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NO. 2
FEBRUARY, 1910
VOL. I
SJhf U t b l f .
" T h y Word is a lamp unto my f e e t " (Psa. 119:105). " I f we abide with the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to pros- per: but if we and our posterity neglect its instruc- tions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity"—Daniel Webster. " I never knew happiness until I found Christ as a Saviour. Bead the Bible. Bead the Bible. Through all my perplexities and distresses I never read any other book; I never knew the want of any other."— William Wilberforce.
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Published Monthly by the BIBLE INSTITUTE
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
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mbh Jnattiuip (Incorporated ) 260-264 South Main Street (Second Floor) b o s A n g e l e s , C a l i f o r n ia
DIRECTORS:
E. A. K. Hackett W . E. Blackstone
S. !. Merrill W. L. Green
Lyman Stewart, President Rev. A. B. Prichard, Vice Pres. B. C. Atterbury, M.D. Secretary-Treas. T. C. Horton, Superintendent R. A. Hadden, Supt. Extension Work
The Institute is interdenominational. Its chief text book is the Bible. The management holds to the Divine Origin, Inspiration, Integrity and Supreme Authority of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. It is in accord with the historic teachings of the church and holds neither new theologies, fads nor vagaries. The Institute trains accredited men and women, free of cost, in the knowledge and use of the Bible. (1) The Institute Classes held daily except Satur- day and Sunday. I (2) Extension Work. Classes and conferences hfeld in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted by comjpe- tent evangelists under our direction. (4) Spanish Mission. Meetings every night tor Spanish-speaking people and houso visitation. (5) Shop Work. Regular services in shops suid factories all the year. - ! (6) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work in hordes for the Hebrew people. V (7) Bible Women. House-to-house work and neifeh- borhood classes. ] (8) Aqueduct. Work among the 4000 men on the new aqueduct. (9) Oil Fields, fields. A mission to the men on the Sale and distribution oil of (10) Books and Tracts, selected books and tracts.
Doctrinal Position
Purpose
Departments
Christ s Method of Teaching.
By E. P. Marvin, Locliport, N. Y.
With what reverence, humility and eager attention should we sit at the feet of the Great Teacher. From His infinite and omniscient mind we learn things that lie utterly beyond the reach and range of human research. As teachers and preaehers we must learn from Him our matter and manner. He knows perfectly all the powers and ave- nues of the soul of man. His method is divine (Jno. 7:46). It is not that. of the schools. From Him and not from the schools of human learning must we learn how to administer " t he royal ordinance of preaching." Let us. take a lesson in divine homiletics from His school. 1. He taught with authority of di- vinity and truth. He was a heaven- sent witness, asserting dogmatically what He knéw ,arid had seen. He sel- dom reasoned and never speculated or spoke at random. He was not an .ar- tist, equipped with the logic, rhetoric and elocution of the schools, but an oracle equipped with authority from God, His ambassadors now have similar authority and should pursue a similar method. We need not use "excellency of speech." A gospel sermon is not an oration. A charming sermon never converted a soul, and we are sent to preach rather than to prove the gospel 1 (Isa. 4:5; Matt. 5:21-22; Jno. 3:7; Acts 1:8), . . . . . . . Í 2. He used many parables, simili- tudes and illustrations. He ' ' sighted' | truth most graphically and gave it liv- ing power. His parables were indeed -judgment upon the conceited Scribes and Pharisees, in their willful blind- ness, but a blessed revelation to His disciples. Parable-making requires di- vine wisdom, but we can use those He has given us and multiply similitudes on every hand (Matt. 5:14-15; 13:10- 16, 34). 3. He used no arts of sophistry, but unmasked the sophistry and hypocrisy of others. In order to entangle Him in talk, the Pharisees approached Him concerning their relations to Caesar; the Sadducees concerning marriage in the next life, and the lawyers concern- ing the great commandment. He suc- cessively and successfully answered and
silenced them all (Matt. 22 and 23). 4. He did not seek to excite or gratify idle curiosity, tickle itching ears, or attract by novelties. When asked about the number of the elect He said "Strive to enter it.'* etc., be- cause the Master may soon come and shut the door. Let us, then n>t try to attract by a series of sensationul novel- ties in matter or manner. ' ' O it is pitiful to court a grin when we should win a soul." One of the burning questions of the day is that of ecclesiastical amusements to draw the purse and heart of the world— feasting, peddling, fiddling, acting, hor- ticultural worship, mock piety and "razzie dazzle" with the world. • Since Christ and. the apostles in no way sanction, but in principle con- demn, thè whole practice of trying to make preaching, worship or administra- tion of the church an entertainment for the world, when churches adopt this method: (1) Protest bravely against the apostasy. (2) If your testimony is disregarded, or scorned, and the evil increases to more ungodliness, ask God how soon you should seek fellowship in some other body (Matt. 12:39; Luke 7:24-26, 13:23-24; 2 Tim. 3:1 : 8. , 5. He used divine wisdom in rightly dividing the word of God. He distin- gnished dispensational truth, for Jew, Gentile and Church of God. He saw more than 1800 years in p, comma when He closed the book in the synagogue at Nazareth. He had many things to say that no one was yet ready to re- ceive. He gave each a portion in due season (Luke 4:16-19; Matt. 13: 10-12; Jno. 16:12). 6. He sought no applause. He was absolutely indifferent to the smiles and frowns of the world. He sought only, to please the Father. He preached and wrought miracles without ostentation. Ho humbled Himself and meekly bore rejection and reproach. He took upon Him the form of a servant and not a King. His business was serving and suffering rather than reigning and re- joi"ing. The true bride is in fellow- ship with the bridegroom. Purple and fino linen, crowns and laurels, are a mockery to her now. She waits in humility and rejection for His trium-
