The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-04-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONsIDERED.
Reflections OF an Eievating Character
wholesome Food for Thought - Study
ing the scripturai Lessons Intciligentiy
and Probably.


ing the scrirturai Lessons Intclligentiy
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday. April IA. may be
found In Mark II; liz
INTRODUCTORY.
This lesson is to be read under strong
light from two quite different sources. In
The light OF the Roman torch setting abaze
the temple tapestries and Israels royal
dwellings, we see a rejecting people them
selves rejected and their honor given to
another. In the light OF the gospel dis
pensation. with its virginia. lamps borne
into all dark corners Of the earth. we see
The rejected son become the worlds Re-
deemer and the one crowned by the faith
Iul in response to Heavens decree King Of
kings and Lord OF lords. The lesson is an
abiding one, with sober suggestions for the
nineteenth as we'll as for the first century.
Let the Israel OF God know that TO abide
as the Lords people they must do the
Lord's work and receive the Lords mes
sage. With every age comes new stew
ard ship and with every new stewardship n
new test. May God enable us to-day TO
make return according TO our trust and to
hold the vineyard for the Master. The
Lerd is at hand"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS
l. And he began. Connecting this lesson
we see that two days have passed. The city
seems TO have been first entered upon the
| first day OF the week; the barren flg-tree is
cursed on the second day as they pass IL to
Christ's cleansing Of the temple, and on the
| third day as they again enter the city they
find the fig-tree withered away. 1t is on
this day that he begins that series OF para
| bles which consumes. as 1t appears, two
| days in the telling. and which form SO large
part OF the synoptical gospels.
| WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Planted vineyard Revelation begins
with the words. In the beginning God cre-
ated the heaven and the earth" and closes
with the communication. Surely. l come
quickly" Rightly indeed it could be said.
The earth is the Lords. and the fullness
thereof the world. and they that dwell
theroin." All is Gods. naught is our own.
| With reference to the King alone could il be
said. Lift up your heads, o ye gates" And
only an we are Joined TO his train by grace
do We enter rightfully in through the gates
into tho Lords own. 1t Is only in Christ
that we can utter in else than despair the
wondrous pilgrim chant: who shall ascend
| into the hill of the Lord? who shall stand
in his holy place? He that hath clean
hands and pure heart: who hath not lifted
| up his soul unto vanity. nor sworn deceit
! fully" None but Christ could enter in his
own right.
Let Il out to husbandmen. We have it TO
work. that is all. Here is a man with a
thousand dollar loan. He pays six cents on
every dollar Of Ii every year Why? Be-
! cause ii is not his own; IL has been let TO
him for use. This man in the West has
charge OF ten thousand dollars worth OF
stock. He sends back to the East. perhaps.
third of all receipts. 1t is sign that the
capital is not his own; he is employing it
for another man to whom il belongs This
farm is being worked on shares. One-half
OF every crop, one-half Of all receipts, is
| apportioned of for another mantle owner.
| What right have we TO the things OF this
| EARTH The right OF steward. simply.
solely. Are you making your returns to the
Master! Ten per cent. you olce before you
can begin to speak OF gift. Was tenth
OF last months or last weeks income laid
aside for the Lord? Are you bringing your
| tithes into the storehouse2 Our blacksmith
friend is right in his Path to Wealth or
Light from my Forge" Have you read itD
! systematic Giving" he says, Il prefer To
call systematic paying OF what we owe 10
God"
The fruit Of the vineyard Is it spiritual
fruit our Lord desires? Then know by only
actual offerings and real sacrifices can he
| have even these blessed returns OF the
heart. Do you recall that significant re-
| Spouse of Paul's when Epaphroditus came
| into his cell at Rome, bending under the
donations OF the generous Christians OF
Philippe Hear him; Not because de-
sire gift, but L desire fruit that may
abound 10 your account" That which is
given in Christ-love is counted for fruit.
! We nave lust been having what we call
! for want of Al better word. "a gilt service.
1t is free-will Offering. over and above
ordinary benefactions. Always large. new
or failing to agreeably surprise us with its
fullness, do You know? it has more of the
smell of genuine fruitage than all the
other gatherings of the church.
Beating some and killing some. In briei
form il is the history OF IsraePs treatment
OF the prophet. They dishonored and broke
the hearts OF the earlier servants of the
| Lord by simply sending them away empty
Moses and Samuel grieving over the fruit
| lessness OF the code as administered by
them. The prophets of the middle course
could say in the disconsolate language oil
| Elijah the 1ishbite, The children oil srae
have forsaken thy covenant. thrown down
| thine affairs, and slain thy prophets with
the edge of the sword; and l even / only an
left and they seek my life TO take it away.
This was n little worse than the realty, il
being LETT for the times OF Jeremiah and his
confreres to realize the full Righteousness
and cruelty of degenerate Israel Is it MOI
the treatment untruth is ever dis posed tC
yield the truth? Read what our Saviour
says in John 10. concerning the worldly
self eXalting spirit: III the world hate yoJ
ye know that il hated me before it hated
you" The blow received by the servant i:
in reality blow aimed at the Master.
They took him and killed him. That for
reverence. q, the dreadful malgnity of it
Were we not so familiar with IL how the
mere statement would shock usl We have
read how IL startled the Esquimau chief
Kasagnak. The young girl who grew up q
years of maturity before she heard tn,
story Of the gospel wept and then cried
aloud mt the enormity OF the ofrense. Ter
rible IL was. but who did it? The Jew o
nineteen centuries ago? We cast him on
to-day with our unbelief. we Stay him anC
cruelty him afresh with our sins: every
afront to his truth is a spear aimed at hit
heart every hooking of his message is
revilement at the foot OF his cross. Lool
within.
Marvellous ia our eyes. Our hands hav
naught TO do with it, 1t is the Lords do
ing and IL is only for our eyes to take it in
What is impossible with man is possible
with God. Yes, and the inconceivable be-
comes the actual-actual 10 faith. The re
jected stone stands forth marvellous in IT.
strength and beauty. More wonderful still
the rejected and the rejecting people rise q
acceptance i'm the beloved. o may we fal
into the hands of God for his mercy It
Orop here and there" says Jennie M
Drinkwater. we must suffer his will TO b'
done ia us. To uork. here and there. W.
must suffer his will TO be done through us
Gods will for you will be done by his vii
ia you and through YOU" Is not this you
petition. too. Give me all thy wllp" Sal
In the devout spirit OF another. Take thine
own Will with me. o Lord; thou canst no
otherwise than bless.