Exeter Advocate, 1908-01-30, Page 3r
ACME OF PERFECT STRENGTH
Christian Meekness Is Not a Sign of
Weakness
Blessed aro the meek, fur they 611011
�•ne•.�5 lies land,--MatIliew v., 4.
71,4• world clots not esteem m(x•kne: e.
This virtue is looked upon us imprac-
Ucublc locuuso it is held us a negative
quality among Jho forces •auuarull et
pi adieu! living.
Tile error most persons ntako is in
identifying meekness with weakness.
But Jesus Christ would not have coun-
schxf meekness as one of the liner qua-
lities of life if it were a drawback to
legitimate endeavor in our workaday
struggles. It is not reasonable to sup-
pose That Ile would have placed a heavy
hen:Heap on those who seek to jollow
after I im.
No, indeed. ChrLsl left us in !Its own
life a beautiful example of what ntcck-
n(vss may accomplish, and yet Ito was
one of the bravest of nen in that Ile
laid down His life for IILs friends. The
scriptures, too, tell us that "Moses was
a man exceeding meek move all men
that dwelt on earth," but he stands out
prominezilly as a man who did things.
The meek man is tl typo of a great
moral force among us for he Ls cap-
able of self-control and self-denial. AL
all times he is
MASI'Ell OF IIlM•SELP
and Ls able to limit his activity within
the bonds of solid principles. This is
the acute of perfect strength, to be able
Le dc, and yet exercise restraint. The
meek ratan may le compared %%Alit the
stoic, but w.th this difference that whi.e
Ile stoic made passivity of eutolk,n.'
the end for which lie labsred, the meek
Ivan exercises or restrains his pas -
,ns out of )(NV o.f G• a. Ile but follows
the exaulp'e elf (:hti,t, who said, "Learn
of tete, for 1 toil meek and humble of
heart," and ter this came, the promise
el reward in the words, "and you shall
find rest for your souls."
The weak ratan, on the other hand,
never hie a chance of exercising meek-
ness. Ile never overcomes, but yields
;o the or.pos'ng currents of nature. "'lite
slings and arrows of outrageous for-
tune" behold hint bending as the yellow
before the storm. But as only he who
bears the brunt of battle really knows
the danger of the fight, so also it i-
only the man of strong Impulses that
knows tho difficulty of conquering
thein.
"Do thy work In meekness," says
reclesiasucus, "and thou shalt be be-
loved
oloved above the glory of men.' It is,
moreover, a mistake to fancy that meek-
ness can come from flying front your
fellow men or by living a lite of do-
nothing, for meekness is not to be fbund
h conditions, but in the hearts end
characlors cf men -in a heart that paipi-
lates with u IeeWw ,c.....,,
el:eructs i' that grows homier
\\7'fll 1 J\'IAG / F1%11 Y,
In the acquirement of meekness nee
Ther submission, surrender nor sell -
effacement count unlet'., ihtse are for -
LISA by the enduring &,race of eliil;ht-
emmrettt reflected in Tho gospels teach-
ing. 't'o to like clay in the toltrla
hulas, to a.s.ullle u "worm en the
dust" attitude, to become. a d -.r stat
fur all ntc:l --this u not nee:mess, but
a degradation that uffonLs Goa who
minde nn n 10 MS own image. So het
task of the meek mhos is not to crush
Ilio thought of his mind, but to trait,
it., mut to break his will, but to
strengthen it; not to drag out of him
his elfe.ait,Is, but to purify Then. And
tit This way he shall grasp the golden
cup of opportunity and drink of it
whenever it is sussed.
In •;Itis manner the meek "shall jos-
sess Jho lend," because such a man
shall MI1111and every resource within
reach; ho shall compel permunence of
perketion; tut shall house superabund
Litt energy for proper moments, but
wish all there shall be a perfect un-
folding of his soul in the calm of i
lixel purpose, co•operaling with Him
who was the personilleation of meck-
ness, who was indeed
Meek tole( holy, pure and lowly.
Chief among the blessed three
ItEV. JOHN J. DON1.A11,
-
NEXT TO KIN.
"In the matter of that property settle-
ment, Mrs. Jotter 'treated you meanly.
didn't she?"
"I should say so ! Why, she meld not
hnvo treated me any worse if she had
been a Member of my own fancily."
L'HE SUNDAY SCHOOL
I I FltNATlOX:\L LESSON.
FEB. ?,
Lesson V. Je.ui the Sat'ieulr 01 the
World. (:olden Test: John 3. 16.
THE I.ESSON \Vein!) STUDIES.
Tined on llw text of the ikvised Ver-
sion.
