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The King's Business
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NO. 5
VOL. 1
MAY. 1910
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The Scriptures are a house builded on a Rock. The weapon of offense which shall im- pair their efficiency in the redemption of man- kind has not yet been forged.—W. E. Glad- stone. I have read it through many times. I now make a point of going through it once a year. It is the book of all others for the lawyer.-— Daniel Webster.
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Published Monthly by the BIBLE INSTITUTE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
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Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven—Psalm 119:89 Itblf Snatfiui^ (Incorporated ) 260-264 South Main Street (Second Floor) L*os Angeles, California
DIBECTOBS:
E. A. K. Hackett W. E. Blackstone
S. I. Merrill W, L. Green
Lyman Stewart, President Rev. A. B. Prichard, Vice Pre». 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.
Doctrinal Position
Purpose
Tfee Institute trains accredited men and women, free of cost, in the knowledge and use of the Bible.
Departments
(1) The Institute Classes held daily except Satur- day and Sunday. (2) Extension Work. Classes and conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted toy compe- tent evangelists under our direction. (4) Spanish Mission. Meetings every Inight for Spanish-speaking people and house visitatioi. (5) Shop Work. Begular services in sfiops and factories all the year. (6) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work Vn homes for the Hebrew people. / (7) Bible Women. House-to-house work fend neigh- borhood classes. (8) Aqueduct. Work among the 4000 mbn on, the new aqueduct. i f ) Oil Fields. A mission to the men bn the oil fields. (30) Books and Tracts. Sale and distribution of selected books and tracts.
PRAY FOR THE WORK AND WORKERS OF THE INSTITUTE, If ye abide in me and My Words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.—John 15:7 j
Special Features of This Age.
MAURO f a t h e rs in the prophets, at the end of these days He has spoken unto us in His S o n ." This, of necessity, is the last word of grace, and completes the revelation of God to guilty and disobedient man. Now that He has manifested the riches of His grace in the g i ft of His Son, and in the message of peace and par- doning love which He has brought to the children of disobedience [ " f o r the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus C h r i s t" John 1: 17)], there is a long pause, during which God is silent, permitting man to have his say and to multiply his words. This interruption of God's open deal- ing with the world and of the uttering of His voice, He explained in 2 Pet. 3:9. I ts purpose is to give to all men an opportunity of accepting the oifer of remission of sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ, the risen Son of God. It is not an indication of slack- ness, on the p a rt of the Lord, to fulfill His promise of coming again, though it has given occasion to many to say so. In the chapter referred to, the Apostle Peter gives the solemn warn- ing (verse 3), " t h a t there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking a f t er their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the f a t h e rs fell asleep all things con- tinue as they were f r om the beginning of the creation.'' And then he ex- plains this long delay, saying (verse 9), " T h e Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slack- ness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to r e p e n t a n c e ." But God will speak again. The Lord will break this long silence and will cause His glorious voice to be heard. But when He speaks again it will be, not in grace, but in judgment. " B e- hold it is written before Me; I will not keep s i l e n c e" (Isa. 14:6). "Wh o se voice then shook the earth; but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also h e a v e n" (Heb. 12:26). " F o r the powers of the heavens shall be s h a k e n" (Matt. 24:29). " T h o se wicked powers in the heavenly places which are under the direction of the prince of the powers of the air, and with whom the Christian has his warfare, these
By PHILIP 1. It is the age of the absent and rejected Christ. What gives the age its special character is not merely that Christ is personally absent; but that His absence is the consequence of vio- lent and murderous rejection by those whose lead the age has followed, and with whose purpose it has been in full accord and sympathy and who hence are appropriately called " t h e princes (i. e., rulers or leaders) of this a g e " ' (1 Cor. 2:8)'. 2. It is tne age of the presence on earth of the Holy Spirit, whose age- work we have already considered. 3. It is the age of the forming of the church—the body of Christ, and the building of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and proph- ets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, and against which the gates of hades shall not prevail. This building of God is the church in its inner character, and is distinct f r om the visible, external church, which the moon typifies, and in which, since human responsibility enters, there is failure. 4. It is the " d a y of s a l v a t i o n ," the dispensation of the grace of God, in which remission of sins and eternal life are preached among all nations in the name of the crucified Son of God, whom the Father has raised from among the dead, and seated at His own right hand. 5. I t is the " a g e of the wo r l d ," the age in which " t h e w o r l d" in the fullness of the development of its aims and of its organization, comes into prominence, and occupies the earth. 6. It is the age whereof Satan is t. a god; that is, the spiritual guide, to whom homage is paid—the age in which he prosecutes, to the full limit, his business of " b l i n d i ng the minds of the unbelieving.'' 7. It is the age ensuing upon the completion of God's revelation to man; and, consequently, as it has been aptly called, the age of the " s i l e n ce of Go d ." Rotherham gives the literal transla- tion of Heb. 1:1 as follows: ' ' Whereas, in many parts and in many ways of old, God spake unto the