phal return (Jno. 5:11; Bom. 15:3; Phil. 2:5-11; Jno. 6:13). 7. He taught with great boldness and integrity. He called hard names, denounced sin unsparingly and warned most fearfully of a coming judgment. Few at present have His boldness and severity. Too many are willowy and time serving. No times ever demanded more moral courage than the present. Christ or an apostle in some of our modern fashionable pulpits would create a moral earthquake (Matt. 2:20-24, 23: 33; Luke 12:49). 8. He taught with great patience, love and frequent repetition. The dis- ciples were thus able to memorize His discourses. He blended tenderness with severity. As His imitators we should remember that we are to overcome a vast amount of inattention and forget- fulness, and preach the gospel in love. We are to be both terrific and tender (Matt. 7:7-8; Jno. 16:4; Matt. 23:37). 9. He taught with the -utmost sim- plicity, so that the common people understood and heard Him gladly. No one had any excuse for not understand- ing Him. He clothed the grandest thoughts in the simplest language. We need graded textbooks for secular learn- ing, but the Bible suits all grade's. Christ was a clear medium and a per- fect transmitter of truth. You cannot see the bottom of a street mud puddle, but yon can look down 500 feet to the bed of Lake George. Unsanctified learning is one of our greatest present evils. Many of the German apostles of destructive criticism, at whose feet some of our preachers sit to learn who wrote the Bible and what it means, are both unconverted men and infidels (Matt. 11:26; Jno. 15:22; Col. 2:8). 10. He used plain, bold, blunt lan- guage, such as many now shrink from repeating. He did not wreathe the Sword of the Spirit in flowers. His preaching was not all "sweetness and light." He used the most terrible words in human language concerning sin, .-judgment and retribution (Matt. 23:23-33; Mark 12:37). 11. He taught most seriously and earnestly. He never trifled nor "under- took to entertain sinners with fun. He was ever conscious of carrying a life and death message. Let us remember that the King of Kings does not choose a mountebank for an ambassador (Mark 18:16; Luke 12:30; Jno. 9:4). 12. He taught in the wisdom and power of _ the Holy Spirit. He was
anointed at the beginning, as we must be. This is indispensable. But it' is clearly unscriptural to require of can- didates a standard of secular scholar- ship that would rule out all of the original apostles. While we might re- fuse them license for lack of scholar- ship, Christ might refuse some of us for lack of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 9:1; Mark 1:10). And now let us see what were the results of His lecturing: 1. Universal astonishment at both His matter and manner (Matt. 7:28-29). 2. It excited the anger and opposi- tion of many (Luke 6:11). 3. It resulted in the salvation of some (Jno. 10:27-29). Our duty and danger as hearers may be found in Acts 3:22-23: " F o r Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things what- soever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." Unique among the histories of the past is that of the Lord Jesus. What other character ever lived among men who anticipated from the beginning a violent taking off, and spoke of it as the crowning event of his life? What other company of friends or followers ever proclaimed the death of their hero as the distinguishing feature of his career, and the source of their life and peace, as well as that of the whole world? Such is not the wisdom of men, but it is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1: 23, 24) and discloses His finger on the insoired pen. First —The circumcision of Jesus, when the first drops of precious blood were shed, looked on to the cross— ' ' And when eight days were accom- plished for the " circumeision of the child, His Name was called .Jesus" (Luke 2:21). Jesus equals Saviour. Second —At the opening of His min- istry, John saw Him walking, and said, "Behold, the Limb of Go d" (Jno. 1: 29), thus pointing out the sin offering for the world. Third —His vary baptism was antici- pative of His .Burial, and the eternal Spirit anointed Him there for it, "¡A,nd BIBLE BRIEFS. By J. H. Sammis. THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
Jesus, when he was baptised . . the Spirit of God . . . lighting on H i m" (Matt. 3:16; Heb. 9:14). Fourth—In His interview with Nico- demus, the Lord foreshadowed the cross and made life eternal hang on it, when He said, " A s Moses lifted ; «,tip the serpent in the wilderness, even '' so must the Son of Man be lifted u p " (Jno. 3:14). Fifth—Our Lord longed for this sac- rificial offering up of Himself with a great longing, that the fountain of sin and uncleanness (Zee. 13:1) might be opened, and the grace of His resurrec- tion life be poured upon us, " But I have a baptism to be baptised with, an
see a great multitude of people bending their eyes toward the skies I think you would join them to see at what they were gazing. A countless multitude have been and are still looking for Jesus. Before the angels sang their song in the choir loft of the Judean skies to that select audience, the shepherds of Bethlehem, many had long been looking for Jesus. First—There was Enoch, " t h e sev- enth from Adam," of whom Jude says that he prophesied, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints" (Jude 14). Second—There was Abraham of whom Jesus said, "Your father Abra- ham rejoiced to see my day; and h« saw it, and was g l a d" (Jno. 8:56). Third—There was James who said, " B e patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord . . .estab- lish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth n i g h" (Jas. 5:7, 8). Fourth—There was Jude who quoted and applied the testimony of Enoch, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His s a i n t s" (Jude 14). Fifth—There was Paul, the glorious, who wrote, "Looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great . God even our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13). Sixth—There was the whole body of the New Testament Church who with the Thessalonians had "Turned from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven'' (1 Thess. 1:9, 1Q. Seventh—There was the whole crea- tion of which it is testified, " F o r the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God" (Rom. 8:19). And what if we should quote you Ignatius, Papias, Polycarp, who were the immediate dis- ciples of John the Apostle, and Trenius, Justin Martyr and Hippolytus, their contemporaries and many others their successors! And should show how the whole multitude of the early Christians were looking for Jesus, as the Didache (A. D. 100) teaches, which sets forth the beliefs of that early day. Can you stand among this great cloud of wit- nesses and, while their eyes are strained toward the East, not look up and out with themt Can you see the loved ones on the pier, gazing down the harbor to catch the first glimpse of the' coming ship with the long absent ones, and not join themt Are you looking for Jesus?