Testimony of Nieodeauus.-The minis-
truliun of Jesus to tho people at Jcru-
sukirn on the occasion of the I'ussover
season was aocotnpaniel by many mira-
cles with the result thin the l eginnings
of a decker faith in hint were Imutifwled
it; not a kw of those who heard him
�p.t ik and netts beheld the miracles
which he performed. It is John's purpsse,
however, to show at this leant in his
narrative the Inlluenco of the words and
signs (miracles) of Jesus upon one w•ho
was not of the credulous and fickle mul-
thude, but who belonged to the anslo-
cracy which in the Jehvish slate implied
also leadership in the religious lifo and
lhcught of the nation. It is the testi-
mony of Nicodenlus to the divine char-
acter of Jesus on which the emphasis of
e111 lesson passage is placed. The name
"Nieodeuus," though of (]reek origin,
was not uncommon among the Jews.
'fro Talmud mentions a person bearing
this name as one of the four wealthiest
residents of Jerusalem and us one of the
disciples of Jesus, who lived until after
He destruction of Jerusalem. It Ls hardly
probable that this person can he the
Nicodemus of our lemon narrative.
Nicodenius was a member of the Jewish
Sanhedrin, and therefore probably a
scholarly theologian and teacher of the
lr•w. His testimony to the character of
Jesus was rightly considered of great
inil'orlanco by the apostle*. To that
testimony wet give our attention in the
s11.dy of today's tocsin.
Verse 1. A ruler of the Jetts- So de-
signated because a member Of the San-
hedrin, which constituted a supreme
court in Jerusalem, 1.e. fore which eases
arising under the J. a Lsh law were
bitwght fur judgment The Boman
authorities, however, reserved the right
of pronouncing and executing a dealt
sentence.
2. \Vo know-Nicodemtis hits in mind
other members of the Sanhelrin associ-
ated with him in guvclumcnlal respon-
sibilitie's. Many of these unquestionably
must have vitalized the significance of
the work and leaching of Jesus. Itut
because of selfish interests at slake they
had not the courage of their oonvietions
and did not publicly admit his evident
divine authority.
'T'he'se signs-Iteferring not only to the
nl.lhority Jetius had arsunud in his act
of cleansing the temple but io other acts
and miracles also not mentioned speci-
fieetly bet suggie.t d in verse 23 of the
preceding chapter.
3. \'oily, trri1y-Lal.. "amen, amen;'
a❑ expl'ttskn 1i:sell for solemn emphasis,
t111d when preceding the clause or sen-
tence it is intended to emphasize trans-
lated as in our text. When following the
Thought emphasize) the word in Eng-
lish appears in its original form as
"amen."
Born anew --Or, "from above.'
The kingdom of God -Conceived of by
Nie odemus as an earthly kingdom, int
which the future glory of the Jewish
people should find els culmination,
whereas Jesus clearly had in mind the
spiritual kingdom which he had cone to
eshahlish in the hearts of believers. It
was doubtltts this wrong conceptkm
which Nineteen's, together with the vast
majority of the people of his time, had
Muggsy Gets a Reprimand -and also a live Dollai Note
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(TNI1 .OYM00kED
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7/1KE 11115, 5011. YO1)RE
AVERY HAUGHTY BOY
8UT YOU SAVED MY
LIFE 4U)1 111E SMIE!
1 SEen E KtROLLIrt
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SIYEYOuDE! 443OK
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(� �Q Cep cosi `��" �t10 � i1'1 e
,t•
concerning the kingdom of Gil, that 1e�
fun lo misunderstand the statement 0
Jesus concerning tip t•et•tsity fli bola
G rn nguui
5. horn of water -The outwore sign o
cleansing by which confee..i•et is ma
(1 cue's need of a winner inward grace..((
And the Spirit -The mune init,.,rl:in
^telllelll 111 pelsoi,ul r•gcllei tibial. Un-
less a Mina's inner spiritual life
tvLully changed by a tetter from above
that of the Spirit of God, he cannot
even though he be et soot of Abraham
according to the flesh, enter into t►ui
kingdom of God.
G. flesh -Signifying not merely thee
14.41y, but its faculties, its appetites, and{
tk•.u-ts as well, "Thee tvholt• etluipment.1
With which 1111111re! furmL:hcd IItin for,
life. in this \weld."
8. The wind bloe elle--A clause some-
li►nts translated "the spirit Ie4ntItelh;'
since 1110 words for "wile!" and "spu'iC'l
aro identical in the Greek original.
So is everyone that is born of the!
SI.ir'it evident to Ituo.,• t •ilh whoa) he,
e(.mes in enlluet by his life and activity,
while the source and ultimate bent of Itis
seirilunl life and of Itis outward activity
may alike be hidden from all W114) 1tays
not theenseiv,r become rartekers of the
sane new life and spirit.
9. How can thnso things bo -Rather,!
"transpire," or "coule to pass."
11. We speak -Jesus includes his des
theles with himself in this eluletnent..
But note the change to the sin rular LN
6
Ucc neY1 verse.
