Newspapers / The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, … / June 16, 1915, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
41 THE CHATHAM RECORD H. A, London EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Terms of Subscription $1.50 PER YEAR Strictly in Advance THE CHATHAM RECORD Rates of Advertising One Square, one insertion - - $1.00 One Square, two insertions - $1.50 One Square, one month - - $2.50 For Larger Advertisements Liberal Contracts will be made. VOL XXXVII. PITTSBORO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N. C, JUNE 16, 1915. NO. 45. yrfZ&iY Jit fm irjtff 1f3f Ifflf' NW NOTE TO GERMAN IN TEIS BUT FIR Gives Assurances That The Lusitania Was Given No Warning, Was Not Armed And Made No Resistance REPEATS DEli FOR PAY AND PROMISE Gate is Left Open For Germany to Submit Any Evidence That Ship Was Not Thoroughly Inspected. Only Warlike Act Will Provoke War. Washington. The United States in its latest note to Germany formally asks the Imperial Government for as surances that measures hereafter will be adopted to safeguard "American lives and American ships" on the high seas. The alternative in case of re fusal is not stated. It was this note to which William Jennings Bryan refused to attach his signature, resigning instead his port folio of state, thereby precipitating a dramatic Cabinet crisis. Robert Lans ing, Secretary of State, and interim, signed the communication which went forth with the approval of President Wilson and his entire Cabinet. Friendly terms characterize the document, which renew, representa tions made in the American note of May 15 after the Lusitania was tor pedoed and sunk. The German Gov ernment, it is declared "must have been misinformed," when it assumed that the Lusitania carrfed guns, as of ficial information is at hand to cor roborate the original contention of the Washington Government that the Lusitania was an unarmed pas senger ship which, since it did not resist capture could not be sunk with out transferring passengers and crew to a place of safety. The communications informs Ger many that it is "on the principle of humanity as well as upon the law founded upon this principle that the United States must stand." Oppor tunity is given to Germany to submit any evidence that American officials did not execute their tasks thoroughly in inspecting the Lusitania before she sailed, but the cardinal fact that te liner was given no warning and made no resistances and was primarily a passenger ship the American Gov ernment declares, throws into the background any special circumstances of detail, "and lifts the case" out of the class of ordinary subjects of dip lomatic discussion or of an interna tional controversy. A copy of the note was delivered to Count Bernstorff, the German Am bassador, who declined to comment. In diplomatic circles generally the note seemed to create a favorable im pression. In quarters friendly to Ger many, it was state2 that the docu ment confirmed a belief held since Count von Bernstorff's recent inter view with President Wilson, that the critical stage had been passed and that with the American viewpoint clearly before it, the German Govern ment would be able to find a way out of the delemma that would satisfy the United States. One phase of me note which at tracted much attention in diplomatic circles was that relating to mediatory steps on the part of the United States looking toward a reformation of war fare on the seas generally. In this connection it was suggested that the chief difficulty might be an insistence by Germany that the Allies refrain from interfering", not only with food stuffs consigned to her civilian popu lation but with, raw materials of all kinds. Text of the Note. The text of the American rejoinder to the German Government's reply to ti.e note following the sinking of the Lusitania follows: "The Secretary of State ad interim to the American Ambassador at Ber lin: "Department of State, "Washington, June 9, 1915. "American Ambassador, Berlin: "You are instructed to deliver text ually the following note to the Min ister of Foreign Affairs: "In compliance with Your Excel lency's request I did not fail to trans mit to my government immediately upon their recipt your note of May 28 in reply to my note of May 15, and your supplementary note of June 1, setting forth the conclusions so far as reached by the Imperial Government concerning the attacks on the Ameri can 6teamers Cushing and Gulflight. I am now instructed by my Govern ment to communicate the following in reply: "The Government of the Un'ted States notes with gratification the full recognition by the Imperial German Government in discussing the cases of the Cushing' and the Gulflight of the Principle of the