The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-10-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
An INTERESTING AND nSTRUOZ1vn
LESSON CONsIDEREn.

An INTERESTING AND nUTRUOZlvn
LESSON CONSIDEREns
Reflections oe an Elevating Charasese-
Wholesome Food Tor Thought- stnav.
ing tho scriptural Leasous Intoll1goatay
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday. Oct. 50, may be
found in 2 Sam. 2: 1879.
INTRODUCTORY. nS
In the lesson before US we come 70
thank seiving pause. Piety was the teach.
Ing OF last weeks scripture. confession OF
the lesson that is to follow: very. appropri.
etely here we give ourselves to Thoughts OF
gratitude and praise. Teachers and schol-
ars have not failed to note that most of the
scripture lessons passed over In this part
o. Second Samuel are duplicated in First
chronicles: The similarity and. In some
part. identity of the narratives. would BIO
moro readily observed but for the strange
principles OF variant readings deliberately
adopted by the translators Of 1911" The
same material was doubtless raw upon In
both cases. It is to be borne In mind that
Second Samuel is the earlier compilation.
First Chronicles being prepared five hun-
drsd years later by Ezra at the time Of the
rebuilding OF the temple. The latter con.
purpose. connected with the ceremonial
history OF the nation. 0mits much OF the
detail OF political event recorded In the
book we are now studying. Chronicles Is
the history; 2 Samuel the story.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Then. After Nathan hal communicated
to David that though he was not to build
the temple. his family was to be established
IN the ktngship and his W son was to rear
In. Into the tent where the ark Of God was.
Sat before the Lord, or took his place.
some have preferred. for obvious reasons.
here the word tarried. 1t is the same word
4 TINT 10 tN.ps 1NA I'D 49, L.. n 49,
In strength" Gen. 49:24)-Who am I?
The same words used by Moses at the
burning bush: (Ex. 3:11.9--Hitherto. Two
words. up to here. Equivalent to thus far.
his affairs.
This was yet a small! thing. Or yet fell
pose of mercy fur out-stripped what had
Jehovah. term Of special relationship.
ana also OF profound reverence.-Thy
servants house. David's successors.-
is TINS the manner OF MANI? Rather. the
law Tor man; 1. o.. an institution that Is to
last. Torah is the word used. which al
ways means teaching or enactment:I 9. g..
One law shall be to him that is home-born
a9 eau unto no, the stranger" Ex: u; 40
The word means literally to add. here to
lmpar!.-knowest thy servant. The SER
want idea is strengthened by the reverent
title. Lord God" Master). which follows in
L SAS oAtkllldts
Thy words sake. Such as those spoken
through Samuel at David's amounting. q
Sam. 16-12).-According to thine own
heart. Dnvid's choice being wholly from
God. III have provided me u king" / Sam.
l6:1.-Al these great Things. father. ali
this greatness. See Revision.--To make
thy servant know them. The them" should
be dropped. as not in the original. David
PERFECTLY. Now he says God has done these
things that he, David, NAV, In turn. know
God.
Wherefore. The conclusion David comes
that he is beginning himself to know
Great. God is not spoken of as great"
because he has favored David. but as being
~recognized by David as great" through
ehess personal and teaching providences.
Neither is there any Good besides thee.
Gods unapproachable maiesty.-Heard
Will our ears. Gods real goodness and
glory exceeding even the hearsay great
ness of earth.
WHAT n LESSON TEACHES.
Who am !: o Lord? We are naught in
ourselves. To God be tho glory for what
ma been wrought through us; what of
good there Is In us His grace has accom-
crude gypsum, Opaque. %unsightly. Right
over against it is n clear, lHstrous rock,
catching tho light and making itself o thing
Oh beauty. And yet this also is gypsum;
AI0 OVu Lllu
substance has been taken up and wonder
ously metamorphosed by the mysterious
processes OF crystallization Soot crystall-
lzed makes the diamond. common lime
stone taken up. secretcd. and crystallized.
makes the pearl. ordinary clay crystullized
comes out the sapphire. So those natures
o. ours. OF the earth earthly. are taken hold
o. Dy q higher power in regeneration and
u into some thing oi beauty in Gods
eyes. 1t is ull of grace.
For thy words sake. Our ground Of hope
- Goa spoken word: According to prom
the the i ;oy a., Of our aro6 6le ,hia and II We miss
CHRISTIANS pleasures OF hope. 1t is because
We have not iamiliarized ourselves with the
BOOK. His word he hath promised. and he
isal L Pef1 Sana NOD Perhaps we know the prom
us tho same as the promise unheard OF.
The faith needed to-day is faith to trust the
spoken word. That is u Significant sentence
% %;h stands out in the midstof the blessed
unto me. 1t is done" Think of it. all these
gracious deeds. for which we yet wait.
aiready accomplislled in Gods mind. Is it
the words follow? Il am alpha and omega.
the beginning and the end." We hay. been
worshiping him as tho Omega of ultimate
accomplish eht. let us trust him also az
the Alpha who sees the end from the he.
ginning and says for our comfort in days Of
waiting. 1T is done!.
TO make ~ servant know. Know what?
Gou 3 greatness and goodness. In fact. to
know God himself. Thou Lord knowest
thy, servant" David has just said. And now
ne Is speaking of what God has wrought in
order that there may be answering knowl-
edge ON the part of the SO; want. And
what better way for man to learn of God
IMAM through u personal experience OF his
grace! 1t ls the. only way indeed. The
Scotch have IN adage that to know a man
you must have some business transaction
with him. To know God we must deal
with him under grace. Come. as some one
mas said. to his'hank OF mercies and get ono
of his notes of promise cashed. David had
lone so. And no wonder he comes forth
saying. Wherefore Thou art great, o
Lord God"
And thou Lord art become their God. It
means personal relationship. We know
God as our own God only after we have
gone to him for his saving power and drink
deep from his wells of salvation. There ia
no dearer word to the soul OF man than that
which Is spoken to the one .athirst," who
yet ~overcometh" through faith: II will be-
his God and he shall be my son." It is as
we come. one by one. to God. accepting his
profered grace. that We realize how near
and intimate are the relations he will bear
toward US. Horatius Bonar's words-and
VIC desire to remember this saint Of God
for these lines. II for none other-tell the
experience OF every renewed soul:
heard the voice of Jesus saw,
Il sCome unto me and rest;
Lay down. thou weary one. lay down
my head upon my breast."
lcame to Jesus as / was,
Weary and worn and sad;
found IN him a resting-place,
And no has made me glad.