71
February, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Q d o i e s o n CHR ISTIAN ENDEAVOR . . . B y M ary G. G oodner
dures; who longs for perfection; who car ries a tender heart; who has a passion f or holiness; who sweetens human life; who dares to be true to conscience.” What a conception of character! Blessed are the humble, the penitents, the victims, the mys tics, the philanthropists, the mediators, the confessors. For the first time, a halo rests on gentleness, patience, kindness, and sanc tity.—J ohn W atson , in The Mind, of the Master. : VV? III. B ible V erses “ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29). ’-V. ;■■■' ;:; V WA:'; “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18). “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall' stand in his" holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart” (Psa. 24:3, 4). IV. B eauty in the B eatitudes “ Beauty-tudes” the little girlie called them, when she first began to read; and she wasn’t so far wrong at that, as their universal popularity bears evidence. They appeal to us by their rare beauty. “Act on the supposition that Christ is really King—and you will soon discover that He is—His word should be our guide into this.” V. W ritten on the H eart He wrote few words upon the sand Long centuries ago. And one would think that what He said, Like sand, would drift and blow; But He knew well the surest way; He made His love a pen, He wrote His message evermore Upon the hearts "of men.—A non . VI. S uggestions for I mproving Y our C. E. M eetings Have a poster committee whose duty it will be to have an appropriate poster ad vertising the meeting each week. Display it at the Sunday-school hour. Have a pub licity committee who will send announce ments o f coming meetings to the local newspaper. It pays to advertise. Use va riety—no two meetings ought to be exactly the same. Think up new plans. MARCH 12, 1933 THE KIND OF GOD JESUS REVEALED 1 J ohn 4:16; J ohn 14:1-12 Suggestions (or the Meeting Hymn—“ God is Love, His Mercy Bright ens.” Hymn—“Holy, Holy, Holy.” Prayer. Scripture Reading from Memory— John 14:1-12. Duet—“ O Love that Wilt not Let Me Go.” Leader’s Message. Testimonies. Hymn—-“ Oh, How He Loves.” - Quiet Hour. Benediction—Jude 24.
MARCH S, 1933 DISCOVERING JESUS’ PRINCI PLES FOR OUR LIVES M atthew 5 :l-9 ; 21-24 Suggestions (or the Meeting Hymn—“All the Way My Saviour Leads Me.” ; Hymn—“More Like the Master.” Prayer. Hymn—-“More about Jesus.” Scripture Lesson from Memory—-Let one side say the first half of the verse, the other side completing it. Duet-||aThere’s No Friend Like Jesus.” Leader’s Message. Testimonies. . Quiet Hour. Hymn—“I Want my Life to Glorify.” Benediction—Psalm 19:14. Meditation on the Lesson In this matchless section from the well- known Sermon on the Mount, we have what some one has named “the constitu tion o f the kingdom.” The setting was ideal—Jesus “went up into a mountain”— suggestive of vision. The exaltation, phys ically, that comes to one as he gazes over the landscape from the mountain peak, finds an answering echo ifi the exultation in his soul on hearing matchless truths. Jesus desired here to implant in each one o f His hearers the principles and char acter pf heaven. He Himself is “ the truth” ; so His words are words of truth —His composite picture o f those who are blessed is the picture of one who has the Christ-life within. Professor Drummond once said: “The image o f Christ that is forming within us—that is life’s one charge. ‘Till Christ be formed,’ no man’s work is finished, . . . no life has fulfilled its end. Is the infinite task begun? When, how, are we to be different? Time cannot change men—Christ can. “Beatitudes” we call these nine concise statements of our Lord—“beatitudes” from the Latin “bea- tus,” blessed, and blessedness is truly what they describe. “ Blessedness is the express symbol of happiness identified with charac ter.” It is more than “happiness,” the joy, that happens to us, that comes from with out. It is the joy that comes from within, the joy of the appropriated Christ. The virtues of the beautitudes are manly and heroic virtues. The rewards are not ar bitrary, but are the fruit o f the characters to which the reward is given. Illustration “ T he M eek S hall I nherit the E arth ” Shortly before the Civil War closed, Gen eral Howard had succeeded another officer as head of a special division. General Sherman had been the commanding officer, and when he was arranging for a grand review of the army at Washington, he sent for General Howard. He told the general that the friends of the other officer insisted upon his riding at the head of the corps. “But it is my command,” said Howard. “ I am entitled to ride there.” “ O f course you are,” replied Sherman, “you led the men through Georgia and the Carolinas; but, Howard, you are a Chris tian and can stand the disappointment.”
Humility The saint who wears heaven’s brightest crown In deepest adoration bends ; His weight of glory bends him down Then most when most his soul ascends : Nearest the throne of God must be The footstool of humility. ' Mé —S cripture T ruth . “If you put it on that ground,” said Howard, “there is but one answer. Let him ride at the head of the corps.” “ Yes, let him have the honor,” said Sherman, “but you will report to me at nine o’clock and will ride by my side at the head of the army.”—T arbell . Discussion Material I. W hat H appiness I s Happiness is that after which all men in every age seek, and the first note in the Saviour’s teaching reveals it as what God is seeking also. How," then, is it to be realized? This section contains the Mas ter’s answer. Men hold two views of what happiness consists in, having and doing. To possess much, or to do some great thing, constitutes the sum of human bless edness, according to popular theory. No “blessed” of His lights up for man either the having or the doing o f man. Being is everything. A man’s happiness depends on what he is in himself. Henceforth, for the disciples themselves, and for a basis of their estimate of others, character is to be supreme.—G. C ampbell M organ . H. C hrist ’ s S tandards of B lessedness “Blessed,” said JesusRS opening His mouth with intention, and no one could have guessed what would follow. The world had its own idea o f blessedness: Blessed is the man who is always right. Blessed is the man who is satisfied with himself. Blessed is the man who is strong. Blessed is the man who rules. Blessed is the man who is rich. Blessed is the man who is popular. Blessed is the man who enjoys life. These are the beatitudes of sight and this present world. It comes with a shock and opens a new realm of thought that not one o f these men entered Jesus’ mind when He treated of blessedness. “ Blessed,” said Jesus, “is the man who thinks lowly of himself, who has passed through great trials; who gives in and en- A Child of the King Truly every issue of T he K ing ’ s B usiness is rich with helps for Sun day-school teachers, ministers, or any Christian who loves to study God’s Word. I read and study every page and eagerly look forward to the next number. I could not get along without it, for being a child of the King, I must know all about “T he K ing ’ s B usiness .” —Y osemite N ational P ark , CA lif .
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