The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-06-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes ON the Lesson for June 1.-THE
Great Commission.
from the Chicago standard

than before. This is the first time we hear
OF eleven instead of twelve. Itindicates that
the hand OF discipline has been at work and
the husbandman has been pruning among
the vine branches. 1t is the first step In the
preparation for the great commission. All
that Is inimical to the undertaking, and
unfit in mind or heart for the struggle must
be put aside. There went Gideon To battle
with the Midianites, a mixed host with him.
Let him that is fearful and afraid" turn
backl Two-thirds Of the army melted away.
and but ten thousand were left Bring
them down unto the water" said the Lord,
and there in the tapping OF the few who
paused not 20 drink, but dipped up the
water as they marched. the three hundred
were chosen who were TO redeem Israel
Some apostles. lit was divine selection
OF the highest type.
Into GaHiee. This was the scene Of large
part of Christ's ministry. II was TO have a
conspicuous part in the post-resurrection
period OF events. Great is Galilee's place in
salvations annals. Nazareth his boyhood
home; Cana, the scene of his first mighty
work; Genessaret. where he fed the multi
tude, whore the miraculous draughts of fish
were made. and whore he walked the wave;
Bethesda. where the blind saw; Decapolis.
where the deaf heard; Capernaum, where
the dead daughter of Jairus was brought to
life; Main, where the mournful funeral OF the
widows son was turned into joyous pro-
cession OF praise. All, there are honored
spots as well as honored men on this earth
1t was meet that Galilee should be chosen as
one of the places Of holy rendezvous, the
scene of the great commission. 1t had the
right atmosphere, the limitations and
prophecies of the new word were all about.
Into mountain, Was il Hermon? Was
il that mount whore along with his transilg-
uratiOn he gave token beforehand OF his
marvellous death and resurrection? With
what IA thrill of overmastering conviction,
then, could they gaze upon him here in the
very scene of the great prediction, now visi-
bly, and wildly risen, and real TO every
awakened sensel They buried the members
of the old parish one by one, their faces
toward the door Of the church i'm the Gods
half-acre that lay in front. Presently the
shepherd Of the little flock himself felt
death drawing nigh, and he gave directions
that he should be buried between his people
and the threshold. but with his face toward
them instead Of toward the church. When
they asked him why, he replied. That when
the last trump shall sound, and the dead
shall rise, may look my people in the eye
and prove TO them in the light Of the great
assize that in this place l have preached
TO them the truth" What a commentary
on that word in old Galilee this living pres
ence!
tWhere Jesus had appointed them, So said
the angel at the tomb. So said the Christ
himself in the first message of the garden.
Doubtless IL had been spoken OF before.
They had a plain and positive appointment
with Jesus, and they kept it. Weary Of the
seemingly fruitless work. the deacons closed
up the little country meeting house at the
crossroads. No pastor, no preaching, at
last they decided they would have no prayer
meeting. But at half-past seven on the
evening Of the old appointment, the near
neighbors saw lone lantern pass along to-
ward the meeting house. An hour later it
returned, and when they called out inquir-
ingly, the old mother in Israel who bore 1t
replied: "Oh. yes, we had a good meeting.
There were four of us there-God the Father,
God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and poor.
unworthy me. We appointed meeting for
next week" When the next week came
there more than four present, and that SER
vice was never again suspended. Keep your
appointments with God. When the disci-
pies met on that hillside were there not five
hundred brethren to worship with them?
But some doubted. One has remarked;
They doubted that we might never more
doubt" But doubt we do; and Is IL strange,
since doubt was there in the face of the riven
tomb and the rent side? Doubt and death
abide as twin marks Of our mortality. Faith
and life are heavens cords thrown under our
weak arms. Well for us if while some doubt
still we worship; IL even while in earthly
duness we doubt. by wisdom's succor We
worship still. Lord. l believe, help thou
mine unbeliefl" But see the desperate and
despicable implication Of that doubt. 1t was
casting discredit on Christ. 1t was calling
him either deuded or deluding. DIR. Pente-
no truth in Christianity" he said. Then all
the rest of u.s." remarked the evangelist,
ARE either hypocrites or fools. The youth
could not but admit the reasonableness OF
the inference. Your mother, quietly asked
the minister. ais she Christian?" Yes.
SIR" Then. pardon me, but. according to
what you have Just said, which is she. a
hypocrite or a fool?" All, would We doubt
as often if the wretched import of il were
recognized? But there was a counter-charge.
For fha Won ms 4 o.
yet gave this telling thrust in return: Then
why" he said, has my mother nerer spoken
10 me?" Perhaps it is because of our ST.
lence regarding Christ that some doubt.
Jesus came and spdke unto them. Now
they must have all believed. Seeing may
not always be believing, but seeing and
being spoken to of Christian 1t produce
less than faith2 At Sychar they said: We
have heard Him ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Christ the Savior Of the
world. Friend. If Jesus can only have word
with you. He will convince you and convert
you. If you will only answer His knock
with hearing ear. we have no doubt OF the
result. All we ask OF doubt is TO come into
terms Of close converse with Jesus. One
near look into those eyes of love, one close
word from those lips of grace. and resist
ance ceases. viii you not to-day let Jesus
como and speak TO your
90 ne therefore. That comes first Ours
is a going gospel. go We" is its initial direc-
Mrs. Lucy Ryder Meyer has said. shall spell
out the first meaning of the gospel. The
world has been on the go ever since the
gospel was proclaimed. Columbus. Won
Humboldt. Livingston. Moffatt got their in
SEPARATION from this source. Come and see"
is not all OF Christianity. Go and tell" is its
larger half and as the church catches the
spirit OF the Master ii proves IL by it's forth
going disposition. With $500 college stu
dents preparing 10 GO with the gospel TO the
uttermost parts of the earth. may we not be-
leve that Jesus of Nazareth has been pass
ing this wayp
All pOreT - Nth you dllcdy. We put
these together, as suits the sense OF the pas
sage. The great commission is like bridge
OF love suspended between these two pillars
or abutments OF grace. All-powerful, all
present hence he can be all merciful his
Omnipotence and omnipresence upholds his
mercy. The rock that strengthens. the rock
that abides; from one TO the other cast the
strands of the worlds hope. IF God be for
us who can be against us2" Underneath
are the everlasting arms" Strength in the
struggle. comfort at its close. Christ all the
way. Said Geo. Brown, the saint of India,
to his hearers: Il am IA conscious and GER
tain of Jesus presence with me as j am OF
your presence in this ROOM" Is IL any won
der that he became the evangelizing power
that he was?
Next lesson Temperance Lesson. 1
Cor. 8; lib.