shall be shaken, and Satan shall be east d o w n" (Rev. 12:7-9). " O u r God shall come and shall not keep silence; a' fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people" (Ps. 1:8, 4). " A n d the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lightning down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with In Genesis all things begin; In Exodus God's son goes out; Leviticus provides for sin; And Numbers notes the pilgrim-route. In Deuteronomy they're charged The Law to keep without rebuke; Then Moses sings, his task discharged, And thus completes the Pentateuch. The Historical Books. In Joshua God divides the land; In Judges oft the tribes rebel; In Ruth the Kinsman gives his hand, Then First and Second Samuel And First and Second Kings, will tell The rise, division, and the fall Of Judah and of Israel. Two Chronicles review it all. In Ezra Jews return; the band, In Nehemiah, build the wall; While Esther _ shows the hidden-hand In J ewr y 's rise and Haman's fall. The Poetical Books. Job teaches faith to wait and bear; The Psalms are Zion's melodies; The Proverbs wisdom's words declare; Ecclessiastes vanities. The Song of Songs now hymns the love Between the Bridegroom and the Bride; Next Prophets, lightened from above, Exhort, and tell what shall betide. The Prophetical Books. Isaiah gospel grace proclaims, Christ's passion, triumph, and His reign; Then Jeremiah, numbering, names The length of captive Judah's chain; And Lamentations mourns her fall. The wonderous wheels Ezekiel sees, A temple, too, surpassing all; Daniel the end-time mysteries. Hosea chides the adulterous one; Joel predicts the last dread day; Amos the fall of David's throne;
scattering and tempest, and hailstones'' (Isa. 30:30). This hour is close at hand; yet today He is still saying, ' ' Lottk unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the e a r t h ; " " H o every one that thirsteth, come ye to the w a t e r s ;" " A n d who- soever will, let him take of the water of life f r e e l y " (Isa. 14:22, 4:1; Rev. 22:17). ' ' Wherefore-, the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your h e a r t s" (Heb. 4:7, 8). (Extracts taken from Phillip Mauro's new book on " M a n ' s Da y . ") Its rise again to rule for aye. In Obadiah Esau fails, Jacob by grace the birth-right wins. In Jonah life from death prevails To turn even Gentiles from their sins. Micah beholds the Star of Day On Bethlehem Ephratah's skies; Nahum the pride of Nineveh Ignoble fall, no more to rise. Habakkuk, Chaldea's doom detailed, For bloody deeds and cruel wrong, Declares that faith, tho all things failed, Would make Jehovah still her song. Then Zephaniah sings of rest When all the ransomed gather home; And Haggai sees that temple blest To which the Lord Himself hath come. In Zechariah springs the Branch, Two Shepherds; cloven Olivet; Last, Malachi foretells of staunch Elijah who is coming yet. The New Testament Books. Matthew, and Mark, and Luke entwine The words and deeds of Jesus, Lord; John proves the Savior, Christ, Divine; And Acts the Spirit's work records. F a i t h 's righteousness in Romans trace; The Church in both Corinthians; Galations proves us saved by grace; ' ' In H i m ' ' unlocks Ephesians. Philipians hath the message sweet, "Rejoice, r e j o i c e "; Colossians shows Believers all in Christ complete; i The Thessalonians propose The Christ and Antichrist to come. The Timothies and Titus, too, May pastors to their hearts take home; Philemon breathes a friendship .true. In Hebrews better things are said To be in Christ than Moses knew. James speaks of fruitless faith as dead, Of steadiest hope the Peters two. John's letters, three in number, treat Assurance, fellowship, and love;
THE BOOKS AND THEIR BURDENS. The Pentateuch.
for worldly associations, pleasures, and pursuits; sorrow for the spiritual lan- guor of the churches; compassion for a world without God, and without hope. These graces are themselves salvation. Nothing can substitute for them. Seek them, get them, cultivate them, though it may mean crucifixion. INSTITUTE ITEMS. The second anniversary of the Insti- tute was held on Sunday evening, April 3d, in the Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Owing to sickness, our es- teemed and - greatly beloved president, Mr. Lyman Stewart, was unable to be present. This was a real disappoint- ment to Mr. Stewart and to his friends. So much of the success of the work has been due to his prayers, wise counsel and continued interest in all of its wel- fare, that his absence was keenly felt. The superintendent presided. Mr. E. A. K. Hackett and Mr. S. I. Merrill of our board, assisted in the program. Brief reports were made by the super- intendents of the different departments, illustrating the extent and phases of the work. No attempt was made to give any statistics. The blessing of God has been upon the workers and the work. The great growth and splendid results have been attained under the blessing of God through the instrumen- tality of competent, capable and devot- ed workers. The hand of God has been upon the enterprise for good; it has been prayed through so far, and we are expecting by God's good grace, u the Lord tarry, to go on to still better things in the year before us. The epi- tome of the year 's work is expressed in the following figures: Thirty-eight hundred classes and meetings. Two thousand conversions. Mr. P r a tt has been with us in the Institute and has rendered valued ser- vice, He is now engaged in work in Rohuerberg, in the northern part of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are engaged in meetings in the west end Congrega- tional church and meeting with good success. Mr. Hadden's class in Anaheim has grown greatly. As many as 200 have been in attendance at some sessions. The Long Beach class maintains good interest and, in spite of the several changes in location, has not diminished in numbers.
