The Ottawa free trader., 1889-02-09
THE FIERCE DEMONlAC.
International sunday school Lesson for
February 10, 1889.

| lSFeclaiIy arranged from =. -. Quarterly.l
LESSON TEXT Mark 5;l-20.
| GoLpEN TEXr-Go home to thy friends,
and tell them how great things the Lord
hath done for thee, and hath had compassion
On thee. Mark $40.
CENTRAL TRUTH God has delivered us
from the power of darkness, and translated
us into the Xii gdom of His dear Son.
TIME-Autumn, A. d. %. The next morn
! ing after our last lesson.
PLAcE-The country Of the Gadarenes,
which was large district southeast Of tho
Sea of Galilee, of which Gadara (seven or
eight miles southeast from the shore) was
the capital, II included the smaller district
of the Gergesenes Cor Gerasenes), inhabit-
ants of Gergesa, small town on the east
ern shore of the lake, opposite Tiberias. 1t
is now called Gersa. II was probably near
this latter place that Jesus met with the de-
moniac
PARALLEL AccoUNrs-Matt. s 1854; Luke
| S:26-40.
| HELPS OVER HARD Places. The other
side: from Capcrnaum. Into the country 81
| the GaddrTneS: on the southeast coast. (See
place) 3 lOmbS; caves formed by nature,
or cut in the rocks. There are many such
around Gadara. Unc(edn spirit: II demon.
3. DiueN6lg among the tombs; there were
| no asylums for the insane, and they
had to keep in desolate places, 4. lrh
| Jetters and CHAINS: fetters were for the feet;
chains for any other part of the body.
| Plucted aSunder! he was so strong and
fierce that nothing could hold him. Matthew
says that it was dangerous for any one to
pass that way, and Luke says he was naked.
s. Crging with loud, unearthly yells. Cutting
himself: and manning himself with sharp
edged stones. 6. When nc saic Jesus
| he ram to Jesus. This was probably from
a longing of the man to get rid of the de-
mon and break from his fearful master. Z. /
ddjure: entreat soemnly, as under oath, or
the penalty of curse. 9. Thy name: asked
TO bring him to selfconsciousness Le5iOm
5000 was Roman lcgion. 1t is used for
large number 10. ont Of the coHntrW out of
their permitted abode on earth. They did
not want TO go back to their punishment.
IL. SlOine; The property of Gentlles or Jews.
If of the Jews, 1T was forbidden; II OF the
Gentles, it was "A temptation and insult to
Gods people. l5 Clothed, etc, type OF
what Christ does for all sinners who come
to Him. AtrHM: they were in the presence
of power that filed them with awe and
alarm, and their cousciences were awak-
ened. H. Todepd,t: for fearof still greater
harm to them or their property. They did
not care for the relief o [ poor men, but only
for their own property. 20 DacdpoliS the
region (of ten cities east of the Jordan) of
which Gadara formed Il part
CoMMENTs--m many respects the case of
the sinner resembles very closely that of
the demoniac Of Gadara. In writing to the
church at Iaodicca, the Spirit charges them
with being deceived with regard to them
| upn pit in
creased with goods, and have need of moth
ing; and knowest not that thou art lCretthed,
and n,iscrulle, and poo and bliad, and naked"
REV. $40. What an exact description of
tho state of that demoniac! And yet it
is used in speaking to those who were sur
rounded by every luxury and refinement
which the times could afford or course it
refers TO their spiritual state. They were
like some lcper, all filed with dehIement,
who, because of his livmgin aweIl-furnished
house, prided himself on his conditions. for
getting, the while, that he was "a leper.
Drawing tins out little, wa see (a) that the
sinner is really in a tryetcbcd and miserable
state. SIN has the upper hand with
him, and rules his life AS the years
go by. he grows worse aud not better. Evil
habits, evil motives, selfish tendencies
| strengthen, and he ~ a captive TO one
stronger than himself This condition of
affairs is made worse by the fact that the
man is sCif-deccivcd. Like the demoniac
who preferred tombs to homes as Il dwell
ing-place, so the sinner prefers his state TO
the better one which is offered him Again
We see that, like the dcmonlac the sinner IS
(b) poor. Poor in every sense of the word,
he was. In true riches the sinner is as
poor as the man Of our lesson was in things
temporal In this world he IN Y have some
considerable gold-dust 10 play with, but he
has no provision for n bJundlcsS eternity.
He that lIycth up treasure for himself, and
is not rich towards God is fool. OF all
poor persons in this world the unsavod sim
ncr is the very poorest He is really
withoutG God and without hope in this world.
Once more, the sinner is tcl bi nd Tho
dcmoniac was blind to his own interests
He would not accept the well-meant
efforts of his friends. To his eyes nothing
appeared in It's true light All was dstort-
ed and out of right relationship. Yet
ne thOught he saw all things Alright This
is one of the saddest characteristics OF SIN.
The sinner secs himself as all right He
can not understand why his friends and
teachers are so anxious about him. II they
tell him the truth with regard to his real
stale lie THINKS lhcy are idfSh ana CEN
serious. There are very few uurepentant
persons who would not feel offended were
they told that in God sight they were like
filthy rags picked out Of an ash-barrel Yet
The prophet says (uot that the Wickedncss
of men, butt that our righteousness are
like filthy rags (Is G;G. Such language,
though inspired by God, is an offense to the
carnal mind. IT. scorns the very thought.
It can not see its own state. and will not
pray; "Search thou me" Finally, notice
that the sinner is Id ndhed. He may think
himself clothed in the gorgeous garments
of his own respectability and good deeds
But these have no existence. They are fig
lmcuts of his own disordcred brain. Unless
God provide the sinner robe, naked he is,
and naked he will remain forevcr.-Rev. A.
+. SchaufIcr.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/. The demonac Il type Of the terrible
effects of sin on the soul
2. Sin takes many forms, and works in
many ways. It's name is legion.
3. Chrst's work is 10 cast out evil spirits.
4. To leave sin is to come into ones right
mind.