The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-05-08
INTERNATIONAL LESSONS.
by REV. F. n. nAneREAvEs.
May o
son y
SOWING Ann REApfNp.

Lesson @ May o
SOWING AND REAPfNo.
John iv,27-42. Golden TextJohn iv,
81. Time, December, A. D, 27. Place,
jacobs well, near Sy,lIar, at the foot Of
Mt. Gcrizim, in Samaria.
Jesus was talking with the Samaritan
woman at the we'll when His disciples re-
turned with food from the city. When
they drew near and saw their Master in
conversation with woman they were
greatly surprised, and vet none dare
question His acts. On their approach
the woman, forgetting her errand to the
well and leaving her water pot behind
her, hurried back to the city to tell the
JOYFUL news to her friends, saying, "lsnUt
this the Christr' At these words.
number of the inhabitants quick ~ started
forth to see this wonderful man and
themselves to hear Ills teachings
lnthe meantime, Christ refuses tho 70, d
which His disciples have brought, nnd
tells them Of that higher sustenan c
which lie obtained from Cod He re-
minds them Of the work which lay before
them, and OF the sustaining power Of Grd
ut all times. Sweeping Ills eye across
the plain and up the beautiful liillsides
lie secs the busy sewers scattering their
seeds, and in the distance, the crowd from
the city coming towards Him. With
mind and heart fully aroused, He said,
Say not ye, There are yet four months,
and then cometh harvest? behold, say
unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on
the fields; for they are white already to
harvest And then lie unfolded to
them the principle of the spiritual har-
vest in which they were to engage, and
taught them the blessed truth that "One
soweth and another rerpcth," and vet
both do the will of their Master. The
people, coming up, gathered round the
Savior and listened to His words; and
they were 50 deeply impressed with His
teachings that they bcsuught Him To stay
with them in their city, aud teach them
more fully the grand truths of His
spiritual kingdom. Two days lie rs-
mained there, and many believed ON His
words, because they heard Iiim them
selves.
So the Savior leaves the cold and
unbelieving Judea which ought to have
received Him but did not, and in the
hated Samaria, amidst the unfriendly
Samartians, He finds ready access to the
hearts of the people and willing adhcrents
to His cause. So the triiling circ,lm-
stance, His asking for drink of water
when tired and thirsty, leads to the most
unexpected and important results lie tr.s
are swayed, new and divine principles
are taught, lives are remOdelcd, and
work is begun inSychar which shall spread
and grow and have glorious influence on
thousands of hearts and lives. The feud
OF centuries between Jews and Samari-
tans receives blow at the hands of Christ;
lie teaches a higher and nobler principle,
II grander and broader truth, and to the
Samaritans He breaches His gospel.
Local strife and sectional differences
could not enter into His work and plans
He was the Savior of all. And 10 to-day,
lie comes to all nations and all classes
with the same blessed gospel of peace
and deliverunce from sin.
LESSON THOUGHTS.
l. Tell your experience to others if it
is worth telling.
2. Lead others to Christ The woman
went and brought her friends.
3. Keep on sowing. The sowcr has
his reward.
4. God always sustains and takes care
Of fIis chsldren.