Jude scores apostates, deems it meet , To fight for the faith and f a i t h f ul prove. And last, speaks Christ's Apocalypse, Of world-wide woes; the Mellennium; And Satan's long and dire eclipse; Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come! The Sum of the Books. Thus in the Old, of books, are seen, And in the New, alike divine, There thirty-nine, or thrice thirteen, Here twenty-seven, or three times nine. A WORD TO THE HEART FROM THE HEART. God's Word is Truth. It classifies men as saved, and unsaved. If to be saved is infinite bliss, to be lost must be infinite woe. In which class shall we write you? The question \is too serious to neglect. I beg you, do not cling to a false hope. It is better to be undeceived now than THEN. What were more miserable than to wake, at last with a lost world, and an apostate church, the sad victim of a vain hope! Not all names on the church-roll are in the Book of Life. As the confluence of two streams obliterates their distinc- tions of clear and cloudy, so the con- currence of church and world blots out their distinctions. The current sets strong in a downward direction; it is only the live and vigorous fish that keeps to the clear water. Judge not Christianity, nor your own part in it, by the kind that prevails about you. •Tudge it by the Book, the Apostles and Prophets, the Lord and Exemplar Him- self. Do not mistake your civility, your amiability, your morality, for Christianity. Salvation is a positive spiritual force, whereby the heart is at- tached to Christ, to Christians, to the church; and the will is moved to the practice of piety, the pursuit of holi- ness, the propagation of the faith. None Need Be Misled. The sure signs of salvation are: a sobering sense of sin; a sorrowful self- judgment therefor; a sincere confession to God; a resting in Christ for pardon and life; a prayerful heart-yearning for righteousness and true holiness; a fraternal feeling for Christians as such; loyalty to the Church; pleasure in its fellowship and worship; a sense of responsibility for its good name and growth: cheerfulness in contributing a due proportion for its support; charity for all, malice toward none, unselfish- ness; self-saerifice; a growing distaste
International Sunday School Lesson As Taught by T. C. Horton at the Bible Institute, Los Angeles, Cal. Brief Thoughts For Busy Teachers
LESSON V. May 1, 1910. TWO SABBATH INCIDENTS. Matt. 12:1-14. Golden Text, Matt. 12:7. Theme— The Withered Hearts and the Withered Hands. OUTLINE. I—The Lord of the Sabbath and His Law. II—The Lawful Work of the Sabbath. Matthew, we remember, is grouping events without regard to chronological order. His evident purpose is to intro- duce the incidents which gave rise to the growing opposition of the Jews to the Messiah. I—THE LORD OF THE SABBATH. "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." The lesson is introduced by the pic- ture of the Lord and His disciples pass- ing through the green fields on the Sab- bath and plucking the grain—rubbing it in their hands and eating it (Luke 16:1). The disciples were poor and they were hungry. The law permitted them to enter and pass through the fields and to pluck the grain to s a t i s fy their hunger, but prohibited their putting in the sickle to gather a harvest for them- selves (Deut. 23:25). By the law which governed field and vineyard, as well as the law for the permission to glean in the fields, God made provision for the poor and needy among His people. The Pharisees, who were blind as bats to spiritual teach- ing and life and keen on the scent for infractions of the letter of the law, re- joiced in this opportunity to charge the Master and His disciples with being lawbreakers. In His defence of His followers the Lord sheds new light upon the whole subject of the Sabbath. The Purpose of the Sabbath. God did not make the Sabbath day with rigid rules and then form man and thrust him into it. Man was first made; then the Sabbath was made for the man (Mark 2:277 and to be a bless- ing to the man. A recognition of this great truth will greatly help to a proper understanding of the whole subject.
The Sabbath as a part of the ten commandments was in the nature of a covenant between God and Israel (Ex. 34:27). 'In Deut. 5:15, He cites their redemption from Egypt as the basis for their keeping of the Sabbath, and in Ezekiel 20:12, He says the Sabbath was a sign between Himself and His people. Also in Ex. 31:17, a perpetual re- minder. For these and other reasons the Scribes and Pharisees were exceed- ingly jealous concerning the law of the Sabbath and had hedged the day about with innumerable additional conditions until it became unbearable. They were forbidden to carry a pen or needle at the close of Friday, lest they might fqrget to lay them aside before six o 'clock, when the Sabbath began. Some f o r ty varieties of work were forbidden and each had numerous subdivisions. The Sabbath was not made to re- strict, hinder or hamper men, but to afford an opportunity for rest and com- munion with God. It was designed to give occasion for enlargement of vision and enrichment of being. God had in mind the welfare of man and not his servitude, in the law of the Sabbath. This law is universal in its application. Men, beasts of burden, even the land itself, thrive best when the law of rest is observed. Gladstone said, " I owe my life and vigor through a long and busy life to the Sabbath day, with its blessed surcease of t o i l ." Scientists tell us that telegraph wires are better conductors for a day of rest. Even jewels require an occasional rest to re- tain their brilliancy. Seven-day work- ers are poor workers. The French revolution is an apt illustration of the effect of the abandonment of a day of rest. The Position of the Sabbath. The necessities of men take prece- dence over ordinance; mercy is more than sacrifice. Even the priests them- selves violated the letter of the law by slaying the sacrifices, putting bread upon the table in the sanctuary, and by circumcisions upon the Sabbath, if it happened to fall upon the eighth day. The Lord cites David's violation of the
of mercy for the animal, but for selfish reasons. " T a k e tender care of the goods of an Israelite'' was a favorite saying. It is so different. Mercy for a sheep because of the dollars and cents repre- sented. No mercy for a withered hand. How much better is a man than a sheep. Men will feed their stock and starve their souls. They will be careful of the chickens and careless about the children. There are hundreds of papers printed in this country concerning the care of animals, but very few concern- ing the welfare of souls. The Lord Jesus vindicates the law from its spiritual side. It is lawful to do good. He assaulted the traditions of these hypocrites and placed the Seven miracles were performed on the Sabbath. The men with withered hearts looked on while the King spoke with authority and commanded the im- possible thing and made it possible. " S t r e t ch forth thy h a n d ." Often he had tried and failed. Now he obeyed the word of Him who is life giving, whose word is power, and his hand is restored. There was no act on the part of the Lord. I t was a word. The Pharisees were beaten at their own game; there was proof of His power; testimony that He was the Messiah; evidence of His compassion and love; but it moved not the hearts to tender- ness but to hatred. They were furious and went out to council how they might put Him to death. Such is the human heart, professionally religious, loud in its demands for the letter of the law, knowing nothing of the Spirit, without mercy, without compassion, it is indifferent to the soul suffering of lost men. Yerily they shall have their reward. POINTS PRACTICAL. 1—The Pharisees were loud in their moralizing, but lax in their morals. 2—They were rigidly ritualistic, but men without mercy. 3—The Lord interprets His own law in the light of love. 4—Mercy is better than sacrifice and a man is better than a sheep. 5—A withered heart has no compassion for a withered hand. 6—The law for the Lord's day is, " D o what is well." 7—The Sabbath was not designed to be a burden to men, but a boon and blessing. proper value on man. Performing a Miracle.
