The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-02-22
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes on the Lesson for Febru-
airy 26-"The Rich Young
Ruler"
From the Chicago Standard !

the sixteenth 10 the tWcnty-slAtn Nerses.
DAILY READINGS.
M.-The Rich Young Ruler. Matt III:
1876
1.-Two Masters. Matt o. 24-34
W-The Foolish Ricn Man Luke II: los
THE Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke IL:
1881
F.-The Choice of Paul. Phil. 3: 7-l6
S.-The Peril and Use of Riches. l lin D
Clio
s.-Love not the World John 2: 12-1Z
BREAKFAST VERSES.
M.-"Sons of God" Job 80: z.
T-"Likewise ye younger" Peter D: D.
W.-"My Son." Proverbs 3: IL
T-"One Is your Master 4" Matt %:
F.-"Not ricn toward God" Luke ~ II.
S-"Who is he that overcometh!" lJohs
3: B.
S-@The Lord be with thee" Chron
D. 16
INTRODUCTORY.
lesson for young men. The Bible Is
young mans book: 1t Is photograph album,
AS 1t were, filled with the alert faces of youth.
The first chapters OF Genesis tell of a young
man, the last chapters of Malachi are speak
ing OF young men and children. The opening
chapters of the New Testament are telling or
young Nazarene and his youthful compan-
ions. As a fms to the gospel there Is the
picture of young man i'll heavens bright
apparel, sitting at tombs mouth, and the
last chapter of Revelation Is chanting IN
youthful freshness and vIgor, IL am the root
and the offspring OF David, and the bright and
morning star" No wonder Christ loved this
young man in to-day's lesson; 1t was part Of
the genius Of the gospel that he should do so.
Let the young as they peruse these verses,
feel that same Interchangeable love constrain-
ing them still.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Good Master, 1t rolls off the tongue very
easily Master, good Master, teacher. What
do you mean by it? Men say the word
thoughtlessly, unmeaningly, addressing the
Christ In some complacent moment or some
instant OF rote-prayer Right, there the
terance: Hold! Why callest thou Me good?
What do you mean by "KasterF" Do you
really wish to confess that am the Son Of
God, for only God is supremely good? That
was Peters saving acknowledgement, on
which the church is built Do you mean to
say that am the Master of your soul? That
is Christian cross-bearing You are, then,
not far from the kingdom
lie saith unto him WhichF Ah tell tale word.
You wish to enter into life, do your Well,
then-and here comes the test-do you keep
the commandments? Quick comes the young
mans answer, WhichF" Our Lords query
has led thu youth to an unwilling acknowl-
edgment, IN large part Of his weakness.
Which commandment? AS If obeyip9 God
were mere watching of forms, an outward
observance of rules, carefully numbered over
on the fingers, washing of pots, counting of
senseless beads-which? Have you not heard
Gods call and seen the door open in the COM
mandments? "Which?" answers the young
man, confessing his real failure at heart to
hear and heed.
All these haze Ikept He has been watching
Chrsts lips, his eye kindling in self congrat-
ulation as the familiar formulas are spoken,
and scarcely have the words ceased when he
has stralghtway exclaimed: "All these have
kept" Yes, you have kept the command
ments, "all these" as you say; but have you
kept the commandment The sum and sub
stance of the law. Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with heart, mind, soul, strength-how
about that! 1t IS our common fault We
keep the law, and We lose sight of the Law
giver We observe the rite and the ordinance
and we fail to love the Lord and Master. We
do not well.
What lack I yeti great deal Young man,
have lived pretty moral life, you say. l
have had respect for statutes. l have not
killed any man. have not gotten my name
into the scandal columns of the papers
have run off with no mans wife. / have
picked no mans pocket l have not perjured
myself. 1 have not turned my father and
mother out of doors l have not broken my
neighbours wndows-"all these 1 have kept
What lack YETI" Much, indeed.
II thou wN be perfect. Morality is not
pass for positive holiness. Christ is speaking
here of perfectness and completeness a life
with nothing lacking. Where is it to be found?
Nowhere, save in him. But that means thor
ough self abandonment and self-sacrifice. 1t
is heart, soul, body-everything given to
Christ $50 and sell that thou hast and give
to the poor" Lack? You lack everything
because you have kept everything. 90,
friends" said one, eve get whate'er we give"
Sell whathou hast Another test, but given
render was as nothing to what Christ had to
give. The very severity Of the test often
proves the greatness Of the love. "Come,
help me-" wrote the Prince of Wales to his
father in a crisis of the battle of Crecy. "No,"
answered the King, viewing the situation and
wishing his son to gain great victory and
great renown. "Let the boy win his own
spurs" 1t was paternal fondness that spoke.
And come, foLiOW me. First go, then come.
There is a preparation The going, indeed
was partof the coming. The word "come"
is like that other direction in the word of
Christ: "Come unto me, all we that labor"
1t is "hither," just a reckoning Of the finger.
"Follow me-" Yes, emptied of self, he is then
car standing on the side-track, and chalked
upon its side the words: bad order; not to
go West" 1t looked fair, but the watchful
eye of the bartender had discovered fatal
defect. 1t was not ready for the long jour
ney. How many of the young men who read
this paragraph areg Hear Christ's words
GO" "give;" then @come," "follow."
Went array SorrowfM 1t is the same word
used Of the infamous Herod. @The King was
sorry, nevertheless. He cut off the head of
this, also. The young man was very sorry,
neUertheleSS he kept on going away. Well
might he sorrow He was going away with a
handful of earth's coin; he was leaving be-
hind him infinite riches; he was turning his
back on a brthright of treasure in tho
heavens.
For he had great possessions Great posses
sions has every young man, great possessions
for Jesus sake, possessions of life, of youth,
of strength, of enterprise, Of opportunity, OF
advantage, of privilege. Great possessions,
it may be, of property, possibly of influence.
perhaps of intellect, certainly of hours
God. Il write unto you, young men," said
John, "because we are strong" Young man,
what are you doing with your possessions OF
riches or strength? God gave them to you ia
use in his service. Are you using them to
his praise? Let them not be weights to carry
You downward, but, by Gods grace, wings to