THE COMMANDMENTS. The Homiletic Review thinks that the Ten Commandments, are not adapt- ed to modern times. They, it says, are negative, "Thou shalt n o t ." Jesus put it positively, as in the Golden Rule " D o , " and such is the side we need A to affirm now. This is to miss a great ( underlying principle associated with the Law. The Law was not given to show man what he should do, but what he is. Therefore it does not command in de- tail what he must do, since he could not do it, but what he must not do, since he is prone to do it. Jesus an- ticipated the time at hand when ' ' the t, law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus would set us free from the law of sin and death. Then we can do. But this criticism against the law of the Decalogue is very far from sound, for fundamentally, essentially, it is positive, and it begins with one great all-embracing "Thou shalt," "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God." That is the great commandment, and until that is fulfilled all works are vain. We are still persuaded that the religion of Be is the true religion, and that of Do is its fruit. TIMELY TOPICS. For Young People's Meetings. f The initial message of the Lord Jesus was, " Ye must be born a g a i n" (Jno. 3:7). This is a fundamental truth, needing great emphasis. You cannot understand the first principle of Christianity until your very soul grasps I this truth. THE NECESSITY. By natural birth we have a corrupt f? nature (Eph. 4:22). There is nothing good in it (Rom. 7:18). God's picture of it (Matt. 15:19). Its works de- scribed (Gal. 5:19-21). This nature alike in all born into this world (Rom. 8:8). Flesh is ialways flesh. Self-cul- ture of this old nature is like building a Babel tower to touch heaven, God puts no new wine into old bottles. NATURE OF NEW BIRTH, Born from above (Jno. 3:3 R. V.). Born from God (Jno. 1:1-3, 6:33; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10, 4:24). A new nature (1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Jno. 5:10-12). This is the nature or life of God, and is eternal; a life from above is essential to fit us for dwelling with God. Our THE NEW BIRTH. February 6th.
SHARP ARROWS.
A MATTER OF OPINION. "Harvey, you are making a great mistake in not being a Christian. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is eter- nal reality." " T h a t is a matter of opinion." " I f I should tell you that Caesar and Ms deeds were real history, would you say ' a mere matter of opinion'?" "No, certainly n o t !" "Ve ry well, but the life of Jesus is affirmed by the same kind of evidence as any other historical fact. How can it be a matter of opinion?" The commonly accepted facts of his- tory are certain; yes, if there is any certainty. The footprints of great men are as evident and lasting as those of bird and beast in the granite of the primeval ages. But the footprints of Jesus are deeper and clearer than any other. Besides the ordinary records and monuments attesting the works and words of the great and influential, which the testimony of Christ shares, and they include the Gospels, the Lord's Day, the Lord's Supper, the Church, baptism, —these are monuments no cyclone or earthquake can ever destroy, we have the moral character of His witnesses, their regeneration by the facts, their sufferings and self-denials, the holy nature of the witness, the moral influ- ence on mankind, the transfiguration of character, and the personal or experi- mental test of many present-day believ- ers, and add to this the predictions and types of the Old Testament fulfilled in Christ. All this, and more, in which other historical facts do not share, show the super-excellence of the proof of the life, words, and works of Christ. If other facts are well founded, and they are, those of Christianity are more so. ON THE BACK TRACK. ' ' Perhaps it will at last be seen that criticism after its long and painful exertions must return to the occupation of positions it has deserted." Who said that? Some ultra conservative, un- willing to grant that ' ' scholarship'' has demonstrated that the old view of the Bible, the Word of God, is false? No; but one of the .princes among scholars, himself a higher critic who had given up the supernatural as a part of our Christianity.
it, that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the Word (Eph. 5:26). The Holy Spirit sanctifies the believ- er (2 Thess. -2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2). We are sanctified by the blood (Heb. 13:12 R. V. Through the truth (Jno. 17:17). All believers are sanctified a Cor. 1:2 R. V.; 1 Cor. 6:11 R. V.). This sanctification is by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all, and those that are sanctified are per- fected forever (Heb. 10:10-14). There is another part to sanctifica- tion. The believer sets himself apart, for God (Rom. 11:1), then he progresses in the matter of sanctification. As he grows in grace and knowledge and sees more clearly the things which are dis- pleasing to God he separates himself from the (1 Thess. 4:1-10; 2 Pet. I l l : 18). Sanctification is position rather than possession. THE SURRENDER LIFE. February 27th. The word surrender is not in the Bible, but the principle is found exem- plified in Adam when he yielded to Satan and in the life of our Lord, Who yielded His whole will to the Father (Jno. 6:38). The basis for the full surrender of our lives to God is that we are not oar own, we belong to God (1 Cor. 6:19). Purchased with blood (Acts 20:28). We must not live unto ourselves (2 Cor. 5:15). The surrendered life is a spirit filled life (Eph. 5:18). A life of obedi- ence (2 Cor. 10:5). A life of delight (Psa. 50:8). God demands surrender (Jas. 4:7). Believers are to be the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart (Eph. 6:6). So long as there is unwillingness to yield everything to God there must be friction and unrest. We must serve someone, either God or the devil (Rom. 6:16). There can never be any real joy or satisfaction m a believer's life until it is yielded ab- solutely to God; neither can there bo any power. One can go on in the hum drum life, but we ào not, deceive a n y - one, worldly people have no confidence in our profession, God is not glorified and we are not happy. Heaven is har- mony. There can be no harmony where there are two wills. Surrender to God absolutely and as fast as undiscovered opposition arises yield it to Him. Do not dare to have your own will about anything. Have heaven now (Rom. 12:1-2).
