The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-12-25

for sunday, Dec. 20 - Golden Text,
Revelations xii, 17-A General Re-
view Upon the Quarters Lessons.
Concluding, as we have done, with lessons
from the last section of the New Testament,
it will be appropriate for reviewer to recall
the outline of the whole book and give a
valuable aid to the memory as TO the struc-
ture and contents Of this volume like which
the world has nothing.
Points like these may be concisely drawn
out by questions The New Testament be-
gins with the gospels, for it is the life OF
Jesus that lays the foundation for it all. 1t
begins with history-facts being always
easier to remember than abstract truths.
They come after The Christian faith has its
foundation in history.
Why four goSpels' Why four drawings of
a house by the architect To give complete
view of front inside, elevation, side view.
So with the wonderful life Of Jesus. This
can be illustrated.
Are the Gospels all alikel No. Whyl Each
writer has his own aim. Matthew thinks OF
Jews, and often quotes the Old Testament;
Mark of Romans, and is concise and rapid in
detailing the deeds of Jesus. The educated
Luke writes for all. Jews and Gcntiles, show
ing that Jesus came to save both. John came
last, when Greek philosophers were puzzling
their minds about the person of Jesus Christ
and His standing toward the Father and he
showed that the Word was made flesh, )" and
"thc Word was God"
And what came of Christ and His teach
ing: The Acts of the Apostles-a book which
Ia l..s. an 4
Tor 1t tells all that Jesus did after He ascend
ed-answcrS this question. (The Gospel of
Luke told what He said and did before)
And what did He do. Came to the twelve,
gave the Holy Ghost called out thousands of
believers, turned Paul to Himself sent the
Gospel to the Gcntllcs, founded the churches
And why the EpistlcS' Because as Chris
tian communities grew up practical questions
rose, from ignorance, from errors, from con-
tact with Judaism and with heathensm; and
the EpstlcS deal with these Some are to
Jews, some to Gentiles; some are to churches,
some to individuals. Some deal with doc
trlncs they may he named, and some with
organization as well, like those to Timothy
and to Titus
Then readers of the Gospels might ask,
What is to he the end of all this! VIII
Christianity so forward and succeed in the
end, or will it be put downt The answer is
in the Revelation, with Satan bound, with
its city of glory, its New Jerusalem, its Par
adise of God and ITS innumenable multitude
of the redeemed.
Different writers, of different habits Of
mind, are employed, so as to reach ALL Diff
fcrent styles are used for the same reason
biography history, letters and the matchless
Revelation. All men crave an insight into
the future. Here it is, as far as Il is good
for man. The book is one glorious organic
whole, and the complement of the Old Tes-
lament, which begins with Adam in paradise.
This ends with paradise, with all the features
of the old on higher plane, and with, not a
single pair, bit great multitude of holy,
perfect human beings-so great that no man
can number them. Evil is vanquished,
though saints suffer, the devil is not the
victor; creation is not in vain; the Lord is
gloriied.
In continuation the reviewer may rapidly
run over the twelve lessons of tho quarter
now closed, under the following division into
three sections, the second being the connect
ing link between the first and third;
|. Christ in humiliation-U betrayed, 9
before Plate, 81 given to be crucitied, AZ
crucifed
H. Jesus after His death-(3 risen, G) con-
vincing Thomas, ~ restoring Peter, IS en-
tightening saints the very things he is doing
still to men like Thomas, Peter and John.
III. Jesus in His glory-CD as seen by John,
40 as worshiped with the Father on as
surrounded by His saints, and n2 as closing
up His revelation and renewing the invita-
ton of His grace.
This is comparatively easy Of recollection,
and presents a really interesting group of
vital and experimental truths, and it reveals
TO us Him who is "the same yesterday, and
today, and forever"
HINTS FOR QUESTIONS.
How the New Testament Begins. -Founda-
ton Of the Christian faith. Why four Cos
pels Characteristic of each gospel. Glasses
for which each Evangelist wrote. The acts
of Jesus Why the epiStles. What is to be
the end Different writer's Of the Scriptures.
The future Jesus in humiliation. Jesus
after his death. Jesus i'll glory.-Sunday
School World