Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-04-11

Notes on the Lesson for April
16-" Christian Watch.
fulnoss.0

tfrum The Chicago esaudard.1
1he lesson for above date may be found in
ne twenty fourth chapter OF Natthew, from
the forty-socond 70 The Afty- first versss
DAILY READrNGA
The Lesson. Matt ~: 42-51.
I-Lnko's Account Luke u: 35-3z.
IAN Apostolic ExhorsaticnL Heb 8:
IA Prayer. Hab. 1: b-ia
H-The Pounds. Luke II. If-3T.
h-A Last Word Rev. ~: 10-2i.
INTRODUCTORY.
A short sermon from our Lord on the wora
"watch;' or rather 4 series OF fOur brief dis
courses on one and tho Same theme, for the
three iessons which follow this are kindred in
thought The Christ is sitting upon Olivcts
cay eminence overlooking the CITY, his dis
c.p,cs clustered about. tell us. = they say,
when shall these things besa They are
linking OF the temple and it's p~hophesied
overthrow. He 10 looking farther, and pres
entity he has led their thought onward to that
august event ct the end OF time for which,
WIN them, We watch and wait The convers-
indeed, the 24th and 18th Of Matthew.
THE LESSON TEACHES
Watch. Not count up, reckon. No, keep
your eye on the door rather than on the
siase; or rather keep your eye to the front
pie over there in Battle Creek are not the
only ones who are watching" Indeed, much
as We h0aor the pieiy and devotion Of many
OF them, We doubt whether they are truly
carrying ont this injunction. They are meas
MIinS, computing, watching for signs rather
.nan ior the Lord. And YET, that is far better
ne church OF Christ in danger Of going to
the other extremes Are we going 10 relin-
quish al w~atchfulnesss Can We safely aban-
oon IN this respect the apostolic mood and
because We know, but because we do moi.
knoer, that we are to watch. II il watching in
uncertainty. 1t il not as il he said, u will DO
with yon in the third hour Of the night, there
sore look for me then" That 10 the way
many are esteeming Christian watchtulness.
but thrist says ait 10 not known when / shall
come. therefore, ,ratch." Now, a query. aYe
know mo-" Is the word. There, 10 perhaps a
Pre-miilensrian tendency to set that day as
near ct hand. There Ia another, q post-mil-
leaafian fashion, which seems to the writer
scarceiy innocent, OF postponing that day.
"a know not What them Therefore,
na,,h. II is not knowledge, but obedience,
tnst makes for Righteousness. The watching
church is the orthodox church.
Asady,. A,good commentary on the word
VIZ WHAT II IL 70 Watcns ltlS 10 De
ready" And what is ii to he ready" lii,
simply to keep Watching. All, then, Christian
watchfulness and Christian readiness are
very nearly, II not quite, interchangeable.
Doth mean action. Not white robes and folded
hands, but girded loins and hands free for
ssry CO 10 be ready for Christ is TO be ready
Tor every good word and work. When Paul
was ready to dtpirt he was At the same tlnc
Watching for opportunities to do good. The
true watch ng church has been tho working
ehnrch, and the working church the watch
ing. God graft we may keep i'll tho watching
ableness.
The Son IF Nan coneth. He is comiug.
Our hyma-books are full OF it; our prayer
book our Bible, also. Let the pulpit speak
t. Better still, let it he seen IN loyal lives.
Lave Us expecting the coming Of the King. In
pray, 4Thy kingdom Gomez" Let all these
lesser cominys be but harbinsers of the great
browning day that's coming by and by"
with what spirit VIC meet these earlier vista
will We hail 1T last that glorious day.
