Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-17


biography, the Gospel by Luke is more
comprehensive than any.
Six of this quarters lessons are taken
from chaps. and ., which are peculiar
to st. Luke, and which present the facts
in a most graphic and interesting form.
Probably no account of the birth OF
Jesus has been found so attractive 10
the young.
The first lesson, Jan. ., was
zAcuARIAs AND ELIZABETH.
LukEl:5-l7.
And it presents a beautiful picture of a
pious household, where the heads Of the
family are described as "both righteous
before God, walking in all the com.
mandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless"
To these godly people a most welcome
announcement was made BY an angelic
messenger, that a child should be born
to them, whose birth should be an ocCa
sion of Joy and gladuess, and whose
gracious work it should be to turn many
of the children of Israel to the Lord
their God. He was to be the forerunner
OF the promised Messiah. Coming ''in
the spirit and power OF Elijah, he was
to prepare the way OF the Lord and by
his stern and awakened ministry, JohE
the Baptist did arouse the conscences
of the people, and thus prepared them
TO welcome the coming Saviour.
Lesson second was
THE SONG or MARY.
LrKE t6-s5
This sacred ode is called the "Magnif
cat, and is always used in the evening
service of the Church Of England. at
is the last Psalm of the Old Testament.
and the first of the New" Under the
influence of the Holy Spirit. Mary, the
mother of Jesus, was inspired to sing
this lofty aud beautiful ode, and TO
"bring the approaching Messiah the
fragrance of the noblest flower of He
brew lyric poetry
1t is song of high ascription and
praise TO God for his personal holiness
and his mighty deeds, embodying the
very spirit OF high devotion. and taking
avery exalted rank in Christian poetry
Lesson third WAS
THE PROPHECY or ZACHARIAs.
LrkE e7-ea.
This also is poem. known as "the Ben
edictus." and it is also used in the ser
vices Of the English Church. Its form
il that of Thanksgiving ode, and it Is
in honor of the Messiah and of his saw.
ing work for his people.
This Saviour was herslded by the
child Of Zacharias. and his praises were
sung by Johns venerable father in the
temple many centuries ago, and they
have been recited ever since 10y the
(shuroh NJ God in all auaz
Lesson fourth,
THE BIRTH oT IEsrs.
LuKE2 SD.
gave us the sweet and blessed story of
the Nativity the divine announcement
to the shepherds; the journey OF Jos.
eph and Mary to Bethlehem; the birth
in the manger the chorus of the an.
gels the visit of the shepherds, their
joyful praises. all these are the circum.
stances which surround the greatest
event which the history of the world
has ever recorded.
Lesson fifth was
SIMEON AND THE CHILD JESUS.
LuEE Z5-3s
Simeon, or Simon, was holy man, dis.
tinguished by God by the gracious prom.
ise that he should live to see the Sav.
iour. This lesson gives us an account
of how the promise was fulfilled, and Of
the interesting scene in the temple,
when the aged saint, taking the infant
Jesus in his arms, chanted the beautiful
strain OF the "Nunc dimittis," prophe.
sled the coming glories of Messiah's
work, and pronounced a benediction
upon Joseph and the Virgin Mother of
our Lord, TO which the Christian ages
have ever responded, Amen
Lesson sixth was
THE BoYHooD OF JESUS.
Less t0-S2.
This lesson tells us all that we know of
thirty years Of our Lords earthly life.
The silence Of the sacred narrative Is
most impressive. The journey to Jeru-
salem with the child and the remarka-
bic scene that occurred there with Jesus
and the doctors is the principal feature.
A consciousness of his relation to his
divine Father seems now TO be dawning
on the wonderful child's mind, while he
Increased in wisdom and stature and
in favor with God and man.
Lesson seventh wss
THE PREACHING or JOHN THE BAPTIST.
LuKH as7-1s.
We are here told Of Johns characters
tics as . preacher, the rousing and sol.
emn tone OF his message, aud the
marked effect which il produced on his
hearers. In him Moses and Isaiah