The true northerner., 1889-11-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY Considered.

worthy Saim hontc-
tion-Hsn an Hours Study OF the Scrip
tures-Time Wen Spent.
The lesson for Sunday. Nov. II, may be-
found In H. samuel xxiiL. IL.
INTRODUCTORY.
We are In the midst OF "A sort OF appendix
to the book OF Second Samuel beginning
at chapter xxi. Several important items
OF history are added, including some
omitted exploits OF David. list OF his
mighty men. and two OF Dayid's cele-
brated hymns. The first OF these hymns.
David's triumphal song is TO be found in,
.he chapter preceding. Here We take up
the second called familiarly. "David's Last
Words And it is fittingiy named. giving
as IL does the central and animating spirit
of IsraeIs poet-king. We may we'll pray as.
we read its lofty utterances. Let me die the
death OF the righteous. and let my last end
be like his!"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Spirit OF the Lord. The breath OF the
Lord.-By me. or. in me. No clearer
declaration OF the doctrine Of inspiration
unbreathing) Is given in sacred writ
His word. Gods speech or revelation The
divine method OF communication.-Inm my
tongue. Better. on my tongue. Mans
tongue used as the vehicle of the heavenly
message.
The God OF Israel said. David has no
doubt OF the source OF the message hence
the liberty with which he declares himself.
The Rock OF Israel spake 10 me- or. was
the speaker. II is Gods delverance not
Dayid's. He that ruleth. The revision
makes IL refer, and quite properly. 10 David.
thus: "one that ruleth. Must be lust
The must be" is supplied by the transla-
tors. We prefer the most literal rendition
OF the reviser's "one that ruleth over men
Iighteously. in the fear OF God.
The same word and precisely parallel with
the phrases just before. 1t brings out tho
manward and Godward relations Of right
rule. righteously toward man; reverently
toward God.
And he shall be. That is. let him rule
thus righteously and reverently. and he
will be, etc.--Light OF the morning. Tell
ing in pictorial and poetic language the
blessings OF such reign When the sun
rseth. or at the sunrise. What more beau
tiful than the earth at sun rise Without
clouds. Significant OF a pleasant day 10
| follow.-As the tender grass. An in
volyed sentence. The Cambridge Bible Tor
Schools" following the order OF the Hebrew.
translates it: When from sunshine. from
rain. grass springing from earth" The eye
is carried from the cloudless brightness
above to the fresh. rich verdure beneath.
These SMILES would have special force with
the people OF the Orient.
WHAT THE LESSON yEACHEs.
The man who was raised on high. He
did not grow up from beneath; he was
raised up from above. Great as were
Dayid's natural endowments. high were
] his native abilities, he was. after all. great
because God made him great. He was not
man after Gods own heart" and hence
chosen" but first chosen and alter that a
| man after GoIs own heart. Read his
! Psalms. They are the tributes of "A PEN
sioner Grace, grace was Davids plea.
| The Hover gets something, rs has been
| said. Fl ON the earth beneath il: there comes
infinitely more. for strength and beauty.
| Fl om the sun above il. Man is lifted up be-
| cause God has stopped down.
| His word was on my tongue. Think OF
| the condescension OF IL, Mans poor. siam
| mering tongue made the conyeyor Of
! heavens messages. God who speaks
through the thunders and the roaring
winds deigns TO converse with man by tho
use OF the human tongue. How weak the
| vehicle. how wondrous and mighty the
\ communication Never was there such a
/ burthen as that with which the tongue is
! freighted The significance OF the great
and gracious doctrine OF inspiration who
can estimate? But there is a lesson also
for the men OF to-day, the living epistles
read and known Of all men. God submits
TO Us mis- word. makes US his messengers;
with us is intrusted the proclamation OF
his matchless messages. the dissemination
! Of his blessed truth. Shall we not pray de-
my mouth shall show forth thy praise"
The Rock OF Israel spake 20 me. A rock
! that speaks. God is not only "a rock OF
refuge. OF shadow, shelter. home; He is a
| voiceful rock OF communication. AS such.
| how safe the word He speaks! he who
trusts in that word Is like the house built
upon the rock How surel Taking that
word, we may say: He brought me up
also out of an horrible pit. out Of the miry
clay. and set my feet upon rock. and es-
tablished my goings." How solid aud en-
during Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but my word shall not pass away.
Has the Rock OF Israel spoken to you?
You need that speech for safety. for s5ur-
ance. for enduring rest. Yes, that voice
has spoken, In divers manners. plain and
strong. Then are other questions certain-
| ly pertinent. Have you answered the voice
that spake? Have you a part in the rock
Ruling in the fear OF God. To be ruled
we'll is % rule well. David was a good ruler
because he acknowledged higher Ruler.
The people feared David because David
feared God. That man who has first gov
erned his own spirit by putting IL in subjec-
tion TO higher Power is the best fitted to
lead others. Where shall men learn TO be
Just save by finding the source OF infinite
Justice? This old world had forgotten right
| cousness, and was sinking farther and far
ther into cruelty and barb aritv when Christ
came. How much our modern huma anita
rian governments owe TO the Christian re-
ligion. in its indirect ii not its direct influ-
ence, who can tell. When men begin 20
fear God they will both rule and be ruled
better.
A morning without clouds. What thrilf
| Of delight comes at times with such mani
We had been travelling all afternoon through
| the rain and mist OF an October day. But
regular rhythmic clank. clank OF the wheel
upon the rail familiar 70 all who have
crossed the continent. telling us that We
were climbing the hills into the higher alti-4
| tudes. When at last the day broke and we
looked forth. what "a change from the mar
rowness and gloom OF the preceding day!
Above the clear blue sky and yonder, lift
ing their snowy peaks high in air. above
the rolling landscape, the everlasting hills.
| We realized then as never before. the serene
beauty of "a morning without Clouds. the
ineffable JOY of clear shining after rain
Have you not known such a day-break in
your spiritual II o?
All my salvation and all my desire. All
In God Present salvation. expectation OF
good. ultimate glory. all are hid for US with
| Christ in God. That everlasting covenant.
ordered. sure. stands for our defense and
! encouragement. When days are dark it
gives US light when burdens are heavy, it
rests US: whe n foes oppose. 1t strenethens.
God is for us, who can be against us? They
hurried the devoted bishop of 10 his death.
the red-handed commune. Aftorward on
| his cell-wall they found inscribed a
straight. strong square. on whose four sides
were written. distinctly. Length. Breadth.
| Depth, Height" The eternitv iand magni-
| tude OF God were for him. What cared he
for aught that might set itself against him.