letter of the law by entering the House of the Lord and eating the shew bread which only priests were permitted to eat (1 Sam. 21:1-6). The Lord then proclaimed Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath. Greater than the Temple, for He Himself is the real Temple (Jno. 1:14; Jno. 2:19). He made the law and He now puts a new construction upon it. There has always been unnecessary legalism in connection with the ob- servance of the Sabbath and the Lord hits it a hard blow here. The Lord is preparing the way for the abrogation of the Sabbath itself ^ which' followed His death and resurrection. His first five appearances were on the first day of the week. On that day the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:1). The church assembled on that day (Acts 20:7), and observed the Lord's supper (1 Cor. 11:23-26), and laid aside their gifts for God (1 Cor. 16:2), and from apostolic times the church has recog- nized that day as the time for worship of God and fellowship of the saints. No man now has any right to judge us in respect to the Sabbath day (Col. 2:16, 17). All Christians should seek to live in the full enjoyment of their privileges on that day and to avoid giving offense to others. II—LAWFUL WORK FOR THE SAB- BATH. "Wherefore it is lawful to do good." The Messiah was faithful in His at- tendance upon the synagogue. There He found many opportunities for tes- timony and service. ' ' He went into the synagogue." How differently that sounds than " M y Father's h o u s e" (Jno. 2:16). Luke says He went to teach (Luke 6:6). The Pharisees were there not to hear for edification but to catch Him whom they hated. Principles for the Sabbath. The Lord did not give rules, but principles. How few rules and regula- tions would be needed were the great principles of our Lord believed and lived. The merciful Master was al- ways seeking opportunities to show His mercy. He knew what was in the hearts of His enemies, but He could not be moved from His great purpose in life. The question of the Pharisees was answered. Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? He answers by asking a question concerning the sheep. Here He. reached the vital point. The rabbis allowed the exception of sheep, not out
LESSON VI. THE TEMPERANCE LESSON.
English as " s o r r o w ," " p a i n , " or dis- tress of mind because of the loss of any good, the subjection to any evil, or misfortune; the commission of any sin or error, . . grief, sadness, t r o u b l e !" There are the words! You might inject into your veins typhoid and get fever, or tuberculine and get consumption; what other toxin is there, but wine, to induce such a horrible com- plication of miseries as are contained in those verbal analyses? 3. Wlio hath contentions? The Hebrew here includes the idea of judicial process. The question is not only who has verbal wrangiings, and pugilistic squabbles, and family jarrings, but who keeps the police busy, the court in session, and the jail full? 4. Who hath babbling? This word includes the maudlin drivel; the muttering of the befuddled sot. We've seen his lips moving, and have heard his discourse with himself. Eli (1 Sam. 1:13-16) thought Hannah was drunk with wine when he" saw her lips moving in prayer, but she was filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). And be- sides it means to complain, to find fault, and is associated with a heavy heart in Job 9:27. 5. Who hath wounds without cause? That is, by the dictionary, " g r a t i s ," " t o no purpose," v a i n l y ," " u n d e s e r v e d l y ." The Mes- siah was "wounded without c a u s e" and salvation is free, i. e. (Greek " d o r e a n " ), " f o r n o t h i n g ." Even the policeman sometimes keeps his hand in by clubbing the poor sot without cause, who in his turn endures it to no purpose. The man who stands for a bout with the bottle has less profit of his bruises than a Jeffries or Jalmsun, who brutally batter each other for no cause. But the bottle wins the battle. 6. Who hath redness of eyes? And our dictionary helps here. "Redness of e y e s" may mean eyes that flash with fierce anger; that glow with flaming lust; that burn with polluted and fevered blood. Bloodshot eyes; aye, and even black eyes, discolored "by those gratuitous blows, and calling for leeches and raw beef, to allay the fiery inflammation. II—THE TWOFOLD ANSWER. 1. They that tarry long at the wine. From a word meaning to be behind, to delay, to linger. When sober men are at home, and honest folk are abed, the wine bibber lingers for his holiday, and he is like to be behind at his work, if he has any, in the morning. 2. They that seek mixt wine. It is a fearful
For Sunday, April 31. Text: Prov. 23:29-35. By J. H. Sammis.