freedom of all parts of the open sea to neutral ships and the frank willingness of the Imperial German Government to acknowledge and meets its liability where the fact of attack' upon neutral ships' which have not been guilty of aay hostile Y IS M act' by German aircraft or vessels of war is satisfactory established and the Government of the United States will in due course lay before the Im perial German Government, as it re quests, full information concerning the attack on the steamer Cushing. "With regard to the sinking of the steamer Falaba, by which an Ameri can citizen lost his life, the Govern ment of the United States is surprised to find the Imperial German Govern ment contending that an effort on the part of a merchantman to escape cap ture and secure assistance alters the obligation of the officer seeking to make the capture In respect of the safety of the lives of those on board the merchantman although the vessel had ceased her attempt to es cape when torpedoed. These are not new circumstances. They have been in the minds of statesmen and of in ternational jurists throughout the de velopment of naval warfare and the government of the United States does not understand that they have ever been held to alter the principles of humanity upon which it has insisted. Nothing but actual forcible resistance or continued efforts to escape by flight when ordered to stop for the purpose of visit on. the part of the merchantment has ever been held to forfeit the lives of her passengers or crew. The government of the United States, however, does not understand that the Imperial German government is seeking In this case to relieve -itself of liability, but only intends to set forth the cricumstances which led the commander of the submarine to allow himself to be hurried into the course which he took. "Your excellency's note In discuss ing the loss of American lives result ing from the sinking of the steam ship Lusitania, adverts at some length to certain information which the Imperial German government has received with regard to the character and outfit of that vessel and" your excellency expresses the fear that this information may not have been brought to the attention of the gov ernment of the United States. It is stated in the note that the Lusitania was undoubtedly equipped with mask ed guns, supplied with trained gun ners and special ammunition, trans porting troops from Canada, carrying a cargo not permitted under the laws of the United States to a vessel also carrying passengers and serving in virtual effect as. an auxiliary to the naval forces of Great Britain. - For tunately these are matters concern ing which the government of the Uni ted States is in a position to give the Imperial German government official information. Of the facts alleged in your excellency's note, if true," the government of the United States' would have Teen bound to take of ficial cognizance in performing its recognized duty as a neutral power and In enforcing its national laws. It was its duty to see that the Lusitania was not armed for offensive action, that she was not serving as a trans port, that she did not carry a cargo prohibited by the statutes of ' the United States and that, if In fact she was a naval vessel of Great Britain, she should not receive clear ance as a merchantman; and it per formed that duty and enforced its stautes with scrupulous vigilance through its regularly constituted offi cials. It is able, therefore, to assure the Imperial German government that it has been misinformed. If the Imperial German government shou7d deem itself to be in possession of con vincing evidence that the officials of the government of the United States did not perform these duties with thoroughness the government of the United States sincerely hopes that it will submit that evidence for consid eration. "Whatever may be the contentions of the Imperial German government regarding the carriage of contraband ,of war on board the Lusitania or regarding the explosion of that mate rial by the torpedo it need only be said that in the view of this government these contentions are irrelevant to the question of the legality of the methods used by the German naval uathorities in sinking the vessel. "But the sinking of passenger ships involves principles of humanity which throw Into the background any spe cial circumstances of detail that may be thought to affect the cases, princi ples which lift it, as the Imperial Ger man government will no doubt be quick to recognize and acknowledge. FRIENDLY N MANDS out of the class of ordinary subjects of diplomatic discussion or of interna tional controversy. Whatever be the other facts regarding the Lusitania, the principal fact is that a great steamer, primarily and chiefly