The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-02-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes on the Lesson for Feblu-
airy l2-"Jesus and the
Little Ones"
From the Chicago Standard. |

From the Chicago Standard.l
Tho lesson Tor the above dats may be found
in the first fourteen Verses OF the eighteenth
chapter of Matthew
DAILY READINGS.
M.-Jesus aud the l. tile Ones Matt 17:l-13
Jesus all Example Tor the Young Luxe
=: 4O-5a
W.-Ihe Childlike Believer Mark 0: $3.50.
IL -Servlng One Another. John IL: LIZ
F-CnristlIke Unseitisne ST. PM 2: 1-lS
S.-Grsce for the Humble. l Petsr 5: LA
S.-Chrlst and his Disciples Matt %: 3l-46
BREAKFAST VERSES.
M-"The kingdom Of God" Rom. Ia: II
T-"Shall he lind faith!" Luke Is: s.
W-"Consider your ways" haggal l. 5.
T.-"My children. John ): 4.
F-"Humbe yourselves James 4: 10.
S.-"I love them that love me-" Proverbs
s: II.
S.-"My kingdom" John Is: Sc
INTRODUCTORY.
The Galilean ministry ID drawing to a
close. Christ rs about to bid farewel-and
he knows that 1t Is to be foreyer-to sweet
Gailee" and Its familiar surroundings Ere
he turns his steps and those OF his disciples
toward far-away Jerusalem, he pauses for a
time, IN The city OF his frequent sojournings,
Capernaum; and, AS seems EVIDENT 1t rs at
the house of Peter. The minds Of his dlsci-
pies are now at rest as to his Messlahshlp.
He Is indeed the Son of God But they are
not at perfect peace amongst themselves as
to priv leg5s and prerogatves. Christ must
needs teach them here two lessons; one on
forgiveness as in next Sundays Scr. pture Sc
lection, another on humility, the top.c Of
this week. Taking up little chlld-per-
haps, as DIR. Broadus suggests, one of
Peters own-he teaches the disciples and us
IA lesson which none Of us, so long as his
spirit abides with us, cares to forget Happy
hannV the
well.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
AT the same time came tie disciples 1t was at
the same time when our Lord had been teach
ing Peter through the tribute-money Matt
II: 24-20 of the spiritual freedom of the
children OF the Kingdom ; yet behold
them coming here with shackles OF
worldly sertdom still upon them. 1t was
at the same time that he had set his face
toward the city of immolation, sand they were
exceeding sorry" ~: 23); yet here they come
AZ if going up to worldly tourn " instead.
OF truth, as Mark says %: 32), "they under
stood not that saying"
Who is the greatestY Thoughts of rank and
caste Thus i'll the midst of the wheat Of the
kingdom do the rankest tares of heathenism
spring up. Perhaps the sentiment expressed
here has more of the core of worldliness in it
than any word yet spoken by the apostles. 1t
represents pure selfishness, and strikes di-
rectly at the heart of true Christianity. 1t
was hard for the disciples to put this sly devil
from them. Again and again, even up to the
very hour of their Saviors death, it was get
ting the advantage OF them. And we who,
with our democratic notions Of equality, have
less temptation than did they, even in the
light of this Christian century, are not guilt
less here Let him that is without sin cast
the first stone.
In the kingdom Of heaOen. 1t was, in part,
q laudable ambition, for, as Chrysostom sug-
gests, it was not worldly, but distinctively re-
lgious. There is, however, impiety in our
spiritual desires Lord, keep thou us from
presumptuous sins Was Peter appointed
spiritual primate? If so, the disciples would
have known it, Yet why then this question? II
80, Christ would have had here a convenient
opportunity for it's fuller enunciation; yet be-
hold, he says nothing of it Significant ST.
lence!
Called little child and set him in the midst
This is one blessed thing Christianity has
done for the world 1t has called up the child
from his neglected corner and set HIM in the
midst. Look at the old childless feasts and
assemblies of heathendom, and then look at
the Sunday-school, symbol Of the Christian
life of to-day A little child set in the midst,
like that child of twelve amidst the doctors of
the temple, has been for the renewal and
blessing of the world.
Ye shall not enter Ali, the question is sud-
denly changed 1t is not how high up shall
be placed, but shall l have a place in that
kingdom at all? Not pre- eminence, but sim
pie entrance. Unless we come with the meek
ness of childhood, we may well despair of
getting any further than the outer door.
Peter, you may think you have some claim
from the event of the great confession. An
drew, you were, perhaps, first called. John
and James, you were also with Him in the
mount Listen, the word is for the humbling
of you all: Except We be converted and be-
come as little children ye shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven"
Whose shall attend. Jesus is the childrens
friend Childhood has in Christ champion.
The Lord Jesus dignifed youth and childhood
in more ways than one while here on earth.
So closely does he identify himself with the
estate OF the little ones that to offend one Of
the least of them is to offend him. When you
see child think of Christ We may rightly
say that in the children, and all indeed who
are meekly dependent, we have an opportu-
nifty to prove our Christian charity and devo-
ton a practical opportunity in the schemes
for children's aid now before us. To do good
or i'll TO the little ones is to do good or i'll to
their Friend in the heavens.
1t must needs be that 0tenSes come Account
for it as you may, the truth abides: this Is a
world of temptation. Whether we account
Sin is in the world Do we reconcile it with
Gods sovereignty and sympathy? Yes just
as Jesus did. He acknowledged both truths.
Sin exists God is good. The heart confirms
both. 1t ls enough for the present
BIT coe To that man through whoni the Of
Jense cometh. Did Judas hear it? If so,
could he ever forget these words, and may
they not have been at the very heart of his
subsequent remorse? At any rate, willing
participation III offense is blood guiltiness
1t may be true that mems appehtes and pas
sions will abide in wllfulness and wanton-
ness, but woe to that person who encourages
or puts temptation in the way. "On my way
home from my work." said the man again
abandoned to his cups, 81 had to pass twenty
drinking saloons with the smell of liquor
strong about their doors. Icould pass by the
most of them, perhaps, but the nineteenth or
the men, yes and woe to the municipality, by
whom such offense cometh.
Cm them of. Heroic treatment, but eff
fectual Even blameless things If they are
an occasion Of evil, are to be resolutely ex-
cluded. The hand, suggesting control, the
foot, energy, the eye. whatever
in the domain of these initiates against the