If the authorship of these verses and Ecclesiastes are identical they record the findings of a scientific investigator, and have all the force of careful scien- tific observation. The author says, Ecc. 2:3: " I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly that I might see what was that good for the sons of men which they should do (or not do) under the heavens all the days of their l i f e ." He was the first recorded experimentor who exposed himself to the ills the flesh is heir to that he might be able to diagnose and treat them. Among his successors are physicians who have ' ' slept in the beds in which yellow- fever patients had died, and in their very clothes, night after night—clothes soiled with their black vomit, urine and faeces. At other times doctors have swallowed the black vomit, tried to inoculate themselves by putting some of it into their eyes, by hypoder- mic injections," etc. The man who took the chances with wine for the sake of humanity took the greater risk and touched filthier abominations. Let us take his prescriptions and be inocu- lated with the serum of his wisdom. OUTLINE. Our verses afford: I—A Sixford Riddle, v. 29. II—A Twofold Answer, v. 30. III—A Threefold Exhortation, v. 31. IV—A Twofold Warning, v. 32. V—A Twofold Moral Misery, v. 33. VI—A Twofold Mental Misery, v. 33. VII—A Threefold Physical Misery, v. 35. I—THE SIXFOLD RIDDLE. 1. Who hath woe? The Hebrew., rendered " w o e " is defined as " w o e , " "wail- i n g , " " l ame n t a t i o n ." The English " w o e , " by the Standard Dictionary, is "Overwhelming sorrow; dire pov» erty; grief; also, heavy affliction or calamity. Wo is often used in pro- nouncing a curse proclaiming disaster, or invoking censure; also, interjection- ally, as expressing bitter sorrow, as, Wo to the d r u n k a r d !" God help us! Let us be content with the definition of the dictionaries and not learn by ex- perience. 2. Who hath sorrow? This the Hebrew defines as " w a n t , " "w r e t c h e d n e s s ," " p o v e r t y ." The
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has, too, a pregnant meaning. It not only means to bite, but to gnaw away, to waste away. It is used of usury. The " l o an s h a r k" has teeth of the same sort. There is a ruinous tax on the drinker's physical, moral and monetary resource^. Wine is a viper like those fiery serpents in the Wilder- ness which bit the people and many of them died. There is but one remedy —and that is the look for life to Him that was lifted as Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole. V—THE TWOFOLD MORAL MIS- ERY. 1. Shall behold strange women. The bar and the brothel are side by side; yes, under the same roof. This is another proverb: "W i ne and wo- me n ." The eye that has looked on the wine when it is red, is soon in the " r e d light district," following the strange woman, who, like the wine, ' 1 giveth her eye, f ' and ' ' he goeth after her straightaway as the ox to the slaughter . . . and knoweth not till a dart strike through his l i v e r" (Pr. 7:22, 23). Between the f a ng of the serpent and the dart of the strange woman, the poor dupe is like to be soon done for. 2. Shall utter perverse things. "Wh en the wine is, in the wit is o u t ." The lips babble much that should be secret; the tongue is dipt into much filthyiess, or set on fire of hell to speak profane blasphemies, and conspire to devilish mischief. VI—THE T W O F O L D MENTAL MISERY. 1. In the midst of the sea. Our space is exhausted, but here is a man tortured with dreadful imagina- tions. All the waves and billows of the bottomless pit are roaring in his ears. The waters compass him about, even to the soul; the depths close round about him; the weeds are wrapped about his head (Jon. 2:5). 2. Upon the top of a mast. He has no rest; sleep forsakes him; his dizzy head sweeps the arc of the horizon, with the royalmast, now dashing into the billows, aport and now starboard; while demons shriek and mock with the howl- ing of the storm. VII—THE THREEFOLD PHYSICAL MISERY. 1. Stricken . . . not sick. We have seen the drunkard stricken when he was not sick, yet unable to defend himself. 2. Beaten . . . felt it not. We saw one stagger, grasp at a telegraph pole, miss it, re- cover but pass the equilibrium and fall
compound, this mixt wine! The pre- scription is about as follows: R of woe, of sorrow, of contentions, of babblings,
of wounds without cause, of want and wretchedness, of red and black eyes, of any and all abominations, Each ad libitum. M.
Now this word " s e e k " is from a root meaning to " t r y , " " t a s t e , " " e x- ami n e ," " s a mp l e ." Note "Sample Room." All that list of woe is wont to follow on a taste, or sampling of our mixture. I knew a drunkard who quit his cups for a year; the demon who ran his favorite dram shop sent him a bot- tle, requesting him to sample it, as he wished an opinion of its quality. That taste recaptured him. But " Wh o hath wo e ?" Not him only who tarries at the wine, but they, also, who tarry at home; that father, that mother, that wife and those children, those brothers and sisters; and where are the proud and destructive waves of this red flood stayed? " O h, mamma, a r e n 't you g l a d ," said a child whose drunken father lay dead in the house, " a r e n ' t you glad dad is dead? Now we shall have meat to eaf^ and shoes to wear, for he won't spend the money any mo r e ! '' III—THE THREEFOLD EXHORTA- TION. 1. Look not on the wine when i t is red. This might be rendered, When it blushes. It has cause to blush for all the unblushing indecencies it occasions; and its red is reflected in the face of the drunkard until he can blush no more. 2. When it giveth its color in the cup. The Hebrew has it, "When it giveth its eye, i. e., its bead; it glances with its eye; an apt and vivid figure. So the basilisk. So the strange woman of another verse. It makes " g oo goo e y e s" at you. Ah, it is a sly devil!. 3. It moveth itself aright. That is when it flows smooth- ly how tempting it is when its votary sees its soft, rich, " o i l y " flow from the decanter to the glass. Thus it moveth itself aright to lead the un- Wary steps awrong, for there is no right in it. IV—THE TWOFOLD WARNING. 1. It stingeth like an adder. 2. It biteth like a serpent. This word " b i t e t h "