a con veyance for passengers,, and carrying more .than a thousand souls who had no part or lot In the conduet of the war, was torpedoed and sunk without so much as a challenge or a warning, and that -men, women and children were sent to their death in circum stances unparalleled in modern war fare. The fact that more than one hundred American citizens were among those who perished made it the duty of the government of the United States to speak of these things and once more, with solemn emphasis, to call the attention of the Imperial Ger man government to the grave respon sibility which the government of the United States conceives that it has nicurred in this tragic occurrence, and to the Indisputable principle upon which that responsibility rests. The government of the United States is contending for something much great er than mere rights of property or privileges of commerce. It is con tending for nothing less high and sac red than the rights of hiimanlty, which every government honors itself in re specting and which no government ! Is justified in resigning on behalf of those under its care and authority. Only her actual resistance to cap ture or refusal to stop when ordered to do so for the purpose of visit could have afforded the commander of the submarine any justification for so much as putting the lives of those on board the ship in jeopardy. This prin ciple the government of the United States understands the explicit in structions issued on August 3, 1914 by the Imperial German admiralty to i' commanders at sea'to have recogniz ed and embodied, an do the naval codes of all other natiom, and upon it every traveler and seaman had a right to depend. It is upon this principle of humnity as well as upon the law founded upon this principle that the United States must stand. "The government of the United States is happy to observe that Your Excellency's note closes with the in timation that the Imperial German Government is willing, now as before, to accept the good offices of the Uni ed States in an attempt to come to an understanding with the government of Great Britain by which the character and conditions of the war upon the sea may be changed. The Govern ment of the United States would con sider it a privilege thus to serve its friends and the world. It stands ready at any time to convey to either Gov ernment any intimation or suggestion the other may be willing to have it convey and cordially invites the Im perial German Government to make use of its services in this way at its convenience. The whole world is con cerned in anything that may bring about even a partial accommodation of interests or in any way ::itigate the terrors of the pr-sent distressing conflict. "In the meantime, whatever ar rangement may happily be made be tween the parties to the war and whatever may in the opinion of tin Imperial German Government have been the provocation or the circum stantial justification for the past acts of its commanders at sea, the Gov ernment of the United States confi dently looks to see the. justice and humanity of the Government of Ger many vindicated in all cases where Americans have been wron?,d or their rights as neutrals invaded.. "The Government of the United States therefore very earnestly and very solemnly renews the represen tations of its note transmitted to the Imperial German' Government on the fifteenth of May and relies in these representations upon the principles of humanity, the universally recog nized understandings of international law and the ancient freindship of the German Nation. "The Government of the United States cannot admit that the proc lamation of a war zone from which neutral snips have been warned to keep away may be made to operate as in any degree an abbrevation of the rights either of American ship masters or of American citizens bound on lawful errands as passen gers on merchant ships of belligerent nationality. It does not understand the Imperial German Government to question those rights. It understands it, also, to accept as established be yond question the principle that the lives of non-combatants cannot law fully or rightfully be put in jeopardy by the capture or destruction of . an unresisting merchantman, and to rec ognize the obligation to take sufficient precaution to ascertain whether a sus pected merchantman is in fact of be- ligerent nationality or is in fact carry ing contraband of war under a neutral flag. The Government of the United States therefore deems it reasonable to expect that it will adopt the meas ures neeessary to put these principles into practice in respect of the safe garding of American lives and Ameri can ships and asks for assurances that tbjs will be done. (Signed) "ROBERT LANSING, "Secretary of State