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much difference between us, and we should all take to the bushes, like Adam and Eve, to stitch more fig leaves. 3. The Poor in Spirit. The Lord Jesus had more reason to be proud than any. Why? Yet H e was “meek and lowly in mind” (Matt. 11:29). It would be some thing to be proud of to be like Him. But the best ground for pride would be that we were not proud. “We count the proud happy,” but Jesus calls the lowly minded the truly happy, and they are the not alone beatific, but the most beautiful, too. Let us prove it by a true story: Attracted by her loveliness, in form and manners, a queen took a simple peasant child to her palace to see how she would act in the presence of so much earthly glory, and of the fine ladies she would meet. When seated at the splendid table, the little maid gazed on the magnificence, and gorgeous finery, then folded her hand, and as if quite at home, began to sing, “Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, Are all my loveliness and dress; Fearless with these pure garments on ' I’ll joyful stand before thy throne.” Do you say “Beautiful! happy child” ? then be as true and simple. But remember, “Pride must have a fall.” Sunday, January 11 What My School Studies Teach Me About God.—Ps. 3:1-9. 1 Our Language Studies. It jvould be worth all our toil if only to learn to read the Bible. Thousands have learned in their old age for no other purpose. The very word “word” should remind us of Him who is “the Word” (John 1:1). 2. Our Nature Studies. These should lead us to exclaim, “O L ord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth 1” and “The heavens declare the blory of God” (Ps. 19:1). (1) They should make us know that there is a God. Everything shows that it is for Some use, our eyes to see, our hands to handle, our tongues to speak, and there- Concluded on page 599
men curse you, say, or at least think, “God bless you.” 9, Refrain Your Tongue. See the study for December 14. 10. Turn your Back on Evil, and your face toward peace (Rom. 12:18). The text in Romans means so far as your part goes keep the peace. Would you wish that those who look at your picture should say, “How beautiful?” Let your face be that of Peter’s good Chris tian. Sunday, January 4 The Beatitudes: I. Don’t Be Proud. —Matt. 5:3. ( consecration meeting ) 1. “Beatitude”—from a Latin word, beatus, happy; used of these verses because they begin with “Blessed,” which means blissful or happy. A philosopher sent “A Treatise On Happiness” to a famous Greek governor advising him to read it. He re plied, “I am too busy.” The Beatitudes are a treatise on happiness. We must not be too busy to study or too proud to prac tice them; else we shall miss the end to which all busi-ness is meant to lead, viz., happiness. 2. Pride. The first beatitude condemns pride. The poor, not the proud, in spirit are happy: Pride can never be happy . His robes are always dragging in the dirt and getting stepped on; and, however vain, always ashamed of itself. Think—What can a sinner have to be proud of? and all are sinners. Ashamed to stand in God’s presence, how be proud before men? Be cause God can see just what we really are, but men only what we appear to be. Shall we be ashamed of what we are, yet proud of what we seem? “Fine feathers do not make fine birds.” Pride is a strutting tur key cock fatting |or the pot, soon to be plucked of all his fine plumes. The skirts of the proud are diaphanous, everybody can see through them, and if they could see themselves as “ithers see” them, shame would subdue their pride. If all were stripped of their cover there would not be
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