International Sunday School Lessons Brief Thoughts for Busy Teachers By J. H. S.
not as having the word of Authority; (3) he ignores the light, day and night are one to him; the speculations of men are better to him than the oracles of God. "Lord, that I may receive my sight!" (Lk. 18 : 41 ); that I may "walk in the light" (1 Jno. 1:7), lest I "stum- ble on the dark mountains" (Jer. 13:16) II. DISCIPLE AND MASTER. 1. True teachers a re humble. Jesus who knew all things (Jno. 21:7) was "meek and lowly in h e a r t" (Matt. 11: 2 9.) It is sweet and easy to learn of Him. The most learned have been the most humble minded. The more the wise knows the more he knows he knows not. (2) Ignorance is conceited. The boy tliat "knows a thing or two," has a good deal to learn. Such "knowl- edge is a dangerous thing," and in spir- itual things leads to insanity. It is that knowle4ge that "puffeth up" (2 Cor. 8:1.) Most men know more about the- ology than the Master Himself. 2. Above the Master. Many pro- fessed disciples set themselves above their Master. They extol Him with a pretense of reverence, while they boast a scholarship which He missed by twenty centuries. They (a) question His authority; (b) criticise His"doc- trines; (c) contradict His assertions. 3. We will sit at His feet. (1) What He says goes with us. To name His humble disciples would be to name the noblest men and minds of all time. (2) We glory in our Master. " For He was (and is) wiser than all men" (1 Kgs. 4:31-33), and made all things) and therefore understood all science. His "testimony is the spirit of pro- phecy," so that He knew all Scripture. Learn of Him; reject all others; and you shall be like Him, for "Every one that is perfect shail be as his Master," and every one who is as Jesus shall be perfect (1 Jno. 3:2.) II. BEAMS AND MOTES. 1. For "beam" read joist, for "mote," sliver, or fiber. 2. How grotesque! With a beam protruding from his eye we see one of- fering to get a sliver out of his broth-
"THESE SAYINGS OP MINE" Lesson X. J uné 9. Luke 6:39-49.
We are still studying the Sermon on the Mount. Let us never cease practic- ing it. It will be mountain climbing. Its thoughts are high thoughts. We shall have many a fall, get many a bruise, in the trail the Lord blazed out for us; but at the summit we shall see the Kingdom of God. I. GUIDES AND DUPES. 1. Two questions. (1) "Can the blind lead the blind?" No. (.2) "Shall they not both fail into the ditch?" Sure. 2. Three kinds of blindness. ( 1 ) Physical, (2') Mental, (3) Spiritual. We would not trust one physically blind to lead on a country road to say nothing of a city thoroughfare, or an alpine pass. Nor would we employ an ignoramus to teach us knowledge. But in affairs of thè soul any fool, fraud, or fanatic finds followers. "Men like to be humbugged" especially in religion. They will run briskly after every fad and folly that pretends to smooth a sinner's way through this life, and to secure to him the next without 1 the unpleasantness of repentance, or the abandonment of sin. Both leader and led shall come to grief. 3. A bad fall. A fall into a way- side ditch would mean soiled clothes, a few bruises, a sprain, or at the worst the death of the body. But a fall into a moral pit means a crippled will, a de- filed conscience, a damaged character, in this world, and an endless falling iá the world to come, for it's pit is with- out bottom (Rev. 20:1.) 4. Are you blind? Mpn are blind (1) desperately (Jno. 9 : 3 2 ); (2) nat- urally (Jno. 3 : 3 ); (3) judicially (Rom. 11:10); (4) satanically (1 Cor. 4:4);. (4) and blind to their blindness (Jno. 9:41). (5)' Buy the "eye salve" (Rev. 3:18.) 5. Beware of blind guides. A seeing eye detects a fraud. We know a blind man by (1) his path, it is crooked, mor- ally and logically; (2) by his gait, it is uncertain, he speaks as the Scribes,
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