Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-11-16
McCONNELSVILLE. OHIO

the others welfare is in a position
to help the other fellow get rid of
his fault.
V. 6. 'Give not that which is
holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye
your pearls before swine, lest they
trample them under their feet, and
turn again and rend you II out
OF false sense of charity you allow
worldly men to touch holy things,
to handle the pearls of the king
dom, they will not only trample on
the pearls but they will turn again
and rend you. The unspiritual man
can not appreciate spiritual things.
V. Z. ASK, and it shall be CIV
en- unto you; seek and We shall find
knock, and it shall be opened unto
you" 1t is necessary that Chris
tians discriminate between the good
and the bad and this knowledge can
be obtained if one is profoundly in
earnest. Here is a rule that holds
good for all needed knowledge. 1t
is only in communion and fellow
ship with God that we can attain
spiritual heights.
V. 8. "For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh find
eth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened" There are some
blessings that all receive even with
out asking; there are others, the
richer blessings, that only those
who ask receive. There is re-
fining of soul that takes place when
one lives an earnest, persistent
prayer life SO that he has holy de-
sires, the very essence of acceptable
prayer
VS.. 8, 10. cor what man is there
of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone? OF if he
ask fish, will he give him a SER
pent?" There is a superficial re-
semblance between a stone and a
loaf, and between fish and a SER
pent, but in both cases one is good
and the other is useless or even dan
gerous. When we ask of God, he
does not mock us with disappoint-
ing substitutes.
V. H. eff ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more shall your
Father which is in heaven give good
things to them that ask him" Par
ents, even those that do not love
God, love their children and delight
to give them good things surely no
one ought to doubt Gods care for
his own whom he loves with su-
pernatural love.
v. 12. Therefore all things
whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you do ye even SO to
them; for this is the law and the
The "all things" makes
the golden rule apply to every rel
lationship in life, and to all class-)
es of people, even to ones enemies
Here is a religious standard not so
much for the other fellow as for
us. We lift the moral level of so
ciety by raising our own standard
of life high. Gods kingdom will
come when men have enough love
to seek their neighbor's good as
eagerly as they seek their own
good. If the golden rule were prac-
ticed by all the nations there would
be no war.
V. 13. ENTER ye in at the
straight gate; for wide is the gate
and broad is the way, that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be
that go in thereat'' The straight
gate is a narrow gate which is the
Christian way of living-one needs
to be under self-control, with "a
strict regime. a consistent disclp-
line, definite purpose, clear-cut
objective and a definite relation
with God and man. The wide gate
is a manner of living that throws
oII thaco tn the wind.