The Choctaw Freedmen Part 31

VIRTUE--COURAGE. B: Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just; whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Thou therefore my son, Timothy, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

a.s.st. B: The Lord said unto Joshua, "Be strong and of a good courage: that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, my servant commanded thee; that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." See also Eph.

6:10-17.

KNOWLEDGE. B: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true G.o.d, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of G.o.d and that the spirit of G.o.d dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of G.o.d, him shall G.o.d destroy: for the temple of G.o.d is holy, which temple ye are. See Prov.

4:7-8; 3:16-17

TEMPERANCE. Abstain from all appearance of evil. If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no meat while the world standeth. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And 2 Pet. 1:5-6.

PATIENCE. In your patience possess ye your souls. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of G.o.d.

G.o.dLINESS. "Great is the mystery of G.o.dliness: G.o.d manifest in the flesh, believed on in the world and received up into glory. G.o.dliness with contentment is great gain. G.o.dliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Fear G.o.d and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

KINDNESS. "Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as G.o.d for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Love ye your enemies, and do good; lend hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."

CHARITY. "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not; beareth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things. And now abideth faith, hope and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity." Luke 10:27. I John 3:17.

All repeat 2 Pet. 1:5-8, and review the foundations.

THE SABBATH. "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath, and the apostle John calls it the Lord's day."

"From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, G.o.d appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath."

"And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever."

Isaiah refers to the Sabbath as a pledge of divine favor. "If thou call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways; I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father."

Ezekiel, a prophet of the captivity, older than Daniel and faithful even unto death, refers four times to the pollution of the Sabbath as one of the princ.i.p.al causes of the captivity. "The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel walked not in my statutes, and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would greatly pour out my fury upon them to consume them and scatter them among the heathen."

Abraham Lincoln very truly observed, "As we keep or break the Sabbath day, we n.o.bly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises."

Was.h.i.+ngton and Lincoln, apart from what they did, were great men. The divine element of a G.o.d given character belonged to each. Goodness is the basis of greatness, and greatness is character; the ability and willingness to serve.

All unite in repeating the fourth commandment.

THE DESIGN. It can be ornamented with a gilt cross and decorated with evergreen festoons pendant over the ends. Bouquets of the same color can be laid at the corresponding angles.

THE CROSS. "G.o.d forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."--Paul.

The children bringing bouquets can be supplied with short exercises like the following.

I bring these flowers: Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

These beautiful flowers I bring, A grateful offering to my king.

I bring these pretty flowers, A fragrant relic of Eden's bowers.

I bring these roses fair To Him who hears my evening prayer.

I bring to him this pretty rose, Who died and from the dead arose, To save us all from all our foes.

These flowers I bring to him of whom it was said, "I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys."

"By their fruits ye shall know them." This is the present test of character; of men, their teachings and inst.i.tutions.

Fruit, FRUIT, MORE FRUIT.

Every branch that beareth not FRUIT He taketh away; every branch that beareth FRUIT He purgeth it, that it may bring forth MORE FRUIT

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea.

With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While G.o.d is marching on."

See also Math. 7:30; John 15:5-8, 14, 15.

Repeat in unison the call of Jesus for the children:

"Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

OPPORTUNITY FOR DECISION

Daniel in his youth, purposed in his heart, not to defile himself by eating the king's meat or the wine which he drank. Joshua expressed his decision to all Israel, saying, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve? While the congregation is standing and singing an appropriate, familiar hymn, encourage every undecided person present, to accept Jesus as their savior; and to indicate with the uplifted hand, their decision to live a Christian life.

Provide testaments or bibles for those needing them.

BUILDING DAY BY DAY

"We are building in sorrow and building in joy A temple the world cannot see.

But we know it will stand, if we found it on a rock, Through the ages of eternity.

Cho. We are building day by day As the moments glide away, Our temple which the world may not see.

Every victory won by grace Will be sure to find a place In our building for eternity.

"Every deed forms a part in this building of ours, That is done in the name of the Lord; For the love that we show And the kindness we bestow He has promised us a bright reward.

Then be watchful and wise Let the temple we rear Be one that no tempest can shock; For the Master has said And He taught us in His word We must build upon the solid rock."

--H. E. Blair

GROWING UP FOR JESUS

"Growing up for Jesus, we are truly blest, In His smile is welcome, in His arms our rest, In His truth our treasure, in His word our rule, Growing up for Jesus, in our Sunday School.

Growing up for Jesus, till in Him complete, Growing up for Jesus, oh! His work is sweet; In His truth our treasure, in His word our rule, Growing up for Jesus, in our Sunday School.