Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-12-27
Sunday School Lesson Noes.
BY REV. j. O. SHERHURN
Dec. 3lst-Qnarterly Eeyiew.

As our studies have had Christ as tho
central figure throughout the quarter
though other characters have furnished us
instructive incidents and important lessons,
we may properly enough fix upon some
one fact or incident in each lesson, which
will give us sight of a particular feature
in the character Of the Christ we have
followed in our study. In the first lesson
he commends the love and devotion ol
The woman who broke the box of oint.
ment and poured it upon his head. lie
defended her conduct against the cavils Of
those who had less love than she. Jesus
always accepts the we'll meant service Of
his followers. He estimates it ut its true
value; ard lhe value of any service is, in
his sight, guaged by the love That prompts
it. He secs the inner heart AMI tries the
reins.n
Ia the second lesson We find Jesus keep
ing the Passover with his disciples.
Though himself Lord of all, and superior
to all earthly rites or human obscrvances
he consented to become suhjaclto them all
that he might be a pattern Of obedience in
all things. Plainly teaching that the
outward form was, Of Itself. nothing, he
still observed the religious forms of his
people and encouraged such observance in
his disciples. He forever settled it, that
he came not TO destroy bat to fulfill the
law.
In the Mird lesson we behold the grief
Of Jesus as he conemplates the treachery
of his disciples and the desertion of his
followers Jesus felt. us keenly as any
human being, the inll lence and aid Of
sympathy, and the grief which came from
being forsake1. On former occasion,
after many had ceased their following
him, he turned to his disciples with the
sorrowiul question: "Will ye also 90
away" AS he was then grieved at the
failure in the constancy of his followers
so now
The fourth shows the same desire fol
human sympathy which we have marked
in the third, but it brings into prominence
another trait in the character of the Son
of man; that is his self denial and self
Ienunciation, while he sought to do and
suffer the Fathers will. "Ncverthelcss
not my will hut thine be done, is the true
key to the whole system brought in with
Jesus. Christ
In the nm lesson Jesus strongly and
clearly asserts his innocence. He was
pained that it should be deemed necessary
to come with armed men to secure his
arrest. His was peace bringing and Il
peace loving life, aod to have about him
tho arms and the symbols Of war was
painful in the extreme to him. 1t was
probably well understood thlt Jesus
himself would give the authorities no
trouble, but what his friends might do
was more uncertain. They had not fully
taken in his spirit. And the same difficulty
prevails among those who are now called
by the 9 ian name.
In the siDA lesson Jesus positively
asserts, in the presence of his deadly
enemies that be is the Christ. In the
answer he gave the high priest in this
lesson we find, not only the clearest
assertion of his divine Sonship which ever
came from his lip, but also proof of his
utmost frankness and courage, None but
one conscious of integrity, and one moved
bv purest devotion to principle would
have made the answer Jesus did.
The sevenh lesson shows us the conduct
of Jesus in the presence of Plate Here
it becomes perfectly evident that he had
M desire to save himself Having again