life is hid with Christ, in God (Col. 1:3), so it safe and secure. MYSTERY OF NEW BIRTH. It cannot be explained. It is like the blowing of the breeze upon your cheek (Jno. 3:8; 1 Cor. 2:11), but jit can be realized (1 Jno. 3:14). If this new nature is an absolute necessity, before one can enter into the Kingdom of God, what will become of the young people who have never accepted Christ as Saviour, and what is our responsibility concerning it? JUSTIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER February 13th. The word " j u s t i f y '' means to make or declare right. One is justified when there is a judicial declaration that that such an one is right or righteous. A lawbreaker can never be justified; he can be punished and serve his Sen- tence, or he may be forgiven—par- doned, but he is always a pardoned criminal. The law can never justify a lawbreaker. We are sinners. How can we become right in God's sight? The law does not justify IUS (Eom. 111:20). We cannot justify ourselves, for Jesus condemns such (Luke 14:15). Works of the flash cannot justify (Gal. 11:16). When God declares us righteous, he makes us as though we never had sinned. How can He do it? By grace, by His unmerited favor (Titus 3:7). By His Son He justifies us from all things (Acts 13:39). Through the blood of His Son (Rom. 5:9. The blood is the life which atones for our sins. By our faith (Bom. 5:1). Believing that the grace of God has supplied this need through the blood of Christ, we accept it and rejoice in it. Faith justi- fies lis, before God, who sees our hearts. We are justified berore men, by our works (.Jas. 2:21-24). See, also, Rom. 8:1; Jas. 2:10; Eccl. 7:20; 1 Cor. 6:9; Prov. 2:7; 1 Pet. 3:18. Justification is an immediate act of God in our behalf, when we believe. February 20th. SANCTIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER. Sanctification is a greatly misused and misunderstood word. It means sep 1 aration or a setting apart. God sanc- tifies when He sets apart anything or person. He sanctified the temple (2 Chron. '7:16). He sanctified His Son Jesus Christ (Jno. 10:36). Christ has sanctified the Church. "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ, also loved the Church and gave Himself for
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Brief Thoughts For Busy Teachers As Taught by T. G. Horton at the Bible Institute. LESSON VI. Sunday, February 6, 1910. Almsgiving and prayer (Matt. 6:1-15). Golden Text—6:1. THEME. Principles for Practice in Eight living. OUTLINE. The Motive in Doing Eight (1:4). The Merit in Prayer (5:8). The Model for Prayer (9:15). OSTENTATIOUS GIVING. There are temptations attacking those who seek to do deeds of kindness. The devil says, "Alms giving is more excellent than offerings," "Equal to the whole l aw ," "Will deliver from the condemnation of hell." The tend- ency is to claim much of merit for doing good deeds. The snare in alms giving is to make a show of it—to sound a trumpet before you. Heading a sub- scription may be a trumpet sound call- ing attention to yourself. Public giv- ing is sometimes necessary and may spring from a loyal heart. Cornelius was a devout man and gave much alms to the people (Acts 10:1-4), and God accepted it as unto Himself and bore testimony to it. " L e t your light so shine that men may sfee your good works" is Scriptural. 1. 2. 3. 15).
Bear in mind that this passage is a section of an address and that all of the parts are related. The King is speaking to his kinsmen, the religious Jews who still maintain the form of godliness and magnified the externals of their religious devotions. The teaching has a world wide application. We are not. free from the errors cited here and can well afford to give earnest heed to these words of wisdom. (1) THE MOTIVE IN DOING- EIGHT. "Take heed that ye do not righteousness to he seen." The word alms in the original means righteousness,, or right acts, kind acts. The law proscribed no rules for the observance of daily duties in the minor matters—such as giving to the needy, helping the distressed. The .Tewish leaders had laid down a good many reg- ulations and the Lord seeks to correct some abuses growing out of them and at the same time to illumine their minds as to the real motive which should characterize true kindness. He takes three religious duties and special- ises them—alms giving, prayer and fasting. Our lesson deals with the first two. THE OBLIGATION TO GIVE. The Lord takes it for granted that they will be kind and generous— "When thou doest alms." There is an inequality in our social condition—al- ways has been, always will be—"For the poor ye have always with you." This is a beneficent arrangement of providence. It is God's provision for the promotion of thq best impulses in men. We need the lesson of depend- ence upon God and we need also the outlet for: tho overflow of love to God which finds a channel in gifts to the needy.: The rich need the poor and the poor need -the rich—in fact we need each other in this world.
