The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-09-09
$500" IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATlON
.S 9S0ol
BY REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST.
Dean of the Moody Bible Institute
Of Chicago.
g Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for September IL
"A NATION NEEDS RELIGIOUS
HOMES.


LESSON TEXT - Deuteronomy GA. S;
GOLDEN TEXT-Train up child in the
way he should go: and when he is old. he
will not depart from 1t. Prov. 20.
PRIMARY TOPICAL Our House.
JUNIOR TOPICAL Our House.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
What Makes a Home Christian?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Influence of Christian Homes In a Ma
TONS Life.
Home! The very word stirs our
hearts and quickens the most pre-
cious of memories. Toward its COM
forting threshold turns the one who
has borne the heat and the labor OF
the day. Within its portals are those
who gladly give themselves in sac
rifcial service that it may indeed
be a haven of rest and comfort:
The inroads of modern life and
of our so-called civilization are do
ing much to break down home life.
All too frequently home has be-
come the place to which one goes
when there is nowhere else to go;
place to sleep, and sometimes to
eat; an address for mail; a tele-
phone number.
Shall we then abandon the effort
really to maintain true home-one
that is in touch with God, and there
fore ready to serve man? No; for
now as never before we need the
influence of home life empowered
by the worship of the true God and
guided by his Word. None OF us,
who are engaged in the determined
effort to maintain such home in
the midst of the driving intensity OF
present day living, speaks too easily
on this subject. We know the diff
culties; we have heavy-heartedly
tasted failure; but we also know the
sweetness of victory. By Gods
grace we press on.
In his dealings with Israel God
presents to us an example of what
a godly home may be, and what
it will accomplish for the commu-
nifty and for the nation. Such a
home
/. Worships the True God wv. 4, 81.
This is "the first and great COM
mandment" of the law, according
to our Lord Jesus. (Matt. 22:36,37O
It is an important part of the Scrip
ture repeated twice daily by all or
thodox Jews. In its context, in Deu-
teronomy 6, it is clearly associated
with the home. It is there that he
who is. the Zone Lord is to be
loved, which means far more than
that he is vaguely recognized or
distantly respected.
II. HonOrs Gods Word wv. 10, 1917.
Loving God and his Word is not
matter for theological speculation
or for sanctimonious discussion in
some dark cloister. Thank God
the Christian faith is at its best in
the ordinary affairs of life. 1t finds
its proper place in the tender rela-
tionship of parent and child. It's
teachings are pure, delightful, SIM
pie, and entirely appropriate to any
occasion, whether one sits or rises,
walks, or lies down. Gods words
are the words to be laid up in the
heart and in the soul, to be taught
to our children, to be the constant
and normal subject of conversation.
III. Testifies to the Community
wv. 20, 2D.
We may not, as did the pious
Jew. fasten a little container bear
ing Gods word on our doorpost, but
we may make the home itself and
the life of it's inhabitants an effective
testimony for God before our neigh
bors. 1t is obvious that the home
either speaks for or against God.
A profession of faith in him, an
outward reputation for adherence to
religious principles which does not
vitality touch our dealings with one
another and with the community in
which we live-these clearly testify
not for God but against him.
Nv. Serves the Nation wv. 22-25).
God promised that if Israel dill
gently kept his commandments,
loved him and walked in his ways,
they would be a nation that would
overcome and dispossess their enc
mics, and prosper in every good
purpose.
Statesmen clearly see that the
home is the unit of society. 1t was
established upon the earth before
the nation, in fact, before the
church. No nation can ever really
prosper without homes of the high
est type.
But a house without God is not
really a home, even though it stand
in the midst of garden. Neither
the school teacher, nor the pastor of
a church can take the place of a
God-fearing father, and of mother
who not only knows God but who
can tenderly lead the steps of trust
ing childhood in the paths of right
Eeousness. Our lesson title is right:
ga Nation Needs Religious Homes"
or, better, america Needs Chris
tan Homes"