,


looking unto Jesus. the author and per-
fector OF our taith.-Heb. FL 2.
There are two kinds of heroism for
which medals are awarded in this
country. Congress confers a medal
of honor for distinguished services
and extraordinary hcroism in war
The Carnegie hero fund in peace"
bestOws medals and pcCuniary recog.
milton for heroic deeds performed in
preserving and rescuing human life,
and the first medal thus issued was
given to a boy for rescuing another
boy from drowning
|. Faith Defined, v. I This Is per
haps the most quoted and succinct
definition We have of faith. What fol-
lows is but the illustration and APP
pliCaton of the fact. Faith is an as.
surance" Or. W. The ground OF this
assurance and conviction is the word
OF God (See Rom. 1910. The only
sure ground for dynamic and intel.
ligent faith is Gods word: put to the
acid test of experience it never fails.
II. Faith Declared. w. 4, 5. Faith
had been declared and manifested by
many illustrations before the death OF
stephen:
(a) Abel. at the risk OF his brothers
anger. obeyed the unseen God and
earned his approval: his heroic. mar
tyred spirit still speaks to men y u
(b) Enoeh. the diligcut seeker after
God in a world of lawlessness lived :.
Ill -.
faith that made his presence real Wv.
>, @.
tc) Noah (v0. lonely man of faith
Gen 6:5D. chose the unseen God and
preached righteousness rather than
avoid the rdicule OF his neighbors.
Noah reckoning the invisible as tan
giblc. continued To build his ark and
became a blessing to the race
Cdl Abraham and Sarah tS.121. Not
knowing whittier they went. by faith
these lonely pilgrims unerringly fol
lowed an invisible God TO an unseen
country: but faith greater still led
them to dwell in the land" and not
possess 1t ". 10). Their faith re-
deemed them from the mere emigrant
character. They looked for a city.
which had foundations. whose builder
and maker is God
to) Moses t23:aSl showed his faith
By a right choice He weighed values
and had respect unto the reeompense
OF reward" His faith endured, as
seeing him who is invisible" Moses
saw by faith the "reproach OF Christ.
that which Christ suffered for the re-
demption Of the world as being or
greater riches than the treasures OF
Egypt"
These and others not mentioned.
are summarized by their having ac-
complishod ten different things 49,
400. They performed great deeds OF
heroism t32-3A: they endured great
suffering and persecution t3o,36l All
OF this suffering was TO issue in
greater reward with the glory that
was to come Rom Sis. II Cor Az,
lS1. All these men OF faith obtained
good report.
III. Faith Demanded, 70: I. .. The
Holy Spirit has given us this long list
OF heroes as an eNhortatiOn TO stir up
those living to the performance OF
their duty The roll call of triumphant
heroes is not yet completed Al. these
mentioned are witnesses. not onlook-
ers. These are they who have tes,i-
fled to God and to the truth Of his
word. In the light OF this testimony
and on the same ground Of their tes
timony We are te do several things
/. To lay aside every weight No
runner carries any weight beyond that
which is needlul. Some things are
burdens that are net necessarily sins
Every such thing hinders our running
and should be laid aside.
>. The sin that doth SO easily heset
us" Literally. that wrap themselves
about us as an ill-Atting garment. and
which trip or impede the runners
progress These sins mot sim are
those little devil habits and practices
which must, for that reason, be laid
aside.
s. Run with patience the race set
before us There must be steadfast
ness and endurance. II church mem
bers were as faithful in following up
as the average business house is. we
would have less o. lapsod church mem
bers and fewer boys and girls who
drift away from the Sunday school
Locking unto lesIs" This is the
keynote to this entire cpistle and 10
this category OF heroes. lie IL our
"hlelcadcr and the pertcctor Of our
faith Once we get our eyes of him
We will stumble and fall in the race