The merit in giving is in the motive which prompts it. Righteousness is a condition of heart rather than the exer- cise of a ritual. We must do good without being occupied with it—with- out knowing it. As our shadow falls unseen behind us so should our works of love and mercy be wrought. When we give to be seen of men we have our. reward. The giving which is done un- observed is noticed of God and will bring a rich reward. (2) MEEIT IN PEAYEE. "Thy Father which seeth." Here again all are supposed to pray.. "Wh en thou prayest." Pity the peo- ple who do not pray—but pity more those who make a mockery of such a solemn and holy thing as prayer. Pub- lie prayer is necessary sometimes and should be most helpful to those who are led—but also many pray like the Pharisee who "prayed with himself." Such seek a place of prominence to herald their hypocracy. The pilgrims in Burmah ring a bell to call attention of the gods to their prayers. Some of the elements in true prayer are sincerity. Think of praying to God to be seen of men. The thought itself is incon- gruous—absurd—yet the Lord warns that such a spirit creeps into the heart of one making a public prayer. You read sometimes of eloquent prayer .as if there could be any such thing as elo- quence in man's words in the ears of
what from the prayer in Matthew. There has been a wide difference of opinion as to whether this prayer was intended to be used as a form of prayer or a model; whether the words were to be repeated exactly as given or whether the words constituted the great prin- ciple of prayer. If the words are to be used should we add the doxology— " F o r Thine is the Kingdom," etc.— which are now omitted in the revised version, and if so, would that be add- ing to the Word of God? At a, later date the Lord said, "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My n ame" (Jno. 16: 24). Paul says in Rom. 8:26-27, " We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for u s . " This prayer is very precious, as is all else that fell from the lips of our blessed Lord. It is divine. For sin- cerity, simplicity and fullness it is in- comparable. The order of development and the proportions are all perfect. The prayer is addressed to Father. This introduces a new relationship to men, hitherto unknown. í h e old dis- pensation revealed Him as the ' ' Al- mighty, Most High, J e h o v a h ;" names suggesting His supreme power and al- mightiness, but the term Father reveals the heart of God. Father is a new re- lationship made possible by the coming of the Son. Nationally God had related Himself to Israel as Father (Ex. 4:22), but by reason of their sin, they were not now God's people (Hos. 1:9). They were the outcast nation, to be brought back again in a future age (Hos. 1:10). He is Father to those who are pure in heart and who are peacemakers, which implies relationship by a new birth. Those who receive the Son (Jno. 1:12) become the children of God (Jno. 1:13). The Fatherhood of God and the brother- hood of man is often used in a very unscriptural and misleading manner. God can never acknowledge the name of Father from any one who fails to acknowledge His beloved Son as Sa- viour, Sin Bearer and Sin Purger. Sin Bearer and Sin Purger. Hallowed Be Thy Name —Sacred, holy, Name! . The name stands for the person, the character. When we are told "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name ," it does not mean merely the use of the words Lord Jesus, but the recognition of Him and His character and of the fact that there can be no denial when His Name is used. So Father is a hallowed Name and stands for all of holiness, justice, truth, power,
God. To the Spirit-filled be'iëver the suggestion of eloquent praying is of- fensive. If our prayers are framed to fit the form demanded by people how objectionable they must be to God. Public prayers should be divested of all effort to make them appear beautiful— they should be definite; they should be the outflowing of a heart in eommunion with the Lord. Simplicity. Publie prayers should be simple and direct. As a child talks with the father, so should we talk with our heavenly Father. In language easy to be under- stood and with faith that is child-like, we should come with holy boldness to ask what he will. Short. We are not heard for our much speaking—but for our plain speaking! For the most part, public prayers should be short. Thé long prayer in the ehureh service could be advantageously revised. They tend to verbosity and become perfunctory. Here comes the danger of vain repe- tition—babbling as do the heathen— " O Baal, B a a l" (1 KiDgs 18:26), and "Great is D i a n a" (Acts 19:34). Better have a heart without words than words without heart. Spiritual. Prayer is devotional and should at all times be reverential. While God is our Father and we are His children, we must remember that He is alsjo God, .the mighty Jehovah, the holy One, before whom all the hosts of heaven bow, and our attitude should be one of worship. We need to cultivate the spirit of reverence. There is a strong drift toward flippancy in our services and an unnecessary use of the name of our _ Lord -Tesu tenderness and love of the mighty One. Would that men would hallow it! Thy Kingdom Come— Men deny God'¡3 right to rule, so the prayer leads us to the time when His Kingdom shall be established. Before the Kingdom can eome, the King must come and set up His Kingdom; and before the King can do that, we must be caught up to be with Him when He comes, so we pray, with John, the old apostle, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." The King- dom of the Father comes when the righteous shine forth as the sun (Matt. 13:43). Thy Will Be Done— This part of the petition projects us into a future age. Never until there is a new heaven and a new earth in which dwelleth right- eousness, can the petition be answered (1 Cor. 15:24-25). Even during the Millenium, men will yield feigned obe- dience to God's will. When His will is done down here, it will be heaven down here. Doing His will makes heaven in our hearts now. Give Us This Day —The prayer is for daily dependence upon Father for the supply of all need; food for our body and for our souls (Prov. 30:8). " F e ed me with food convenient." We live for a day at a time. "Lord, for to- morrow and its needs I do not p r a y ." He may come today and our need will be over. Forgive Us Our Debts —No one can say Father who is not a son, and for the son there is absolute forgiveness for every sin. Having forgiven all vour trespasses' (Col. 2:13; Eph. 1:7). "But the other side of the truth is that, be- ing sons and having the Jife- of God, we cannot hold enmity or have an un- forgiving spirit toward any, without cutting ourselves off from