The Indianapolis journal., 1886-01-10
sanday-sehoo, Lesson for Jam. 17, 1856.

Sunday-School Lesson for Jan. II, 1885.
THE FAITHFUL REcHABITRs-Jer. xxxv, 1918.
GoLDEN TExT-For unto this day they drink none,
nat obey their fathers commandment--Jer xxxv,
The history Of this brave, strong, pure tribe is
enc of singular interest. Living in degenerate
shines, they still preserved their pristine virtues
Uhen almost everything else suffered from the
displeasure of righteous God, they enjoyed
the smiles Of His favor and the honor of His
zperoval The story shines like gem in the
9Th OF a street. Morally they lowered above
he inhabitants of judah as the ranges of Leba-
hon above the valleys made verdant by their
mountain streams.
In the lesson on Jehu we had view OF the
Rechabites in connection with Jehonadab their
chief, who was of the Kenites, a part of the
great tribe of indian, that Moses found in the
regions of Sinai. They were descended from
Abraham through Keturah. Judges, i, 16; iv. III.
The peculiar laws and VOWS Of the Rechabites
seem to have degenerated in the time of Elijah.
FOR Jonadab, the son of Rechab. probably under
She personal influence of the prophet, adopted
the VOWS of the Nazarites for himself and his
tribe, and withdrew into the wilderness OF south
srn Palestine They abstained from wine, and
tiled neither the land nor the vine, nor dwelt in
Gxed dwellings. Jer., xxxv, 5-lO The mem
bers of the tribe seems faithfully to have kept
their VOWS, and though not of the people OF
Israel, yet they were in sympathy with them.
and preserved the worship of Jehovah. Hence
Sod cared for them.
Once more the whole land was being desolated
by foreign foe. The Rechabites were gathered
into the city of Jerusalem to preserve them from
the wrath of fNebuchadneZzar, who was sweeping
everything in his path. They were assigned
space for their tents near the temple. One day,
with the purpose of teaching great lesson to
the people, feast was prepared in the Temple
and bowls of wine were offered to the Recha
bites They instantly declined the offer of
jeremiah, as he probably knew they would,
whereupon he addressed the people of the land
In the impressivs words of the lesson.
THE GREAT TEACHING.
l. For belief. The fifth commandment, obe-
dience 10 parents, is fundamental to the pros
perity of the child, the happiness of the family.
and the security OF the nation. A very large
amount of the sin of the age begins at this point
and it fills our jails with criminals and our cities
with desperate and dssoute men and women.
In much of our popular literature there is a
direct attack made on this plain commandment
disobedience becomes merit, and children are
made to gain their success and appear smart as
they outwit their fathers and conceal from them
their escapades. The private talks of boys are
0ftenOf kind that show that they have no re-
spect for the old fashioned virtue of obedience
and the boy who dares not, will not disobey
is called weak and cowardly. The sentiment in
favor Of the fifth commandment is at very low
ebb, and parents are often discouraged beyond
measureas they feel that they are losing control
Of their children.
2 For practice. There is great need of re-
vival of flial obedience 1t may have been
Yeglected in the pulpit and in the Sunday school,
and it would be good thing to mark this year
Of grace. 1886, by special and combined efforts all
along the line to secure such an end. We need
the commands of religion to enforce it, No child
conversion should be considered sufficiently deep
and genuine that does not show itself at this
point. But TO this end we must place the duty
IN the child's mind and conscience as it is pre-
gsented in Gods word. 1t is as much duty as
any of theten great commandments