_It is the glory of God to conceal a thing._ THE GLORY OF GOD IN CONCEALING If God were to conceal everything from our view, it would be impossible that any glory could result to Him from the sentiments and actions of His creatures. It is by a partial communication of Himself that He has, in the h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer._ PURIFYING FIRES No text in Scripture brings out with equal distinctness the higher office of affliction, _i.e.,_, to develop in us preparation for a true usefulness. The object of furnace fires is not to melt... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go not forth hastily to strive_. THE WORST AND BEST WAYS OF TREATING SOCIAL DISSENSIONS The social dissensions that are rife in our world are incontestable proofs that humanity has fallen from its normal condition. There is society in heaven, but no social differences or strifes. The text indicat... [ Continue Reading ]
_A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver._ THE LESSONS OF THE ORANGE-TREE “Apples of gold” is a poetic name for the orange in more than one Eastern tongue. “Pictures of silver” may be a figure for the creamy-white blossoms of the orange-tree. No one who has seen orange-tree... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him._ THE VALUE OF A GOOD MESSENGER TO HIS EMPLOYERS It is not necessary to imagine that Solomon here indicates the occurrence in Judea of snow in the time of harvest. It is very improbable that a snowstorm e... [ Continue Reading ]
_By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone._ THE POWER OF GENTLENESS In the government of our words, mildness, or meekness, is specially commendable. The right disposition includes meekness, gentleness, courteousness, kindness. These are the virtues of a soft to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou found honey?_ eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. RELIGION AND PLEASURE It is a mistaken notion that religion is a melancholy business, and the enemy of pleasure. Christianity is supposed to be synonymous with inanity, and to impose a wea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house._ BAD NEIGHBOURS Here are four kinds. I. The intrusive. It is pleasant to be visited by a neighbour whose interest is genuine. Two evils accrue to those neighbours whose visits are intrusive. 1. They become tiresome. There is nothing fresh about them... [ Continue Reading ]
_Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint._ MAN TRUSTING IN MAN This is sometimes a great evil. To trust in man and disregard God, or to repose in man the confidence that rightly belongs to God alone, is sinful and ruinous. But in some resp... [ Continue Reading ]
_The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue._ RIGHTEOUS ANGER The marginal reading, which is, “The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance,” gives quite the opposite sense. In Arabia the north wind blew over a long tra... [ Continue Reading ]
_As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country._ GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY We live in a little world. It is simply that we are a part of it that it seems to us so great. By the multiplying of our interests in these days of change and travel, there is many a far country fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is not good to eat much honey._ NATURAL DESIRES RUNNING TOO FAR Man is a creature of manifold desires. These desires may be divided into two grand classes-- 1. Those that can never go too far. Such are the desires for knowledge, holiness, assimilation to God. 2. Those that often run too far.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, and without walls._ SELF-GOVERNMENT ESSENTIAL TO WISDOM Here is shown the ruinous condition of the person who has no rule over his own spirit. What can concern a man more than the art of self-government? It is inexcusable for a... [ Continue Reading ]