Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-15
THE GREAT COMMISSION.
LESSON XII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
ID TERhATlONAL SERIES, JUNE II.

orize Verses IS-eO-tonmentary by
Rev. II. S. Hoffman.
ICondensed from Lesson Helper orarto-lv by
a PERMISSION vi II. Holman, Philadelphia.
Publisher
Y. l6 The eleven disciples appear rs the
representatives of the entire band of Christs
followers There were no doubt many others
beside them vino had Travelled the long dis
tance from Jerusalem to attend this meeting
which Jesus had appointed He still APP
points places where He will meet His people
Let us he sure to be there The precise
mountain IN Galilee is not known. Some
think it Mount Tabor, or the mountain on
which He was TRANSPORTED 1t seems to-
have been providentially arranged that every
important place where Jesus manifested His
glory should he obterated from the suhse
quent knowledge of mankind Enough re
mains OF the places to attest the truth of
Christian records nut no one spot connected
with His life can be certainly identified
Bethlehem still exists, but there is no trace of
the place where the manager Graded the won
drous child. Nazareth is indicated, but the
carpenter shop and the home OF Jesus cannot
be pointed out. One can no more fnd the
house where the Last Supper instituted
than the drops of water that wet the dis
cipes feet Tourists are shown at least three
places in Gethsemane where Jesus agonized
The hill of Calvary and the tomb of Joseph
cannot be surely identified There was to bt
no shrine to which idolatrous worShipers
might repair
Y II. An immense assembly looked unon
Him. He appeared before them What
strange emotions of curiosity and Of love
filed their hearts as they looked upon their
Friend who was dead, but now alive before
them. Some doubted" not Of course the
eleven disciples who had doubted. hut now
were convinced, and yet though some doubt,
ed, they worshiped Him. Their doubt was
honest, one that could he overcome 10y cvi
dence Their doubt was not lasting, since
Paul speaks of them twenty years after as
brethren, the most of whom were vet living
witnesses of the reality Of His resurrection.
They were no rash. fanactcal enthusiasts
Their slowncSS to believe adds immensely Ia
that bold and unfaltoring faith with which
thenceforth they gave witness Of His resur
rection 1t is well to prove things and ther
hold fast.
Y IS Though they may have doubted
Jesus did not re- iect them. He only came nearer
TO them. giving them convincing proofs
When they got closer view of Him. and
when His familiar voice fell upon their ears
Matthew gives lrs but the most condensed
epitome or substance of what Jesus SAID or
this occasion. He addressed all present aud
all future believers in Him. He asserts that
all power of government, of guidance, of in
fuence. OF authority is His not only on earth
hut in heaven Seated on His mcdiatoria
throne, He declares that He is the Head of the
Church, the Guide of all the natious. til.
Director Of the course Of human history max
ing the enemies of religion subserve His pur
poses He says that He would have power
over nature and its laws; power over the in
ventlOns OF men, so that commerce with its
railroads and steamships and teegraphs
should carry His Gospel He tells us that He
has in heaven the power of God being God
over all, the power to give life, pardon and
peace. the power to plant new graces in the
renewed heart, the power to comfort and
strengthen. the power TO send the Holy
Spirit yea all the powers that constitute the
divine nature and character were His to ex-
erclse Glorious truth, we have an ever liv
ing, all powerful Saviour
' 10 Christ has brought His disclples to
gether in order that he might dispense them
over the world to bear the good tidings Of
salvation to all men. He tells them that be
cause all power in heaven and earth are His,
therefore should they 90 forth to the ends of
the earth 10 proclaim His name All His
power Is pledged to each one of His servants
for protection and help They had the
promise of Chrlst's eternal and unlimited
power to back them Dangers, trials and
persecution awaited them but they had a
watcnwNrd slI n as conqueror never had to
quicken their zeal and to assure them of sue.
cess. Dat Of weakness they were made
strong
v 20 The business of Christs ministers
and people is to observe all things that
Christ commanded" The word observe
means not merely to do them, but to keep q
watch over them. The doctrines and pre-
cepts of Christ are to be protected and handed
down to other generations. The preachers
true fidelity consists in this that he breaches
nothing but what Christ has taught While
there may be new methods of teaching, the
truth is the same now that it was 1900 years
ago Nothing is new, nothing becomes obso
lete We want no new Gospel Christ prom
Uses TO His true Church His presence Co the
end of time. lie docS not say II will be - but II
am" with you. He IS an ever present Saviour
By His risen Life 10y His Providence by
His Spirit Christ has engaged to he with
each one and all of His people for all time.
i o have His presence va must be united to
Him "Now is Christ with us. then lat the
end Of the world we shall be with Him where
He is" Schatf 'Iie may hide himself, but
He never absents Himself from us" "Al-
way" e., all days, every day, week days
ard Sundays, fair DAYS and foul DAYS
"Though left alone, like orphan children in
cold, unkind world. the disciples were not
to think they were deserted Their Master
would be ever with them. Though com
missioned to do work It's hard as that Of
Moses when sent to Pharaoh, they we're not
discouraged Their Master world certainly
be with them Christ j. with us always,
wherever we go, He came to be Emmanuel,
God With u.s. when He first came into the
world. He is with us daily to pardon and
forgive. with daily to sanctify and
strengthen, with US daily to defend and keep;
with rs daily TO lead and to guide, with us in
sorrow and with us in joy, with us III sick
DeSs and with us IN health with us in life
and with Us in death, with US in time and
with us in eternity 1t it everything to be a