fellowship with ' God. Unless we forgive others, we can have no communion with God. So we have bread for body and forgive- ness for soul «11 supplied in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). My God shall sup- ply all your need. Bring Us Not Into Temptation Testings are good for us. "Count it all joy when you fall into divers temp- tations" (.Jas. 1:2). In them God proves His power to us and we prove our faith in God. Certain temptations are to be avoided—"Let him that standeth take heed lest he f a l l '' (1 Cor. 10:13). Deliver Us From the Evil One— Satan is the Great Enemy of God and man. Christ was manifested to destroy him (1 Jno. 3:8). He can only be overcome by submission to God (Jas. 4:7); by vigilance (1 Pet. 5:8); by prayer (Eph. 6:18). We need to fear him and to remember that " H e only can help us so that the wicked one toucheth us n o t " (1 Jno. 5:18). POINTS PRACTICAL. True humility of heart needs no heralding. Advise with God about your gifts, but do not advertise the amount that you give. It will help you to peacefully pillow your head, if you empty your purse in the pocket of poverty. Prayer must be real, if aught is to be realized.. The soul that seeks in secret the glory of God, will have a royal reward. LESSON VII. Sunday, February 13, 1910. Worldliness and Trust (Matt. 6:1934). Golden Text, Matt. 6:33. (1) The True Treasury....l9-23 (2) The Two Masters 24 (3) The Tranquil Trust....25-34 Following the lesson on Sincerity in Almsgiving, the King dwells on honesty in the matter of fasting, rebuking those who made fasting an occasion for the display of their pride, and showing how depraved is the human heart. The. les- son for today follows logically. (1) THE TRUE TREASURY. "Treas- ures in heaven." The word treasures here includes whatever we value, and may include personal property, wealth, abilities, friendships, etc. The Lord inveighs against the storing of our riches in an earthly treasure house. Commanded to Accumulate— We can- not lay up treasures unless we possess them. Every believer should be a mil- lionaire—he should begin to accumu- late as soon as he is saved and should keep piling up his wealth while he lives. There ought not to be any poor people in heaven, but there will be. Some will have their property all burned up and will just get an entrance and no more (1 Cor. 3:15). Earthly treasures have within them the elements of self-de- struction—nothing is enduring which is earthy. Three terms may represent the insincerity of earthly things: Decay— Much of the wealth of the Orient was invested in rich and costly clothing. When it was laid away, not in use, it was subject to moths, which speedily put the death mark upon it. is no union between God and Mammon, between light and darkness. Whoever is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. Eiehes are not sinful, but the bowing to them and serving them is a sin. Poor men worship Mammon as much as rich men. Whoever seeks to serve both God and Mammon, will end by deserting God. Men must choose. " I f the Lord be God, follow Him; if Baal, then follow h i m" (1 Ki. 17:21). We cannot play politics with God. Bunyan has a faced-two-ways man, but God has only men who face one way, and that Godward. We must serve some one master. We must be obe- dient to some one will and must choose here and now who are master'shall be. (3) THE TRANQUIL TRUST. Take no anxious thought for your life, would be a better reading. We are to take thought—we must. The farmer sows with a thought of the har- vest. We plan our service with" refer- ence to the future—but we. are not." anxious. DON'T WORRY. This is the sum of this section, and it is well worth our meditation. Work is a blessing, not a harm, but worry wears out the life. Worry is the height of foolish- ness. It not only does no good, but it brings the greatest harm. Worry unfits people for any kind of work, and dis- honors God. It is said of Mr. Carnegie that he once declared, " I would give one hun- dred million dollars, right now, if I could be absolutely assured of ten more years of life"—but he could not, with millions, add one cubit to his stature. Ten more years of life would not change the conditions. A man was once walking, with his brother, in the beau- tiful gardens surrounding his palace, aiid said to him, ' ' You ought to be happy, here." His brother answered,' "Yes, but there is that dreaded death." He could not stay that dreaded visitor. Worry belongs to the wicked and they have reason to worry. It would be a profitable thing if they could worry themselves sick of their sin. "Woe to the wicked; it shall be ill with them." Worry Is Faithless —There are three things over which most of our worries come—food, raiment, shelter; these three comprise the sum of living, down here; the things which are essential to life's sustenance. God feeds the birds —they neither sow nor reap, yet God careth for them.' We sow, and reap and ought to be able to trust: God to Depredation— If spared from moths and rust, there were theives who in- vaded the homes and treasure houses, spoiling and plundering the property. All the elements combine to rob us of earthy accumulations—storms, winds, waters, pests, cold and heat. The earth shakes, cities disappear, mountains move from their foundations, ships go down, the hope and fruit of years van- ish in a moment. Disease touches the body, it wastes and withers, the limbs are paralyzed, the mind gives away. Death comes and robs us of our loved ones. If your heart is set upon any or all of these, woe be unto you. There is insecurity so far as safety is con- cerned, and insufficiency so far as sal- vation is concerned. The Soul's Object —Some object must be paramount in every life. The " e y e " is the lamp, not the light; the Word is the light. The eye has the capability of receiving the light. The eye stands for the purpose. An evil eye is a dis- eased eye, darkening the soul. It sees double; is not able to distinguish be- tween truth and error. " E a t not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire his dainty meals, for as he thinketh in his heart so is he. Eat and drink, saith he, to thee, but his heart is not with t h e e" (Prov. 23:6). A single eye has a perfectly unclouded vision. If the object of the heart is Christ Jesus, the whole body will have the light. If the heart is fixed upon Christ, the treasure will follow the heart and will be safely housed in heaven. How could any say that they were devoted to the Lord, that Christ and His glory was the object of their life, if they put their possessions where the danger was so great of losing, and of losing, with them, their eternal reward. (2) THE TWO MASTEBS. "No man can serve two masters." There is, in this verse, a further