Ad Interim. HIS REPLY TO PRESIDENT WIL. SON'S NOTE RECEIVED AT WASHINGTON. ANSWER FROM VILLA ALSO General Villa Anxious For Peace -Carranza Reply is "Proclamation to the People." Washington. President Wil3on has before him the first reply to his recent statement regarding Mexico. It con sisted of a "proclamation to the peo ple" issued by General Carranza as serting the right of the Constitution alist Government to recognition by the United States and other foreign powers. Lack of recognition is de clared to be the one difficulty remain ing in the way of restoring constitu tional government in Mexico and the statement asserts: "At this time we believe ourselves to be in a position to overcome this last, difficulty because the Constitu tionalist Government is now actually in definite possession of sovereignty, and the legitimate exercise of sov ereignty is the essential condition which should be taken into account when deciding upon recognition of a government." General Villa's answer also reached Washington, but was not delivered at the State Department. Until it is pre sented the Villa agency declined to make public the text. Department officials declined to comment on the abstract of the Villa statement carried in press dispatches, or upon a copy of a letter from Villa to Carranza, also received at the agency, which urges that difficulties be forgotten and suggests a personal meeting between the two leaders to arrange for co-operation and restora tion of peace. General Carranza's proclamation was promptly laid before President Wilson. The document recites the his tory of the revolution, beginning with te Madero uprising. President Madero's failure the document attributes to the opposition from Orozco, Reyes and Felix Diaz, of the old regime, ana Zapata, insth gated by their adherents. General Huerta, it contends, consummated the movement with the co-operation of "a group of ferigners favored by the old regime who surrounded Henry Lane Wilson," former American Am bassador to Mexico, and under the pretext of saving Mexico City from war. PRESS OPINIONS ENCOURAGING. Washington Officials Optimistic Over German Editorials. Washington. Comment by the Eu ropean press on the recent Ameri can note to Germany attracted much attention in official and diplomatic quarters. In the absence of informa tion concerning Germany's probable attitude it was the chief subject for speculation. Off icals drew much encouragement from references in the editorials to the friendly tone of the American note. Many have felt that if a spirit of friendlines could "be maintained throughout the ne jotiations, the ef forts of the United States to convince Germany of the legality of the Ameri can position ultimately would be suc cessful. The careful phrasing of the last American note is known to have had the purpose of stating the demands of the United States earnestly, but in such a fashion as would not make it embarrassing for Germany to.meei the American position. House Back From Europe. New York. Admitting that he had talked with leading government off! cials of Germany, France and England but denying that his trip to Europe in any way was connected with a pos sible peace mission, or that he was the personal emissary of President Wilson, Col. Edward M. House ar rived here from Livsrpool, a passenger on the American line steamer St, Paul. , Wisconsin Storm Kills Twelve. Lacrosse, Wis. Twelve persons. are reported dead in a storm which swept over Western Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota and Iowa. Seven lost their lives near Ferryville, Wisconsin, and five near Lansing, Idwa. An eight-mile strip near Ferryville and Seneca was swept clear and every farm house was wrecked or damaged Besides the 12 illed 30 were Injured several of whom are in hospitals in Lacrosse, Wis., in a serious condition, Two livs were lost in Pennsylvania and two in Ohio in the same storm. Two Killed In Collision. New York. One man was killed and three persons seriously Injured when C. K. G. Billings' steam yacht Vandasi collided with the passenger steamer Bunker Hill of the Eastern Steamship Company in a heavy fog n Long Island Soun off Hunts Point, Both vessels, accompanied by half a dozen tugs, proceeded toward New York after the accident. A wireless -eport from the Vandasi said that she rad on board the bedy of John Brown, . member of the E inker. Hill crew. BRYAN RESIGNS FROM PRESIDENT'S CABINET; SPECTACULAR CAREER I860 Born, Salem, 111., March 19. 1881 Graduated, Illinois College, Jack sonville, as valedictorian. 1883 Graduated, Union College of Law, unicago, and began practice of law at Jacksonville. 111. 1884 Married Mary E. Baird, at Perry, m., uct. 1. 1887 Opened law office In Lincoln, Neb. 1891 Elected to Congress from First Ne braska district. 