backward, strike his head with a sick- ening sound against the projecting curb. " D e a d , " we thought. But one lifted him; he stood a moment, then reeled on as though he " f e l t it n o t . " 3. Seek it yet again. The worst physi- cal effect is that continuous adjustment of the nerve and brain molecules—the physical aspect of habit—whereby a man is literally in physical bondage to vice, from which a miracle only can loose him. There is but one wine to save and secure us all, and that the Blood of Jesus. LESSON VII. May 15, 1910. Growing Hatred of Jesus (Matt. 12: 22-42.) Golden Text: Matt. 12:30. OUTLINE. 1. Satan's Kingdom (22-30). 2. Sin Against the Holy Spirit (31-32). 3. The Significance of Words (33- 37). 4. The Sign of Jonas (38-42). The events immediately preceding this lesson include the anointing of Jesus in the house of Simon (Luke 7: 36-50). The opposition of thé Jewish leaders was intensified by His severe arraignment of their money-making in connection with the Temple service. He also associated with publieans and sinners; he introduced revolutionary teaching concerning the Sabbath, and the people flocked to hear Him. All of these things tended to widen the breach and increase the hatred of the Jews. SATAN'S KINGDOM. " If Satan casteth out Satan." A blind and dumb man who was demon possessed was brought. to the Lord and He healed him. The demon was cast out. He saw and he spake. A three-fold miracle and typical of the work wrought Upon sinners. Blind eyes are opened to behold the Lamb of God. Mouths are opened to speak and sing liis praises and the demons of doubt and unbelief and opposition to God are cast out. The Accusation of the Pharisees. The people queried, " I s not this the Son of David?"—the long looked for Messiah? Could the Messiah de more than this man has done? A question which no doubt was the herald of faith in some of them. The Pharisees who had come all the
way from Jerusalem (Mark 3:22), to find cause for His arrest, said, " H e hath Beelzebub," the ruler of the demons, or Baalzebal, lord of the man- sion, lord of the under-world. That is, they charged Him with working mira- cles by satanic power. The charge was equivalent to saying that the Lord was a devil (Jno. 7:20; 8:48; 10:20). The Argument of Christ. The Pharisees were not willing to acknowledge His power as Divine. In their hearts they no doubt were per- suaded that the Messiah was before them, but outwardly they repudiated Him (Jno. 3:19-20; 11:47-47). " H e knew their thoughts." He knew their wicked plans (Matt. 12:25; Luke 11: 17). He quietly reasoned with them. First, He showed the absurdity of the statement that He operated through Satan's power. Satan could not be divided against himself. No kingdom or house can stand factional strife. Satan is too wise for such procedure (Gal. 5:15). Second, their own sons or disciples claimed to cast out demons. Were they also in league with Satan? If they had said " y e s , " these exorcists would have risen up against them. Third, how could He cast them out un- less He was stronger than Satan? There was no answer to these three conclu- sive points and so He adds His testi- mony concerning the power of the Holy Spirit through whom He wrought the miracles and whose presence was a tes- timony that the King was in their midst. There are but two kingdoms: God's and Satan's, and these two are as di- * verse as light and darkness, heaven and hell. His victory over the demons is the seal to His Messiahship. The strength of Satan is broken by the stronger One who binds the god of this world, destroys his goods and spoils his kingdom (Isa. 49:24-25). Men are compelled to take sides in relation to the Lord. Neutrality is im- possible. Some men would like to carry water on both shoulders, but it cannot be done. Men are saved or lost; they belong to the Lord or belong to the devil; they are heaven or hell bound; for or against. Life consists of acts in whieh we either glorify or repu- diate the Son of God. THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. "Speaketh against the Holy Ghost." There has been much of mi Sunder-
truth, irreverent words, hasty words, unholy words, careless and trifling words. What a record to face a man. Words in which the Lord has been denied, blasphemed. How happy will he be who shall have recorded for him the words, ' ' I believe in the Son of God as my personal sacrifice and Saviour, my Lord and my K i n g " (Eph. 5:4-11; 2 Pet. 2:18; Jas. 3:2-12; Bom. 14:12. THE SIGN OF JONAS." We would see a sign." The demand of the Pharisees for a sign was not an honest one. They had seen many signs. One miracle had just been wrought sufficient to satisfy the demands of any honest man. The Attesting Words and Works. Had they wanted proof they had the Old ± estament with its prophecies con- cerning Him and His life fulfilling those prophecies. They had heard the testimony of John concerning Him. Those healed of many diseases had tes- tified of Him. His words and works were in unison. What sign were the Pharisees after; the sign of Daniel? (Dan. 7:13). A sign from heaven (Matt. 16:1); a visible kingdom? They would have to wait. The Attestation. Now they had the King in their midst. He spake as never man spake. He healed the sick, opened eyes, raised the dead. What more was necessary? They were evil and sought a sign to confirm their unbelief. He gives them a sign from earth. Jonas was three days and night's in the belly of the whale—in the pit. He did not see cor- ruption; his body was preserved. The miracle was a sign that he was God's divinely commanded prophet and au- thenticated messenger (Luke 11:30). Such a sign awaited them. He was to be three days and nights in the heart of the earth, but alas, they also refused that sign—when it was given (Matt. 28:11-15). The Ninehvites believed without any miracle. The Jews be- lieved not, although they had many miracles. Therefore Nineveh would rise up in judgment against them. They shut their eyes to signs and asked for a sign. He was greater than Solomon, yet they would not receive His testi- mony. If the people of this age reject the testimony of the Christ and refuse to acknowledge him, their judgment will be awful (Heb. 11:7; Heb. 10:29).
standing as to what constitutes this awful sin of blasphemy. The Jews had made a terrible charge against the Son of God. They attributed His work to the power of the devil and the Lord tells them that this sin hath no for- giveness. All sins of men are for- given (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:23-34; 1 Jno. 1:7), but there is in another category an age abiding sin in which a man commits spiritual suicide (Mark 3:29; Heb. 16:26-29; 1 Jno. 5:16-17). The Pharisees in their hearts knew that Jesus was the Son of God. When they uttered the f a t al words, " H e hath Beelzebub," thus manifesting the fruit of a depraved nature (Matt. 17:16-20). John the Baptist characterized them as the offspring of vipers, bringing forth the fruit of the corrupt heart (Luke 6:45). The rejection of Jesus Christ as the vehicle through which the Holy Spirit manifested the life of God is the Unpardonable sin (1 Jno, 5:16; 2 Tim. 3:8; Jude 12:12; Heb. 10:26-31). There is no intention here to discriminate between Christ and the Holy Spirit, for they are one. The distinction is be- tween the humanity of our Lord, Son of Han. To speak against the Son of Man is to resist the testimony accom- panied by signs, to resist the Holy Spirit is to deny the sign which authen- ticates His Sonship (Ex. 8:19; Luke 11: 20- Jno. 10:47-48. This was dispensa- tionally true of Israel, who were na- tionally given over to destruction upon their final rejection of' the testimony of the Spirit to the risen Christ (Acts 7: 54-59). Wilful unbelief, the persistent sin of resisting the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin. All other sins are freely forgiven when confessed. The blasphemy of the Pharisees evidenced the venom of the serpent. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORDS. "For by thy -words." It is unfair to the context to omit these words from the lesson. There is no more solemn statement in Scripture than this. " T h a t every idle word that men shall, speak they shall give account thereof in the day of J u d gme n t ." The Accusing Words. Talk is character in expression. Words aré the index to hidden life. Idle words are words without deeds. Words are seeds that are sown by the side of all waters. God has a record- ing pláte onto which is inscribed oúr words, good or bad; all have power; all must be judged. Words against the
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LESSON VIII. May 22, 1910. The Death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12). Golden Text: Cor. 16:32. THEME. The King's Crime and the King's Conscience. OUTLINE. 1. The Preaching of John. Herod Reproved. 2. The Persecution of John. Hero- dias' Resentment. 3. The Promise of Herod. Herodias' Revenge. 4. The Persecuting Conscience. Her- od's Remorse. The lesson concerns four persons and is prolific as a character study. There are strange correspondences and strange contrasts. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, by a Sa- maritan woman. He married the daugh- ter of Aretas, King of Arabia Petra. He ruled as Tretraeh over Galilee and Perea. Herod Philip was another son of Herod the Great and was heir to large wealth, but was not a ruler. He lived in great luxury at Jerusalem with his wife Herodias. Herod Antipas vis- ited Jerusalem and became enamored of Herodias. She responded to his at- tentions. They plotted to marry. Herod was to put away his wife and she was to leave her husband. Herod's wife becoming cognizant of the plot, fled to her father, Aretas. Herod and Hero- dias were then married. John the Bap- tist was preaching at this time and de- nounced the relation existing between the two as sinful. HEROD REPROVED " It is not law- ful for thee to have her." We study the lesson not according to the context, but in logical order, fol- lowing the events as they occur. John the Baptist was a prophet and preacher of righteousness. True words characterize his whole ministry. Faithfulness. He declared the whole counsel of God. He withheld no truth. 1 ' Faithful are the wounds of a f r i e n d . '' It is not an easy thing to preach the whole (Prov. 27:6) Gospel. Not an easy thing to reprove, rebuke and ex- hort (2 Tim. 4:2). John was faithful to God. Faithful to me. Fearlessness. He gave the message to all classes, high and low. The lead- ing sect of the Jews were the Phari- sees. John called them a generation of vipers (Matt. 12:34). To the people
he preached against the sin of avarice (Luke 3:11); to the publicans against extortion (Luke 3:13); to the soldiers about discontent (Luke 3:14). He was no reed when shaken by the wind. He bearded the King as Nathan did David when he said, "Thou art the ma n" (2 Sam. 12:7), and as Moses did Pharaoh; and Paul, Felix. " Th ou art the m a n " is a daring message and usually costs a good deal. Such preaching if told out in love, pleases God if not man. Of what value was the reproof, you say. Herod did not repent. John was shut up in prison and finally lost his life. The value was of faithfulness. He glorified God in doing right. His example has inspired millions of men to like faithfulness. He will be rewarded in eternity (Matt. 5:11-12; 2 Cor. 4:17;-2 Tim. 2:12). THE PRESECUTION OF JOHN. "Put him in prison for Herodias' Sake." The Fury of Herodias. The heart of Herodias was stirred with bitter hatred of John. He had branded her as an adultress. She also feared the influence of John over Herod. For Mark tells us that he knew him to be a holy man and heard his gladly and did many things (Mark 6:20), The Fear of Herod. No doubt John was under conviction and sought to make some amends for his sins, but the influence of the woman with whom he consorted was too much for him and he would have put the prophet to death had he not feared the multitude (Verse 5). Herodias deter- mined upon the death of John. Now she could only accomplish his imprison- ment. He must pay the penalty of his faithfulness with a forfeiture of his freedom. So John was incarcerated in prison at Maehaerus. It was from this prison that John sent disciples to in- quire whether Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 11:2). THE PROMISE OF HEROD. "To give her whatsoever she should ask." John is in prison, but Herodias is not satisfied. She bides her time: She has determined upon the death of . John and will wait a convenient season. The time comes for all who are determined to sin. A crime is half committed when coneocted. Lust, when it is con- ceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death (Jas. 1:15).
, » r The Feast of John. In imitation of Roman rulers who t held feasts in memory of the Emperors, * Herod held a birthday feast in memory of his father. It was a great gathering w of the officers of his little empire, over which he ruled as Tetraeh. The scene %< is evidently in the palace in Machaerus, where John is confined. Herod in royal t robes and glittering gems, a lustful, lecherous, drunken reveller, is there. * The queen, a voluptuous, vile, venom- T ous adulteress, is there. The courtiers in their brilliant costumes are there. 1*1 Music and mirth are there; all of the seductive arts of Satan are there to snare the souls of men and women and to steep them in the drugs of senual Ml pleasures. In the midst of the feast, when wine had made them merry and a lust had lured them to the abandon- ment of all proprieties, the wily Hero- dias sent her own daughter, Salome, to take the place of the professional dancer. She had been trained for the act, an apt pupil of a professional in- trigue. Pity the poor child of such a mother, and pity the mothers in our own day who sell the souls of their own daughters for the mere pittance of social position. Many a mother has lived to rue the day she thrust her daughter into society and permitted her to participate in the public dance. The redlight districts of our cities are full of women who took the first step to- ** ward hell in drawing room or dance hall. * Salome plied her art so successfully that the drunken revellers were thor- oughly intoxicated, and rounds of ap- I plause greeted her indecent accomplish- 1.» ment. Herod, thinking himself a king, pledged her any gift to the half of his kingdom. * The Fate of John. The damsel consulted her mother. The plot had succeeded. The hour of revenge had come; she had one deep tf desire in her heart, the head of her j supposed enemy, and that forthwith. Malice and vengeanee in Herodias is matched by weakness and unrighteous- ness in Herod. He had made an oath and he will keep it. The request so- bered him, and he was sorry, but for his p a t h 's sake he will give the gift. He talked like a man of honor. No doubt he said, " M y word is as good as my b o n d ." This from a selfish, sensual, immoral, cruel ruler. John is slain and his ghastly, gory head is borne by the dancing damsel *