de- velopment of the them« we have con- sidered. Mammon stands for a per- sonification of that in which men put their trust; as worldly possessions, pleasure, earthly honor, etc. All of these things belong to the earth and the earth is ruled by Satan. So there are two masters—God and Satan. The Lord is imperial. He will not stand for any divided honor. He liketh not a half-hearted service. The Lord de- mands absolute loyalty. " Ye call mo Lord and Master and so I AM." You eannot belong to rival parties. There we do not want to have our own wi'il— then we will find He will keep us in perfect peace. Be careful for nothing, be prayerful in everything, be thankful for anything, and He will garrison your soul against all worry. POINTS PRACTICAL. If you deposit your securities with your Sovereign, in heaven, you can sleep soundly. Your heart will find its home where its treasures are housed. What you give to the Lord, is gain. What you lay up on earth, is loss. Periods of plenty are followed by seasons of scarcity. Put your trust in Providence. • Make Mammon your servant and compel it to glorify God. Anxiety for tomorrow will sap your strength for today. The foremost thing is the will and work of God. Put first things first. Who lives for the world to come will find it well worth living for. LESSON v m . February 20, 1910. THE GOLDEN RULE—TEMPERANCE LESSON. Matt. 7:1-12. Golden text—7:12. OUTLINE. (1) Seeing Your Sins 1- 5 (2) Selecting Your Message 6 (3) Supply Through Supplication....7-ll (4) Square Deal | 12 The lesson is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount and presents some searching and striking truths. (1) SEEING YOUR OWN SINS. "The beam out of thine own eye." This first paragraph can only be understood when we understand what the word judge, as used here, means. The word has various shades of mean- ing—sometimes it means condemn; again, to pronounce guilty or to accuse, to pass sentence. Here it has the thought of expressing an opinion of another in a censorious spirit. The motive that actuates and the spirit in which it is given, is the thing the Lord condemns. ' Do not always be judging. The judicial element is in us all. We are prone to sit as jurors, not always unbiased; not distinguishing between the necessity of forming an opinion, and passing judgment. Christ is the ruler in the Kingdom and alone conpetent to judge, because He, alone, knows what is in the heart of men. • do the rest. "How much more are ye than many sparrows." If God sows, reaps and gathers for the fowls of the air, will He not do as much in behalf of those for wham Jesus Christ died? God clothes the lilies, and their gar- ments transcend, in beauty, the most elaborate vestures of a Solomon. Will He not clothe His own children? Has He not already clothed us with His own righteousness? Has He not as- sured us that we will be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (2 Cor. 5:2-5)? When He has prom- ised us our resurrection bodies, will He forget or forsake us now? Can He? A man can receive nothing except it be given him (,Tno. 3:27). Having given unto us His Son, how shall He not, with Him, also freely give us all things? Will He be likely to stint us? If, when we were rebels against His grace, He gave His Son to die for us, now that we are His children, will He cast us off or neglect us? Is it not sad to hear Him say, "O, ye of little f a i t h ," when He said to the Syro- pheniciari women, "Woman, great is thy f a i t h "? To worry is to do great injustice to God, who has proven, in a thousand ways, His faithfulness. It is a base reflection upon His love—and His love passeth understanding. A reflection ¡upon His power, as though God was not able to do exceeding abundantly above all we would ask or think. A reflection upon His faithfulness, whose Word declares. My God shall supply all your need (Phil. 4:19). The Father knows. The antidote for worry is trust! The foundation of trust is knowledge. We trust in proportion to our knowledge. If we know Him. we will trust Him. The worrying Christian is one who does not know the Father. We are not to trust in ourselves (2 Cor. 11:1-9; 1 Cor. 4:7); nor in riches (Prov. 11:24); nor in secular or religious alliances. These are a refuge of lies, and will be swept away in the storm—but we trust in the living God. We trust Him because we do know Him as a God ,of love, a God of merey, a God of power, a faithful God, and we will trust in Ilim forever. He says He will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him. What we need is settled ¿onvictions concern- ing God, His Word, His works. Settled affections, centering our affections upon Him, with a settled will. Abandoned to. Him, surrenedred alisolntoly, so that the dogs. To the uncircumcised, the word of the Lord is a reproach (Jer. 11:45). John reproved Herod, and Herod put him to death. Pearls are the only gems spoken of in the Gos- pels. The church is a pearl of great price, for which the Lord sold His all to purchase it (Matt. 13:45-46). The precious truths of the Gospel are pearls. How much we need wisdom in speaking to people, lest we fail to give a portion in season, on one hand, and lest we east pearls before swine, on the other. Look for wisdom (Jas. 1:5). (3) SUPPLY THROUGH SUPPLICA- TION. "Everyone that asketh receiveth." Here is a lesson on prayer, short and sweet. It is the King talking, telling how those who have entered into the Kingdom may enjoy the privileges. Children have rights peculiar to their relationship. They hav? needs, and the Father, knowing them, has laid up in store an abundance for its supply. Here He puts Himself and His resources at their disposal. " A s k " is a command; " Ye shall receive," a concession. Later, Jesus said, ' ' Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name, He will give it y o u " (Jno. 16:23), and it will be given because the Father loves us (Jno. 16:27). The lesson is char- acterized by its simplicity. How home- like is the illustration! Will a. father fail to respond to his child's cry for bread? There were three things counted as necessities for travelers on a jour- ney—bread, fish and egg; these were the principal form of food. What kind of a father would he be who would give a hungry child a stone, for bread? He says, if yOu ask, God will answer; if you seek, He will reveal Himself; if you knock, He will open , the door. Now we ask for what we need. ' ' My God shall supply all your need," Paul, says (Phil. 4:19). There can be no need which our Father will not sup- ply, if we fulfill His conditions. We seek for what we have lost—what we miss. If we have lost fervor in prayer, or fellowship with God in love for souls:—if we seek for it, we shall find it. Perhaps we have lost our bearings