The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-05-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.


Lesson and Where IL May he Found-A
Learned and Concise Review OF tho
Same.
The lesson for Sunday. May II. may DO
found in Mark IA: 1-s.
INTRODUCTORY.
| Matthew and Mark pause here. as itseems.
| TO give Us "reminiscences. and n beautiful
one 1t is, sadly beautiful From Johns ac-
! count we Judge that the supper at the house
| OF Simon In Bethany took place prior To
Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusa-
lem. and that Judas from That hour began
10 scheme for the betrayal OF the Master.
Matthew and Mark. in the passage before
us. begin To tell Of the death OF Christ. and
In doing so they go back 10 recall that NOV
! Ing Incident at the supper in Bethany.
| which. as they think OF IL now. was the first
intimation OF the coming separation. Nat
urally enough they speak in the same
breath OF Judas and the betrayal to the chief
priests Tvs 10. IL. for IL was from that
| time. as Matthew saws, "he sought oppor-
UNITY to betray him.. (26: 49, Here have
Va these two cont asted characters. Mary
and Judas, the true heart and the traitor:
and two contrasted preparations for Christ's
| death. the preparation OF love and the
preparation OF hate. We all have 70 do with
that death on the tree. What Is tho work we
have wrought against the day of his burial?
Do we stand with Mary or with Judas? One
! or the other.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
After ttcO days lcds the feast Of the pass
| OrtF. Inc sacred season Is Just TWO days
distant. Let MS see how the chief priests
and the Scribes make themselves ready for
its pious rites. Listen. They sought were
seeking) how they might take him by guile
and pat him to deatn:" Plottings and muir
ders such was the Jews preparation for
the passover. All through that passion
week since the day Christ rebuked Judas in
the house of Simon at Bethany. quiet meet
ings were being held, the conspiracy was
forming that should presently lead to
Christ's betrayal with kiss in the garden
OF his holy vigils The passover is made
the occasion for bribery and blood. Two
days away from the memorial OF the nations
deliverance and they are putting price
upon the head of their Great Deliverer."
and devoting him TO death. A part Of their
coin for unleavened bread. thirty pieces of
1t for unholy betrayal. o. what hollow
mock OF pityl Christ cruciiied on the very
day that spoke most loudly OF himself. The
council that betrayed and burned Huss was
called Tor the express purpose OF reforming
abuses and teaching more Of Chrstliness.
How much better do men do to- day with
their formal lcnten piety Christ being still
wounded in the house OF his friends.
Not on tie feast day lest there be an uprodr
OF the people. So then they had some re-
gard for tue day-iust enough to guard their
own lives. Il would not do TO put Christ to
death on the feast-day Why? Lest there
be an uproar OF the people. Among the
people. Matthew says. Was il unSeemiy
noise they Were seeking to prevent? Luke
They feared the people," There was no
fear of God and OF Gods holy day there.
none whatever. 1t was fear OF man coupled
with love of sinful self. There is just ono
| reason why the enemies OF Christ have
some little respect for Gods ordinances.
and why they do not spring up in open de-
flance OF Gods Son. They fear the people.
| IL is more discreet 10 maintain some decent
| respect for the Lords day. for the Bible.
for the church. for the Christian reli zion.
| We're they sure OF the outcome. they would
rise against them all in "A moment. God
has his pu pose in 1t all. "Su ely the wrath
OF man shall praise thee. and the remainder
of wrath shalt thou restrain"
And she brake the Dor and poured IL on his
head Real love has no rese rvations II
| breaks the bottle and pours itself out Love
| to Christ is just this. complete. uncondition-
al. burning the bridges behind. cutting itself
of from all retreat. 1t is. in fact. Curlsts
own love in us. Continue We inmy lore, hs
says. What sort Of love was THAR We ae
not left in doubt. Even prophecy announces
1t. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not
desire; mine ears hast thou opened" (or
pierced margin "bored"-in token OF u
bondservant's subjection). burnt offering
and sin-Offering thou hast not required.
Then said /. Lo. come: in the volume Of
the Lord ii is written of me. tNl ght TO do
thy will o my God: Yea. thy law is within
my heart" tPs. 40). 1t is then no parttive
| giving. il is the breaking OF the whole box
| OF precious ointment, the gift OF "A life. Mrs
|
brother Thomas Beecher. Of the end OF "A
long struggle in her soul. says: Il despaired
| of bending my will despaired Of all former
and all present efforts: but at his word re-
solved TO begin and 60 for the whole As
| James and John, he said unto them Launch
! out now and let down the net. They say
unto him. Master. we have toiled all night
and have taken nothing. nevertheless at thy
word / will let down the net. and To- the net
break with the multitude OF fishes. Thence
forth following that self-abandOnment she
could say, the will OF Christ seems TO mo
the steady pulse Of my being
Why lcds THIS lcdSte Of the ointment nGde2
! Judas still lifts the que v. Why this waste?
Bishop Harrington dying in his prime in
| the hot lungles of Africa, Lyon and Rayl
and host OF others spending a few short
years abroad and then passing away. Did
you observe that pathetic note in a recent
! paper: Miss Leonora Page, late missionary
| OF the Woman's BAPTIST Home Mission
Society died April 2 worn out with toll and
disease. Patiently she endured till the re-
lease came" When last we saw her at her
chosen work. so brave and strong. Why
this waste? What is 1caste? The longest
life is wasted that is lived apart from the
path of God. The shortest lite is full or
sweet incense II il be but devoted to God.
said tue would be missionary disappointed
| in his application, Il thought my grave
would serve him better in Aflica than my
life here" and who can say that it would
Care not what others have to do,
What NAV be or has been;
But in the path God calls thee, go
And use Thy faith therein.
She has done pchat she could. This is the
human side OF IL. She did what she could
and Judas did what he could. The differ
ence was not in the energy. We are in the
midst OF busy world. Men are do n what
they can and its results for or against
Christ is largely determined by what they
triH Ii is for us to say whether our ener-
gies shall be expended in behalf OF Christ or
in opposition to him. Shall life be "a weary
round of service for self and Satan and
against Christ. or shall IL be the sweet doing
OF what we can TO- Christ? As I. Il. Meyer.
OF Regents Park chapel has said. There is
nothing in the world that gives so much
rest TO the soul as TO do the will Of God. II
only we were as intent on finishing the woik
J given us to do by Him. "a men are In achiev-
! ing the ends Of personal ambition. Then
the spirit OF heaven. where the will of God
! is done. would engird our barren. weary
| lives. as the Gulf Stream some wintry Shore,
/ dispelling the frost and mantiing the soil
with flowers OF fairest texture and fruits OF
Pa adise. Do not yto feel the will OF God;
will il. choose 1t. obey it; and as the time
| goes on. what you commenced by choosing
you will end by loving with ardent and
/ vehement affection.