The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-02-29

Notes on the Lesson for March
Christ's Last Journey
to Jerusalem"
From the Chic ago standard.J

From the Chic ago Standard
The lesson for the ABOVE date may be found
in the twentieth chapter OF Matthew, from
the seventeenth to the twenty-ninth verses.
DAILY READINGS
M.-The Lesson.
First Hints Of the Cross. Mark 2: 30;
John 8: II.
w-Mark's Account Mack 10: 32-4a
THE Way to the Right Hand. Rom. 2:
Gil.
F.-Powerful example. John 49, LII.
ga servant Of all. Cor .: 1927
6-Ihe good servants honor. John Is:
1917
BREAKFAST VERSES
M-@The servant of the Lord" 2 Tim. g:
1.-THE poor in spirit" Matt 5: g.
W.-@Be Herewith content" Tim. 6: s.
T-@My reproof" Proverbs l: %.
F.-@Crowned with glory" Heb. ga
S-@Laid on HIM" Isa So: g.
S-"Walk in love" Eph. 5: g
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Going up TO Jerusalem Now straightly
and directly. The way stretches out clear
and plain before him. The goal is not far
distant But has his face not always been
turned in this direction? Has His eye looked
toward any other terminus since His feet
touched the banks Of Jordan Did not Naz-
areth's sign board and Bethlehems, too, all
point onward to Jerusalem? Did not, indeed,
the finger of redemptive providence from
the foundation of the world direct the rever-
ent face onward toward the hill Golgothay
This strip Of way up to Jerusalem is grand
thoroughfare of the church; it interprets all
the paths of life and eternity. II is the Kings
highway, the path of the Steadfast Face.
Apart ia the way Our Lord often takes US
to one side that he may teach us. Very fire.
quenty we find ourselves arrested on the
great pathway Of life's purposes and turned
apparently to one side. 1t seems, perhaps,
an interruption to the Journey 1t ia, if We
go apart OF ourselves willfully and stubborn
ly. 1t is not If Christ be with us. The twelve
disciples went forward all the faster for that
moments instructive tarryiDg by the way.
When even the Lord detains US by his mani
fest provdences, let us listen for his voice
Mayhap he will better "teach us of his ways"
and henceforth 1--WE will walk in his paths; !"
not our own.
Behold, zoe 90 up to Jerusalem. A strange
thing to tell them. Did they not see it? Yes
and no. They saw the city Of earthly king
ship; they saw not the city Of spiritual domin-
ion. They saw the hill OF glory. but not the
hill Of sacrifice; or rather in the one they did
not see the other And they were going up
with him, yet not with him. They went with
him in sympathy and unders landing, but a
little way. Presently the sword descends the
test is upon them, and he is alone. But they
do go up themselves to that same city of
they have caught the import Of that life, they
themselves have turned their faces toward the
same city. Hear him saying to us all: @Be-
hold, We go up to Jerusalem" Thank God,
the Master leads the way.
The Son Of man shall be betrayed. 1t was
terrible dlvugence. How accurately he
deserted it all The betrayal, the wrath of
the chief priests and the duplicity OF the
scribes, the trial and condemnation, the aban-
donment to the Roman soldery, the hooking,
the scourging, and at last the cross; no, at
last the riven tomb How hard it is for us to
go toward the place Of duty or danger with
our partial apprehension Of the peri's and
privations Of the way Do we rightly estimate
In the gravity of Christ's redemptlve suffer
ings the natural pangs which came with 9
full anticipation of all that was to bsfall
Then came to Him. 1t was q sad anti-cli-
max. The long suffering and forbearance
required OF our Lord in teaching his disciples
was something infinite ip kind and degree.
Every school teacher knows how aggravat-
ing 1t is to fully explain a principle and
then have it followed by foolish question,
which indicates either total inattention OF
misapprehension on the part Of the pupil
Christ has just been telling them of divine
self-forgetfulness And behold, for re-
spouse here come the favored family of Zsb-
edee, asking for temporal preferment To'
often our ambitions and even our prayers
contradict the lessons of the kingdom. VIZ
know not yet what manner of spirit we are
of.
Grant that these my t,oo sons 1t was mother
love, but wrongly exercised. This was not
the first parent nor the last, who desired large
things for her children Perhaps tho mos
common and most innocent ambition is tn
felt by father and mother for their offspring
Be careful that the ambition be a right one
Maternal solicitude might be rightly directed
Mother, what Is your major anxiety for your
childy Is 1t that he or she may shine in So
ciety, may lead the set, may have political
preferment, may possess earthly riches? Have
a care Your ambitions are as prayers lifted
heavenward. What is the certain thing" that
you are desiring Of him?"
They sag unto him, We are able. There are
two sorts Of confidence, wise and whites;
confidence. This was the latter. 1t il wei
to speak with assurance but let us be careful
whether that assurance be of the flesh or o.
the spirit 1t is an easy thing to say Eve are
able" 1t is amazingly more difficult to prove
it. Peter found it 80, and doubtless Jane,
and John did the same.
| Yc shall drink indeed of my cup. Yes, az
ter all they were able, but not of themselves
The enduement was presently given from or
high. The soup" may be taken as referring
to sorrows OF heart subjective griefs and tn,
Baptism" to ordeals OF the body; certainly
in this case overwhelming and ingulfng. Aud
1T was literally so, prophecy, indeed, of theil
subsequent lives. James felt soon the SWORD
of persecution, and was the first apos tie I,
follow MS LORD III martyruom Jonn gave
! his whole life to such ministry as made i
necessary for him to drain to the dregs tn,
| cup of soul-sufferIng.
Not mine to give In his meliatorial worl
Christ was distinctly subject to the Father
He laid aside something of knowledge as wei
as of authority as he confessed, in speaking
of that "hour.' at Is prepared" he said, @oi
my Father" A model of meek subsection I,
ordained authority is Christ After that h,
is assembled up on high and led captivity cap
! tive, then at last the seats prepared Of tn,
Father are his to bestow. For be sure of this
there are seats prepared"
Moyed NTH Indignation. Aud did they no
thereby show their participation in the un.
holy ambition? That they wero sharers il
the mind of John and James we may learr
from the response of Christ given to all alike
| Are we indignant at some ambitious brother
Let US analyze this petty anger of ours
| Perhaps we shall find that it is aroused with