and have wandered away from the will of our Father—if we seek, we shall find. If we knock, He opens the door. We are sure of His presence, we see His- face, our needs are supplied, we are in fellowship with Himself, we look into His face. God does' not have. to be importuned. If He keeps us waiting, Sagacious Judgment —There are some things which we are enjoined to judge. Our senses are to be exercised in dis- cerning good and evil (Heb. 5:4). We are to be wise concerning that which is good and simple (pure) concerning evil (Rom. 16:19). We must know what is evil, deciding between right and wrong. "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." We are to judge those within the church (1 Cor. 5:12). By their fruits ye shall know them. We are to judge not according to ap- pearances, but righteous judgment (Jno. 7:24). Christ's judgment of the Phari- sees was just (Matt. 23:13-23). We are not to judge rashly or harshly. We are bound to condemn wrong in others, but use merit for the seale with the incline on the side of merit. Spiritual Surgery —We need a looking glass in order to see ourselves. Often our judgment of others is our own self- condemnation. The beam in our eye needs removing, but the eye is very tender and it is a heroic thing to. do. There is a story of a monk who carried a sack of wood slung over his shoulder, out of sight; the sand, the neighbor's faults, always in sight. This pulling out of the beam will wonderfully help us to see clearly. To correct others, we need a moral equipment. If our judgment is from any other motive, it is wrong in principle. The fault, in judging, lies in the inclination to mag- nify the faults of others and to mimify our own. We need to reverse the order. Reproof of others should be candid, but considerate; the snuffers in the Temple were of pure gold. Judgment is oftentime of a character designed to put the man's eye out, rather than to relieve his infirmity. There is danger, in rebuke, that we carry our teeth in our tongue, to bite while we speak. We should seek to heal a wound without leaving a scar. (2) SELECTING YOUR MESSAGE. "Neither cast your pearls before swine." Truth must be suited to the recipient and to the occasion. We are to deal with men according to their characters. Some truth is designed for the saint and some for the sinner. Rightly di- vide the Word (2 Tim. 2:15). Milk is for -"the babes and meat for the men (1 Cor. 3:2). The dog goes to his vomit and the hog to his wallowing. Sheep will do neither. Holy things be- long to the Sanctuary—they were given to the priests and were never given to it is to make us conscious of our need, so that our prayers shall be definitely real. Why are not our prayers always answered? Is it because He sometimes calls and we do not answer? Because He seeks, and we deny Him our fellow- ship? He knocks, and we will not open the door of our will? "Because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded" (Prov. 1:24). Does He sometimes so treat us in order to bring us to our knees in confession? We ask and re- ceive not, because we ask amiss (.Jas. 4:3). "How much more?" This is the fullness of the assurance of the pro- vision there is for us, in this blessed promise. Good gifts await us. " H e that spared not His own Son, but de- livered Him up for us all, how shall He not, with Him, also, freely give us all things?" The greater includes the lesser. If you are in fellowship with Him, go in and help yourself; the door is open. (4) SQUARE DEAL. "Do ye even so to him." This section of the teaching closes with these memorable words, with which the Lord clinches the whole ar- gument of their relation to the world; all -the law and prophets are here summed up. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:39-40). Owe no man anything but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law—for all the law is fulfilled in one word—thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Gal. 5:14). This is Christ's law of • reciprocity. It is the fundamental law for judg- ment. It is the two-foot rule of Chris- tianity, with which you can solve all the problems of life, social and family. Corifuciiis taught this law from the negative side, "Do not do to others." Christ puts it from the positive side. It is heaven's law; it was exemplified by Christ. Put yourself in the other man 's place. This is a hard task for sinful men ai>d an impossible one. It is a high mark. We talk about giving a man a square deal! If the church gives the heathen a square deal, it will give them the Gospel. If we give our fellow men a square deal wo will tell them the whole truth—about sin, about judgment, about Christ and salvation, about heaven and hell. POINTS PRACTICAL. Have a high standard of judgment; sit on your own bench and judge your own sins first, then the sins of others. Stop seeking to spy the spots in your neighbor's house and dust the dirt in your own. He is best fitted to find fault with others in whom no fault is to be found. More self-examination would lead to less condemnation of others; and more discrimination to less recrimination. God is not deaf; why should men be dumb? When prayer ascends like a flame, blessings descend like a flood. If righteousness reigns in our hearts, our lives will be regulated by the Golden Rule. LESSON IX. Sunday, February 27, 1910. Matt. 7:13-29. Golden Text—Matt. 7:21. FALSE AND TRUE DISCIPLESHIP. OUTLINE. (1) Way of Life .. 13-14 (2) Warning Against False Teach- 1 ers ..... 15-2Q (3) Will of the Father... 21-23 (4) Wise Builder 24-27 (5) Word of Authority 28-29 This is the closing lesson of the won- derful sermon. It will not bo a ques- tion of matter, but a question of se- lection in this lesson: the material is superabundant. For the teacher of the lower grades, the theme of "Cho i c e" should be taken; choice of gates, roads, will, fruit, foundation, etc. Eternal destinies may be wrapped in the teach- ing of this lesson: teach for eternity. No teacher should dare to handle this lesson without first steeping it in prayer. You may have, those in your class who have never made a confes- sion; you may have unsaved church members; now is the time to bring the truth elearly and forcefully to their hearts. (1) WAY OF LIFE. Narrow is the way . . . unto life. The Lord closes the Sermon with a striking command. If any are to be disciples in His Kingdom and practice the precepts He sets forth, they must enter into life through a door. There are many who talk glibly about taking the Sermon on the Mount for their creed, who never get to this verse, yet this verse is at the threshold of the Kingdom life. The Oate Is Open —Over its portals is the invitation, " En t er ye i n . " Luke
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