12. Eni thly • Things -Such as transpir
upon earth, tlouga eternal and t►eavenly)
a: character.
Heavenly things -The deeper mysteri
ccncerning Goth's plan for the salvation'
o1 men.
13. No one hath ascended into heaven,
to see turd know these things, but
that descended out of -heaven, even th
Son of man.
14. The serpent in the wilderncs.-ice
the account of the events here refen•edt
to compare Num. 21.
Must , . . be lifted up -As a diving
recessil)V
1S. Have eternal life -John's charac-)
tcristic phrase for "life forever."
16. Many able commentators regard!
V4-I*'es 16-21 as the words of John rather;
than th(►sc of Jests. In support of this;
seggestion 11 Ls pointed out that John!
habitually throws explanatory coin-.
cleats of his own into his narrative, alai
that he does This ofllimes very abruptlyi
(compare 1. 16-18; 12. 37-41). The past
terve of the verses is also regarded est
reprnsenling rather the later point oil
view from which the apostle writes, suc-1
c, I t ding the completion of Christ's re-
p:p'mplive work. In addition to This it is'
pi.intel nut that phrases like "believe on
the name" and "only begotten Son" a
not elsewhere used by Jesus himself bu
are exprtsslons peculiar 10 the evang
list. \'erse 16, which has sometimes bee
calked "The gospel in miniature," gives it
c(.ndcused form a very comer eherlsiv
statement of the gospel message, point-
ing to the love of God for the world,
manifested in the siwrifice of his only
is gotten Son, as the otigh► of that gos-
pel. and to the all-inclusive scope of.thel
divine purpose which provides solvation
and eternal life for all who believe on
the Son.
18. Judge) already -The life and ex-
ample of Jesus Christ provides, as le.
were, the touchstone for every life,;
necnsur1 by which Idose who fall short
tet this high ideal and standar! slums
ready adjudged before ('wed nmol men lel
having fallen short of tint standard o
ttfe which, since the coming of Christ
leie been made possible lo (lose who
lt.•ve on his 1181110.
20. Dewitt -Or, "prneticeih." Tibet
phrase refers to the Habitual altitude to,
want evil.
21. Ikoeth the Irulh-A phrase ocv'ur-e
ring only herr and in 1 John 1. G. Ilere
used in contrast with the expression
"do. 111 evil" in lite pre•eding verse.
Wrought in God--'il►ere is a divine
etc ment in every right and key butt -Ian/
nclion.
STIt4XGLEl, 1115 WIFE.
Husband Annoyed Because She kept on,
Talking.
"I wish to give nlytielf up for rnurler.
1 killed jay waft: thus morning aired
o'clock."
Walking into the policy, station ate
SIonehounerl)evon, Englund, the other'
day, (;Mtge Ilolwer( 1'r.ok, a yuungj
laborer of 25, startled the officials oN
duty by making Uce above confession.
On going lo the 1llnll:v hot.se, ht High -
Street, the police' found tate body of Mrs.'
crook, who had apparently met her,
death by strangulation. She was 211
years 01 age.
After the Tragedy, it Is said, Crook,
{irked the slaw of the roll, and, pro-
ceeding to the house of his parents at
1'cnnycrross, wished them "Good-bye.".
Then he returned to his own house, and
about 9.31) went to the station mad gave
himself up, handing the police the key,
of the room.
Crook showed complete unconcern
about his terrible position. After sur-
rendering he quietly picked tip a paper
to the charge room and began reading
ti, day's news.
one of his friends to whom Crook.
'Anil "Good-bye," asked lura what linq
meant, and in reply. it is said, Crook'
m,nele tate following statement
"1 hove tone 11-1 have killed Flo. 1•
tie been out lo nolher'.c ; I leve bm-
r. her poor heart. 1 never intended to,
e.1. She (meaning his wife) kept on
teilking 4o me. and 1 told her 10 51,01). 1
went out ter half nn hots. When 1 carne
1oele she started again. 1 said 'Stop 11,'
:Ind she laughed in my face. Then I did
'111E POLITE twirrOB.
The proprietor of a hotel, hearing of
Pie wherenho►uls of a guest who had de-
(amped from Zits establishment without!
geeing through the formality of pnying
Glx hill, m
"f)enr Scrsent,-hi-V►'1l1a you send me amot,nt
of your bill and oblige?"
To whieh the delinquent replied
'el'ho amount is $47.50. -fours respect.
R,lly,•,
VEIL HINTS
T )110W your away In time,
l If they arc (heap nnes
Dant wear them after they have
Rot •o streaked w1;h dart (het tory
spoil the • omp•e)rue
If they are of Ms r'est's kind rt:p
them in an c, lorless rieanlr.g nub!
Shake out vigorously and
twit lr r
nn Ma led or tor.*Dtt
sod pinning gown 'M core► -s to coun-
lalp•ag or COvtrlrg.