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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
July, 1935
world generally rates this one as a success ful business man, no matter how the wealth may have been secured. We see again the contrast between the earthly and the heavenly view as we turn to our second verse: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” To the world, the mighty conqueror is the adored hero. Our historians exalt Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Na poleon, and other great warriors. When men enumerate the heroes of history, they do not ask, “ Did he have control over his temper? Was he patient?” Instead, they list the battles that were won. How differ ent is God’s standard! When we accept the inspired conception, we will measure wealth by character, and success and great ness in terms o f self-control, a self con trolled by Jesus Christ our Lord and Sav iour. The passage in Proverbs 6:16-19 names six things that God hates. In refutation of the theory that from generation to genera tion man is growing better, it should be noted that not one of the expressions con tained in this section has become unfamil iar to the modern reader through disuse. W e understand only too well the preval ence of the proud look, the lying tongue, the murderous hands, the evil imagination, the wicked action, the untruthful testi mony, the discordant spirit. We do not so. easily admit that these very evils may be continuing, unrebuked, in our lives. It would be well for every Endgavorer to an swer these questions in solemn truthful ness: Do I actually hate sin? Do I excuse myself for personal weaknesses that are an abomination to God's holiness? From how many of the evils mentioned do I stand in need o f deliverance? Am I trying to free myself from their bondage, or am I willing to accept freedom as the gift of God’s grace? God desires that we may say: “ The law o f the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law o f sin and death.” Leader’s Helps I. . R obert E. L ee ’ s N ame ' At the close o f the Civil War, stock holders of the Louisiana Lottery approach ed General Robert E. Lee and tendered him the presidency o f the company. Lee was without position,' property, or income, but he regarded this offer as the gain of oppression, and on the ground that he did not understand the business and did not care to learn it, he modestly declined the proposition. The organization’s representa tives then said, “No. experience is needed. We know how to fun the business. We want you as president for the influence of your name. Remember, the salary is twen ty-five thousand dollars a year.” Lee arose and buttoned his old gray coat over his breast and replied, “ Gentlemen, my home is gone; I am a poor man, and my people are in need. My name and influ ence are all I have left, and they are not for sale at any price.”—O. A. N ewlin . II. T hat W hich G od H ates A young man was afflicted with a loath some disease. He had to be kept out of sight. But was he neglected? No, there was not a morning that his loving mother did not bathe his wounds, nor an evening that she was too wearied to care for him. Do you think she had not natural sensi tiveness ? She felt the loathsomeness of her work, but her love constantly upheld her. But what are cankered wounds compared with festering sin? There is but one thing
thing but the dark side o f things. “All these things are against me,” he wails in plaintive cadence. Melancholy Jacob’s faith is not yet perfected. Nursing his sorrow, saturating his mind with self-pity, he finds a dreary pleasure in counting his troubles and inferring that they are (the grand to tal is three 1) against him, while we, who know how the drama is unfolding, per ceive that all the things in question, and many more, are working together for his good, and that he will live to confess that God has redeemed him out of all evil. God conceals His bright designs in order that His servants may learn to trust Him in the dark as well as in the light. It has been said by George Macdonald, “The secrets God keeps must be as good as those He tells.”—J. S trachan . III. T he B etter P lan 1. Dis-appointment—His appointment, Change .one letter, then I see That the thwarting o f this purpose Is God’s better plan for me. ..T'— S elected . 2. “ I wanted it so badly,” said the one who had just spoken of a past desire, “and now I am so glad that I did not get it. I can see, looking back, that it would have changed the whole current o f my life, and would have changed it for the worst. I would never have attained to what I have if my desire had been granted.”—H allock . IV. A t E ase A dear old saint who had seen much trouble was asked whether she ever felt like murmuring. She replied, “When I do, I just ask the Lord to put me in the easy chair, and keep me quiet,” The visitor, seeing no easy chair about, asked what she meant. “ My easy chair,” she said, “is Romans 8 :28. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God.’ ” —Record o f Christian Work . AUGUST 18, 1935 ANCIENT W ISDOM FOR PRESENT -DAY PROBLEMS Hymn—“I’m the Child o f a King.” Scripture—Proverbs 16:8, 32; 6;16-19. Solo—“Yielded.” . T estimonies. Leader’s Message. Quiet Hour. Hymn—-“Take the World but Give Me Jesus.” Benediction—Numbers 6:24-26. Meditation on the Lesson Though the title of our lesson refers to the book of Proverbs as “Ancient W is dom,” the divine message is fresh and po tent for us today, because these words of wisdom are words of truth, and truth is eternal. The Proverbs are usually given in parallel form, the proposition being set forth either by similarity or by contrast. In our verses for today, verse 8 offers a contrast, while verse '32 is a parallelism o f similarity, presenting two illustrations o f a single theme. “ Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right.” This standard o f values is not the philosophy actually held by the world, nor is it the world’s criterion of success. If an indi vidual is a millionaire, the man o f the P roverbs 16:8, 32; 6:16-19 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“ O Worship the King.” Hymn—“ Now the Day Is Over.” Prayer.
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that God hates, and that is sin. Yet with all His hatred of sin, He hangs over the sinner I—S elected . III. O ne S in ’ s S ignificance A single soldier, finding his way into a garrison, may open the gates to the whole besieging army. One sin leads on to an other and another, especially if the first be a sin which it is desirable to conceal. — Expositor’s Bible . IV. T rue S elf -C ommand ■Self-control is not the control of self by self. “ Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” When you are filled with the Spirit, then you have self-control; you are truly your self, not carried about by every wind of doctrine, every wave of doubt, and every wile o f the devil.—W . Y. F ullerton . AUGUST 25, 1935 FINISH W H A T YO U START L uke 9 :62; J ames 1 :5-8 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“To the Work.” Hymn-—“Go Labor On.” Hymn—“ Bringing in the Sheaves.” Prayer. Hymn—“To the Harvest Field.” Scripture—Luke 9 :62; James 1 :5-8. Quartet—-“ The King’s Business.” Leader’s Message. In the divine army, no furloughs are granted, no occasions when the soldier is free to return to the manner of life that was his before Christ was known. Having enlisted, he must continue to the crown ing day. Perseverance of purpose is needful. In the ninth chapter of Luke, the accounts are given o f several individuals who began well. They each faced the question o f be coming Christ's follower. For the first one, the Lord drew a picture o f His own loneliness and homelessness; the in quirer’s answer is not recorded. To the second man, the Lord said, “Follow me,” but family ties bound him. The third appli cant declared joyfully, “ I will follow thee," but he mentioned the necessity of one more social gathering in his home. So far as we know, not one of the three was willing to go on in the path o f discipleship. Then, using the figure o f a plowman, Testimonies. Quiet Hour. Hymn—“Where He Leads Me.” Benediction—Hebrews 13:20, 21. Meditation on the Lesson
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