The National tribune., 1886-04-29
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught BIZ a Study OF the Inter.
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed for
Nav O. ST Joho .21A5


May 0. st. John, 4:2542.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures
indicated abovel
Our Savior on his way to Galilee went through
Samaria, meeting a woman at Jacobs well, near
the city of Shechem. Meantime his five Dis
ciples were in the city purchasing some food
for themselves and Christ The subject of con-
versation between him and the woman was
salvation under the figure of water. On the
Disciples coming up, the woman left so precipi-
lately as not to take her waterproof, and returned
into the city. The five were quite surprised to
find their Master talking in friendly way
to Samaritan woman. They had, however,
too much respect and reverence for him to ask
any questions about the matter. The woman,
on entering the city, told the people her i'm
preston, that the Messiah was out at Jacobs
well; that she so believed from the fact he had
exposed to her all the acts and thoughts of her
life. The people are interested and go forth to
meet the wonderful person. Christ becomes so
concerned, spiritually, for the inhabitants of
Shechem that all appetite for food forsakes
him. He had been travelling and must have
been very weary and hungry. The Disciples
and have it ready for Christ. But he was so
absorbed in the question of salvation for the
Samaritans that he could not for the time eat
Physical qualification was secondary to the will
of God as to the souls of sinners. He was
anxious to prepare the way for his Apostles
to make it easier for them after he had gone
from earth. He was willing to be sower if
they might thus be moro successful reapers.
Christ proved his divinity by his omniscience.
He revealed to the woman facts which were
true and which only God knew. ". 39.) Not
only was the woman convinced, but also the
crowd from the city. They saw in him evil
dences of his supernatural nature and felt sure
he was the Messiah. They became so inter-
ested they could not permit him to pass on at
once, but insisted on his going into the city.
He accepted their invitation and spent two
days in further instructing them. They over
came their prejudices. They submitted to be
taught by Jew and his five assistants. That
was a mercifui visit Of Jesus. He only
once in his life came into association with
Samaritans. We do not read he ever
met the people again. His pause In She
chem was not fruitIess. Many were led to
adopt the true faith-many, not all; even
Christ did not succeed with everybody. The
people of that Samaritan city seemed very
tractable and teachable. Some, who could not
be convinced by the woman's testimony alone,
sought converse with Christ in person and
were so favorably impressed as to accept his
teachings and to begin Christian lives. They
had then double evidence-frst, indirect, or
that through the testimony of the woman; and,
secondly, personal, or that direct from Christ
to themselves. They call him "the Savior of
the world" 1t is strange how they grasped
this idea of Chrfst's mission to earth. His own
nation, the Jews trained to expect the Mes
siah. was not so clear sighted on this question
as was the Samaritan city. The very Apostles
were outstripped by the people of Sheohem in
grasping the thought of salvation from sin
4 H. H.
ne0us ideas as to the proper work OF Christ.
They did not count for much purely spiritual
blessings, but were anxious rather for national
relief through a successor ON the throne of Sol
onion. The Samaritans were not thus blinded
from realizing our Savior's real mission to save
souls from sin.
We may learn much as Christians from our
study. The Samaritan woman may be veri-
table prophecies to us. Not only may she
have the credit of leading many Of her own
city to Christ, but also of helping persons even
yet in approaching their Savior. Her inter
view with Christ resulted in adding to the BIZ
BILE one of its most attractive chapters, and in
giving some of the sweetest thoughts Of our
Redeemer
Notice lessons:
/. There Is great encouragement to work as
Christians. We need not delay . moment.
The harvest now is white. We are surrounded
by those needing salvation. We shall not work
in vain. "He that reapeth receiveth wages"
~ 49, And what precious fruit we are to
gather-it is unto eternal life" ". 49, No
wonder there should be joy in such employ
ment. ". 36.) Then we do not work alone.
We enter the harvest field after thousands have
sown before us. We enter on their labors.
". 49, But understand we are to labor-not
play, not languish, not merely rejoice. ". 49,
Our Savior has set the example. The account
is given in Gods Word on purpose to stir up
our hearts and set us aglow. We are sewers,
reapers, haryestmen, laborers.
g. Testify for Jesus. The woman went from
Christ into the city and told all her neighbors
what wonderful person he was. Her testi-
mony, and that though she was q woman of
questionable standing, was accepted. Many
believed, sought Christ and doubtless became
his true followers. There is power in mere
testimony. We do not read that our Savior
performed any miracle in the interest of the
Samartans unless his revelations to she woman
as to the secrets of her life might be ranked as
miraculous, being supernatural. Bare evidence
of her personal experience with Christ led the
people to seek him. Testimony for our Savior
is q duty and should be pleasure.
g. Labor with the worst characters and try
to lead them to Christ. Attempting to aid such,
be kind. Do not upbraid them for former sins.
1t is not necessary to break the bruised reed,
When our Savior was severe, it was with hypo-
critics, robbers of widows, those who offered
ostentatious prayers He was never violent,
or ungentle with the friendless, poor, sorrowful,
or those repentant of scandalous sins. Olive
branches are better than thongs. How to treat
the erring is of the great practical questions
of the day.
A. Believe testimony of persons experienced
in religion and versed in Christian knowledge.
What shall We say of persons who will not even
believe their parents when they declare their
faith in the Messiah? Shall semi-heathens
believe O woman of lax morals while children
refuse assent to their own upright fathers and
pure mothers?
s. Act for posterity. One sows, another
reaps Ueberweg says Vol. 1, p. 81: Through
the study of history, the whole life of the race
is, in a manner, renewed on a reduced scale in
the individual. The intellectual possessions of
the present, like its material possessions, repose
in all cases on the acquisitions of the past.
Every one participates, to a degree, in this
common property" The fact we owe to the
past the advantages of the present and should
express our appreciation Of ancestors by laying
foundations for poSterity was noticed in early
ages, and gave rise to the prOverb quoted by
our Savior: Zone soweth and another reapeth."
6. Woman has encouragement. Christianity
recognizes and elevates her. We do not marvel
now that q religious teacher tries to interest
women in salvation. (V. 81 The Rabbi even
shared to an extent in the opinion of female
inferiority, utterlng, e. g., such expressions rs
No man salutes q woman; HE who nStructs
his daughter i'm the law is as one who plays the
fool" 1t was not that Christ instructed q
Samaritan woman so much, but that he troubled
himself at all about q Womans salvation that