1894 Nomination in Democratic conven tion for United States senator, but defeated. 1895 Became editor of the Omaha World- Herald. 1896 Delegate to Democratic National Convention, wrote silver - plank, made notable speech and was nomi nated for president; in election, re ceived 176 electroal votes, against 271 fnv MfTflnlov 1897 Began career as public lecturer. which he has since continued ana through which he has amassed a fortune. 1898 Raised regiment of volunteer ln- Tantry for war against, Spain, De comlne its colonel. - 1900 Again became Democratic nominee for president, on platform or anti imperialism; received 155 electoral votes aeainst 292 for McKinley. 1901 Established weekly political , pe riodical and identified himself with Chautauaua platform work. 1906 Made extensive tour of the world. 1908 Nominated by the Democratic Na tional convention in Denver as can didate for president. 1913 Appointed Secretary of State by President Wilson. . . 1915 Resigns the premiership of the Cabinet. Washington. William Jennings Bryan, three times Democratic can didate for the presidency of the Uni ted States, and author of nearly thir ty peace treaties has resigned as Sec retary of State. President Wilson ac cepted the resignation. Secretary Bryan's letter of resig nation was as follows: "My Dear Mr. Persideit: "It is with sincere regret that I have reached the conclusion that I should return to you the commission of secretary of state with which you honored me at the beginning of your administration. "Obedient to your sense of duty and actuated by the highest motives, you have prepared for transmission to the German government, a note in which I cannot join without violating what I deem . to be an. obligation to my country and the issue involved is of such moment that to remain a member of the cabinet would be as unfair to you as it would be to the cause which is nearest my heart, namely, the prevention of war. "I, therefore, respectfully tender my resignation, to take effect when the .note is sent, unless you prefer an earlier hour. Alike desirous of reach ing a peaceful solution of the problems arising out of the, use of submarines against merchantmen, , we find our selves differing irreconcilably as to the methods which should vbe em ployed. ."It falls to your lot to speak official ly for the nation; I consider it to be none the less my duty to endeavor as a private citizen to promote the end which you have in view by means Trhich you do not feel at liberty to ree." "In severing the intimate and pleas ant relations which have existed be tween us during the past two years, permit me to acknowledge the pro found satisfaction . which it has given me to brt associated with you in the important work which has come be fore the state department, and to 'thank you for the courtesies extended. "With the heartiest good wishes for your personal welfare and for the success of your administration, I am my dear Mr. President, "Very truly yours, (Signed) "W. J. BRYAN." The president's letter to Mr. Bryan was as follows: "My Dear Mr. Bryan: "I accept your resignation only be cause you insist upon its acceptance; and I accept it with much more than deep regret, with a feeling of personal sorrow. Our two years of close asso ciation have been very delightful to me. Our judgments have accorded in practically every matter of official duty and of public policy until now; your support of the work and pur poses of the administration has been generous and layol beyond praise; your devotion to the duties of 'your great office and your eagerness to take -advantage of every great oppo--tunity for service it offered has been an example to the rest of us; you have earned our affectionate admiration and friendship. Even now we are not separated in the object we seek, but only in the method by which we seek It. "It is for these reasons my feelings about your retirement from the-secre trayship of state goes so much deeper than regret. I sincerely deplore It Our objects are the same, and we ought to pursue them together. yield to your desire only because I must and wish to bid you Godspeed in the parting. We shajl continue to work for the same causes even when we do not work in the same way. "With affectionate regard, "Sincerely yours, "WOODROW WILSON." Heavy Fighting Continues. London. In the Baltic provinces and along the Dniester River heavy fighting continues between the Rus sians and Austrians anc Germans The movement, forward and back ward, of the battle lines in the Baltic Provinces is almost continual and each side has at various times held the ad vantage. In Galicia the scene of the fighting has changed. The Germans, balked in their effort to reach Lem "berg from the south, have