up to her queenly mother. John be- comes the victim of a cruel woman's rage and a glorious martyr to the truth. THE PERSECUTING CONSCIENCE. "He is risen from the dead." We turn now to the first two verses of our lesson to look into the guilty soul of a godless murderer. The force of a conscience. Herodias had John the Baptist's head on her hands, but Herod had John's death on his soul. He had power over John's head, but none over his own conscience. Verily sin doth make cowards of us all. There is a worm that dieth not and a fire which is not quenched. ' ' Hearing of the miracles of Jesus, Herod at once con- cludes that John has risen from the dead, and his soul quaked with fear. Herod was a Sadducee. The leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15) is supposed to be the doctrine of the Sadducees (Matt. 16:6), who denied angels, spirit and the resurrection (Acts 23:8). Poor Herod, his belief was shattered by his conscience, just as the belief of multi- tudes will be when confronted by the presence of death and the judgment. Thinking Jesus is John, he seeks to get him out of Galilee. Jesus calls him that fox (Luke 13:32). Herod was a weak man, he feared Herodias, the mul- titude, the courtiers, and John the Bap- tist. Had he feared God, he would not have feared man. Herod could not stifle the voice of conscience. David said, " M y sin is ever before m e . " Herod said, " J o h n is r i s e n ." Con- science is God's witness in man's bosom. I t is not a safe guide. I t can- not save us, but it is ever accusing, or excusing us (Rom. 2:15). Herod was unfaithful to God and to his own con- science. He violated the instincts of his nature, rejected the testimony of God's servants, and crowned sin by the crime of murder. Herodias sought to be a queen; her soul was stained with tKe crime of adultery and murder. The names of both Herod and Herodias will be forever linked with the names of Ahab and Jezebel. The Finale. In the judgment, John will face them, ¡glory crowned. Then they will be judged for the deeds done in the body and it had better for them both if they had never been born. The les- son closes with a tender message. The disciples " w e n t and told J e s u s ." We can do nothing better in seasons o'f
deepest sorrow and trial. Go and tell POINTS PRACTICAL. 1. The words of John went home to the heart of Herod, but through fear he heeded not. 2. You may shut the mouth of God's servants but you cannot stifle the ser- mon that God has sent. 3. Herodias stained her soul, pan- dered to her vile passions and gloated over the gory head of God's Prophet. 4. Conscience knows no cleansing with a culprit, it clamors for a hearing and compels its victim to hear its cry. 5. Contrast the earthly life. Herod and his palace, power, pomp and pride, with John's prison poverty, persecu- tion and peace. 6. Contrast in eternity; John will be given a crown of glory, Herod and Herodias' habitation will be in hell. 7. Be thou faithful unto death. Be sure your sin will find you out (Rev. 2: 10; Num. 32:23). 8. Bear the burder of your sorrow- stricken soul to the sympathizing Savior. LESSON IX. May 29, 1910. Pood for the Famishing—The Multi- tude Fed (Matt. 14:13-21; 15:29. Golden Text: Jno. 6:35. OUTLINE. 1. Ministering to the Multiude. 2. Multiplying the Bread and Pishes. 3. Mindful of the Fragments. We have for our lesson, two stories of bread and fish. Some have confused them, believing them to be the same. The differences are definite. The num- ber fed in the first, five thousand; in the second, four thousand. The amount of food in the first, five loaves, two fishes; second, seven loaves and a few small fishes. In the first, twelve smaller baskets of fragments and in the second, seven larger baskets; two different Greek words being used; for the first was the wallet slung from the shoulder in which the Jew carried his food when traveling and the second, a hamper, used on a journey. In such an one Paul was placed when let down from the wall of Damascus. The place where the 5000 were fed was near villages (verse 15), and Luke says in a desert place near Bethsaida. The feeding of the four thousand took place somewhere on the southeastern shore of Galilee neat Dahnanthus (Mark 8:
10). The Lord mentions both in Matt. 16:9-10. MINISTERING TO THE MULTI- TUDES "There came unto Him great multitudes." The multitudes followed Him. The motives were as varied as those which move the masses today. There was something So strangely new in this teaching, " s e nt from Go d ." So differ- ent from the teachers in Israel. His message was so kingly and kind. He spoke so tenderly yet so truly. He spoke as one having authority. He un- folded the Scriptures illumining them. He had a doctrine concerning the King- dom unique. It was the King mingling with His subjects—having a heart bowed with a consciousness of their burdens and having a great longing for their relief. They brought their lame, blind and maimed and He healed them. The multitudes wondered and glorified the God of Israel. This satisfied the Lord. He asks no more than that we praise the God of all grace for His goodness. What better can we do than to bring to the Lord Jesus Christ our needy friends? MULTIPLYING THE BREAD. "He took the seven loaves." For three days they had waited on His words. We have the picture of a desert place, a tired teacher, a hungry multiude. Fasting and Fainting. The food was exhausted and the peo- ple were in need; the source of supply was distant; to send them away was to subject them to suffering. They were not all worthy; many followed Him for the loaves and fishes (Jno. 6:26-27), but all were needy and appealing to Him who loved the weary and heavy laden. To Him they were hungry sheep without a shepherd. The Faithless Disciples. From whence could we secure so much bread? In the fourteenth chap- ter it is " S e nd them a w a y " ; in both it is unbelief. The easiest way to get rid of a responsibility is to evade it. So we think. Send them away. We shut our eyes to the fields, we close our ears to the cry, we lock the door of our hearts against the lost. Send them away —they annoy us, they trouble us, these countless numbers of needy peo- ple; the million Jews in New York City who have never had a mouthful of Gos- pel grain; thousands of Indians; the
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