S,ster Dora, the Christian nur Q, had bel at
the head OF her bed, and when it rang in the
night IS the sick came or sent for her, break
ing IN upon her rest, she used to say, rs she
Faithful and acise. Wise not with the wisdom
Of this world, wise to win souls: fs thful with
. servants faithfulness. who goes straight TO
his master for his orders @Why don't you do
more visiting!" wrote the waichful secretary
70 the frontier mi ss,onary, whose tabular
did not come quite up to the pre-
serb d mark. 4The letter that came" said
lhe Secretary in open session, wa one of the
severest rebukes 1 ever received" sYes," re-
Piled the humble-spirited woman, toiling
away at her obscure post, Il know L don't do
as ] should, and l fear the master will call
q the last but . slothful servant, but
when started out found : poor sick family,
ragged, unfed, nnwashed. / stayed with them.
| nursed and gave medicine TO the sick. 1
couli not leave them hungry, so I cooked for
them and fed them washed and mended
soiled and tattered garments. / spent so
much mn with them that I.tear I hare ne
my Merk" Work neglected. We ask
again; sWho, then, 10 the faithful and wise
vel vanty' II is for the Master to say.
80 doing. Caught in the act, Is it vera
upon suddenly by his Master and found
his duty. Upon how many an earnest
servant has the Lord thus suddenly com TO
him to q higher estate2 Kingman
Mott in New York, Lyon, and Rayl. and Pink
'rton abroad Mem in the heat Of their la
giving to their people their meat in due
'eAson. Pity them not. Remember tho words,
Blessed is that servant whom the Lord whei
e cometh shall find so doing" Happy the
Christian thus translated Rev. II. Mood
mail, giving his life for the emancipation of
he colored people, as no patriot in b.ue ever
il, wrote to his friend in Chicago. Il
work to do and hope l may hold out I'M
ii April, when it will be completed" But God
purposed otherwise One evening over his
it is growing dark In five minutes
ne was with those who @need no candle,
neither light Of the SUM-" He went up from |
he midst Of the very doing"
DetnyeN his coming. It is what the nine |
eenth century is saying; not in word, to be
nan of the market with his hand on the throat |
" the weak 10 saying, @My Lord delayeth his |
The gay lady Of fashion, with her |
1T soul entirely occupied with the german
md the progressive" (or, rs DR.. lorimer
'a!ls II the excessively euchre party, is say
raider putting poison to the lips Of the South |
african Tor TO the North American), and the
state allowing it, are both saying, sMy Lord
his coming Thieves, muruerers,
he sensual, the sel6sh, the ~soulless, are ali
,,sying, my Lord delsyeth.. Now mark YOU.
lain! Has 1t been from the church? Has
ONE servant, @evil," but . servant still, given |
he unwholcsome intimation? Are We really
citing az II We were momentariIy expecting
'ur Lord.
With the drunken A drunken world! that
what il ia. When you give it your heart
md eat and drink with II. you are eating ana
eih the drunken II has taken the
up Of fury and called il pleasure, 1t has
teeped it's senses in the brain -~bewilderins,
cart bcnumbins, will-dethroning, deadly
lotion. and il IL wild and beside itself. II
pes sanity, il mimics sobriety, but in reality |
10 . frenzied inebriate. It ID drunk, drunk,
believe it Christian. and think it not strange
shen your Lord says, @Come We ont. Be We
Go with Paul when he calls, sLet |
u watch and be sober"
II not arare. Perhaps it is while the very
vords are on his lips, my Lord delsyeth.'
ONE one approached this indifferent neighbor
I ours ions ago on the su, ject Of his souls
citation to God. @Never mind, > he said care
essly, @just the week bsfore I die I will come
D prayer-meeting and get religion. That
ran awoke strong the other day, in the even
ng he was H., the next morning he was dead.
10. he was not arage.
His portion. And mind you, it was his
hosen portion. He deliberately refused his
.laster's will and nreferrsd the will of tho
soyld and Satan. He went to his omn piace
here is an awful l. gic in the doctrine and
vet OF eternal punishment Each man is
nered here. @his portion He chooses for
ternitY. Hear the final atanza Of thu snnp.