attacked th Russians on the River San north the Russians on the River San north 'R1ZES AWARDED FARMERS UNION rOR BEST WRITTEN ACCOUNTS OF COMMUN'TY SERVICE EY SCHOOL CHILDREN. AND WORK OF LOCAL UNIONS School Children From Ten Districts Awarded Prizes Which Were $5.00, $3.00 and $2.50. Raleigh Announcement made by Farmers' , Union . committee of the winners of the prizes offered by the Union for the best accounts of com munity service observance written by school children in the ten districts of North Carolina, and the awards for the best accounts of co-operative work by the local unions. The school children winning prizes which were $5.00, $3.00 and $2.50 de nominations were: First District George H. Privott, Tyner; Miss Lucie Harris, Swan Quar ter; Clye Privott, Tyner. Second District Miss Nettie Mae Worsely, Rocky Mount; Earl Griffin, Elm City; no other contestant. Third District Miss Ruby Wil liams, Clinton ; Miss Mamie Williams, Clinton; Mss Annie Daniels, Golds- boro. Fourth District Miss Annie ' Clee Brewer, Nashville; Miss Lutie Smith, Louisburg; Miss Paulina Floyd, Kitt- rell. Fifth District Miss Susie Blalock, Roxboro; Ralph F. Whitefield, Rox- boro; Miss Jessie Wilkerson, Rox boro. Sixth District Miss Mary Lou Smith, Hallsboro; Miss Letha Blan- chard, Hallsboro; Miss Clara Thomp son, Hallsboro. Seventh District Gwynn Griffin, Marshvllle; Gladys Cardwell, Purlear; Miss Eula Foster, Congo. Eighth District Ivey Ostwalt, Statesville; no other contestants. Ninth District Miss Mary Bell Au drey, Plneville; no other contestants, Tenth District Mohhis Stevens, Biltmore; no other contestants. At the same time prizes were awarded the following local unions for best array of actual facts of wrok along the different lines of co-opera tive effort. Eight of these lines alto gether had been determined upon, such as co-operative ownership of farm machinery, cooperative buying, co-operative selling, co-operative ownership of stock. . - The local uninons who through their secretaries will receive awards are: W. H. Pritchard, Weeksville, Pas quotank; J. B. Smith, ..Louisburg, Franklin; J. N. Ostwalt, Statesville, Iredell; L. G. Whitley, Elm City, Wil son; Brooks Local Union, Union coun ty; L. E. Robbins. Elm City, Wilson; J. S. Halford, Union Mills, Ruther ford; E. W. Settle, Benehan, Wilkes; O. E. Holder, Wlnston-Salemi, For syth. Tobacco Association Meets Soon. Winston-Salem. The fifteenth an nual meeting of the Tobacco Associa tion of the United tJtates will be held at Old Point Comfort, Va., Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 24, 25 and 26. Matters will be discussed and act ed on that will be of great value to the tobacco trade throughout the entire country. The Tobacco Association of the United States 13 one of the most im portant organizations in the United States, and numbers among its mem- bers prominent men in the trade in all parts of the United States, as wel as many bankers, transportation men and manufacturers. Wilmington Banner B. Y. P. U. Mount Airy. With the presentation of the state banner to the union of the vCalvary Baptist church of. Wilmington for the highest average made during the year in efficient work, and a mas terly address by Dr. W. Wistar Ham ilton of Lynchburg, Va., the B. Y. P. U. convention adjourned to meet next June in Wilmington, a!.er perhaps the best session in its history. Al' the addresses and conferences have reached the high-water mark. Saf crackers at Forest City. Forest City. Safecrackers visited Forest City and relieved the postofflce1 safe of all its contents.' Nitro-glycer- in was used in the blowing of the safe. The first door of the safe was blown open and split in halves, while the inner door was found in the mid die "of the room. Little else besides the safe was injured, with the excep tion of a few lock 'boxes. Postmaster BLanton was unable to say how much was taken as the robbers carried off th.e postal account book. There were between $20 and $25 in stamps taken. Lad Travels Cross Country Alone. Ashevllle. Probably the ; youngest traveler who ever made a cross country trip alone is Billy Faucette, the eight-year-old son of Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Faucette, who has gone to San Francisco , to see the wonders of the exposition and to vist surrounding cities without an escort., Upon the lapels of his coat he wears the em blems of the fraternities to which his father belongs and the latter has no fears regarding the .safety of the youthful traveler during the jaunt, IMBNOIONAL SlMOIOOL Lesson (By E. O. SELLERS, Acting Director ot Sunday School Course of Moody Bible Institute, Chicago.) J-ESS0N FOR JUNE 20 PRAYER FOR THE TEMPTED. LESSON TEXT-Psalm 14L GOLDEN TEXT Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me. Psalm 