The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-09-12
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONsIDERED.
Reflections OF an Eievating Character -
Wholesome Food for Thought = Study
ing the scriptural Lessons Intelligentiy
and Probably.
[t'rom the Chicago standard

lf'rom the Chicago Standard
The lesson for Sept. Is may be found in
the first thirteen verses Of the twentieth
chapter of Numbers.
INTRODUCTORY.
We have leaped over thirty-eight years
almost without noticing the transition. Ii
is the hiatus of unfaith. the dark period OF
the wilderness sojourn. The time Is chiefly
remarkable FOR its utter emptiness. A mere
record OF marches and counter marches;
the rebellion OF Korah and the circumstance
regarding AarOn's rod alone give il signih-
canoe. You have returned from a summer
furlough 10 take up again the morning
paper, and you are surprised to see how
readily during your respite you have gotten
along without the daily budget of the
worlds news. How little il amounts TO.
after ALL IL is faiths record alone that is
great and abiding Look over in the eleventh
OF Hebrews and you will find it. the calen-
dar OF faith. There is not one entry for all
these decades OF the desert For how many
Of us are there such lapses i'm heavens
books? The rock OF refreshing with which
this lesson deals begins. with all its features
OF sadness. new chapter of faith, and the
thread OF sacred narrative is again resumed.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
And the people abode Ia Kadesh. They
have come back TO the place from which
they started. Three decades before they
had made this the scene of the great apos-
tasy. Now IL is TO become the scene OF
grace renewed. IL Is a favorite and apt saying
of Moody's that the sinner must pick him.
self up just where Adam fell down-at the
place of disobedience. Or. rather. rs that
Bible taught man himself would say, he
must there be lifted up by power above
himself. his own heart conscnting. A Ka-
desh of departure from God can, alas be
found in every mans experience. May
there also. by Gods grace. be found for nj
who peruse this lesson Kadesh of the smit-
ten rock and Of mercy's token of refresh
ing.
And here ,oaS no ,cater It opened i'll. but
mans extremity is Gods opportunity. 1t
was time for heavens larger stores to be
opened. Indeed, some one has remarked
that the very failure of the water supply.
which had followed them all through their
journeys. was an indication that they were
nearing the land of perennial springs. the
land that flowed with milk and honey. The
scarcityof water should have been taken
but as a sign of promised blessings draw
ing on apace. 1t was like that darkest hour
of the night which ushers in the day.
Ind the people chOde loih Moses. That
was the way the people received this prOvi-
dence; not with patient and hopeful waiting
upon God. who behind Il frowning provi-
dence still hides a smiling face; but with
murmurings and chidings. All. it is the
same old people still, n people not ready,
perhaps, 10 go back like their fathers in
mutiny and rebellion, but with similar in
gratitude and dullness of heart. They fret
where they should have prayed. they com
plain where they should have pleaded prom
ises. 1t has been suggested that some OF
the old Egypt-fed generation were still
among them, but that is not necessary. IL
is enough TO know that they were mortals
like ourselves with much of human selfish
ness and short sightedness. much OF the
old Adam" in their natures.
IL as no place Of seed. No. Of course not.
No place of seed or of figs or of vines had
of
Had Israel been faithful she would long ere
this have been enjoying fruitful land, but
she exchanged il for unbelief and the desert.
God does not want us to stopwith any barren
Kadesh on the borders of the land. He makes
IL SeedleSS and waterleSs TO hasten us for
ward into the goodly possessions that await
us. How often just on the edge OF the
blessedness of salvation, in the rough
coasts Of contrition and unrest. men have
staggered and stopped, grieved at their
lot. Il wish you bad never come" said the
New York pew-holder to the evangelist. Il
wish you had never come with this preach
ing of yours; you promise peace, but have
not had one moment of peace since you be-
gan" He was nearing the borders of the
land.
From the presence or the assembly into
he door Of the tabernacle. large remove.
from the noisy turmoil OF the people TO the
peace and quiet Of Jehovah. Ii was wise
appeal. and il represents TO us the true
pOIcN lOT tne minister anu the servant OF
the Lord Jesus Christ in times OF perpleXity
and disruption. The door of the tabernacle
is ever nigh. il is indeed nearest when
voices are harshest. The old Ironsides
leaders found it hard by the battlefield.
| Thomas Fuller lets US into the secret in his
! Good Thoughts for Bad Times" A COM
pany of men calling themselves the Liberty
Party met in 1888. j. G.. Whittier was one
! of their secretaries. Around them were
angry men. 1t vas day session; you see,
they did not dare meet at night for fear of
/ the mob. But shutting themselves away
from hOoting world they first went to God
i'm prayer and then issued their righteous
declaration against the crying iniquity of
that day, Planting our feet on the truth OF
God as a rock, etc, etc. They came out of
that council chamber. that Gods taber-
| nacle, ready TO suffer and to wait. There is
need for such resort to-day.
Take the rod. The word was a familiar
one. IL was the token of Gods special help
in time Of need. 1t was the rod. taken at
Gods command. that again and again hum
bled proud Israel. that brought the tossing
waters back 70 their wonted place. that
made the rock at Rephidim TO turn into a
fountain. Take the rod" il is Gods com.
passion that speaks. They had invited him
TO cast them of. but in spite of their un-
/ grateful cries he follows them still with
mercy. This is matchless long suffering
! behold, this is our God Il cannot do any
| thing with him." said the perpleXed teacher
of the bad boy i'm John Wanamaker's school.
Il will bring this boy up" said the Superin-
| tendent, read his name out in the school
and publicly eXcommuncate him" 1t would
have been his just desert. for he was will
! fully disturbing the whole school. Said a
! young lady: Let me have the boy: | will
! try to save him." He was given to her,
though with misgivings. 1t was hard
/ battle. he tried her soul grievously. but she
! gave her whole care TO that one lad. and al
/ last he came 10 her home one day weeping
and saying. Il want YOU to forgive me. and
/ the rebel was won. Where did that young
/ lady learn her lesson but from the tender
mercies OF him who gave water to his un-
! fllial people at kadeshy
] THIS is the icdter Of Meri60h What Is IL
/ IL Is Gods peace and pardon. set over
/ against mans rebelious strife: il is Gods
/ compassion in response to mans complaint
! il is Gods love rebuking the unmeckness
/ and unmercifulness of his servant. Meri-
\ bah: stl life. Good. by Gods grace, out o.
i evil. Strife. Do you know we have beer
/ wondering whether il does not represent
the genesis OF good many local churches
/ that under the long suffering Of God hav,
/ forgotten the pit of disaffectlon from which
/ they emerged! Meribah their own proper
! name; Mercy the divine bestowment
! Brother. sister. friend. thank God for tn,
/ grace that gives us better than we deserve
] this as the lcater OF MeriDdh.
Next Lesson -" Death and Burial o
/ Noses" Dcut. 81: 1-l2.