141:9. The style of this psalm closely re sembles the known psalms of David in the first part of the psalter. From its structure and character, it is to be credited to David. In it are pre sented complaint,., prayer and confi dent hope of relief. It is a petition for deliverance from sins to which his af flictions tempted him, and from the- enemies who caused his affliction. I. Prayer. "My prayer directed" (vv. 1, 2). There is good reason for believing David wrote this while go ing through the experience recorded in I Samuel 24. It is evident he is passing through a time of great stress and was in dire need of help for he urges "haste" in giving heed to his call, (Luke 18:1-8). David looks to Jehovah as his only and sure helper. We are told to omit the first word unto" in this verse and to read, "I have called thee." Every human help bad failed and faith fearlessly turns to God. Can God be urged? Surely we are taught that God respects his "remembrancers" who cry "day and night" (Psalm 40:13; 69:17, 18; 70:5; 71:12; 143:7). To- fold the hands weakly and to "bide his time" is usu ally an evidence of spiritual debility and of a desire to shirk the work involved in a true exercise of prayer. True faith knows but one way of de liverance, that of prayer (Phil. 4:6, 7), and those who call in faith get deliv erance (Rom. 10:13). Such prayer. the fruit of heart and lips, is before God "as Incense" and its effectiveness does not depend upon its being pre sented in the tabernacle It is a "sac rifice" of praise well-pleasing to God. We are to pray to God through his Son and in the Holy Spirit. Such prayer is set forth before him as a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor. II. Practice. "Incline not my heart . . . to practice wicked works" (v. 4). Such prayer as here suggested demands a preparation of purity. As the "incense" was prepared with great care (Ex. 30:36) and its fra grance was brought out by fire (Rom. 8:26, 27; Eph. 6:18), so likewise there must be a continual practice of prayer and an absence of "wicked works." In no way are we so apt to sin as with our Hps, but back of the lips is the heart (Matt. 15:11; Luke 6:45). The tongue can no man tame (James 3:8), yet God is able and his way is to cleanse the fountain. To have the mouth filled first with prayer and praise and then with evil is contrary to 'reason and to God's commands. David recognized that the heart is the source of "wicked works," and prayed that he be not even "inclined" t them (Matt. 6:13; Jam. 1:13). If he "keeps the door" we have a safe guard Ps. 127:1). III. Position. '"Let him reprove me" vv. 5-7. "Faithful, are the wounds of a friend." This seems to be the po sition David desired to occupy, one that would be "a kindness" to him. Such correction is as sweet oil. Oil is healing and soothing and here sym bolizes the healing effect of correc tion. Fools hate reproof, wise men plead for it. David not only welcomed wisdom but (see R. V.) promises to pray for such friends when calamities come upon them and in the time when they are overcome by wickedness. When such are cast down by the rocky roadside "they shall hear my words," says David, and they will be sweet. The psalmist's experience, when hunt ed as a partridge, taught him how to appreciate the petitions of Jonathan, his friend, whose words to him were "sweet." A careful reading of verse seven reveals David's dire extremity (see Am. R. V.). Death stared him in the face. His soul was torn as "one ploweth and cleaveth the earth." IV. Protection. "In thee do I put my trust" (R. V.). Though thus brought low David knew where to turn, and one to whom he could look. The church of Christ needs to look to God, to become like him. It needs the transforming, encouraging, energizing vision. David Is now taking his eyes off the difficulties and fixing them on the one who enables him to over come. "Look unto me and be ye saved." Literally his prayer is "make not my soul naked" or "pour not out my soul." ' Whoever else a man harms by his sin he' harms himself most. Saloonkeepers and their sons most frequently fill the grave of the drunk ard. Gamblers nearly all lose their easy gains. "They that take the sword perish by the sword." Our ul safety is Je hovah. God is constantly answering this last prayer, and we do see the wicked falling into their own nets (Ps. 7: 15:16; 37:14, 15; Ex. 7:10). This lesson has a strong temperance suggestion and application. (1) Pray ers that God will hear; (2) Prepara tion of the mouth and heart; (3) Pe tition for reproof to learn thereby;: (4) Protection from temptation and trial.
The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 16, 1915, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75