Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONSIDERED.

Reflections Of an Elevating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought Study
ing tho Scriptural Lessons Intslligently |
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday, April IA. may be !
found in Mark IL: 1-12.
INTRODUCTORY.
This lesson is to be read under strong |
light from two quite different sources. In |
the light Of the Roman torch setting ablaze
the temple tapestries and Israers royal !
dwellings. we see rejecting people them
selves rejected and their honor given to |
another. In the light of the gospel dis
pensation. with it's virginia. lamps borne
into all dark corners of tho earth. we see
the rejected son become the worlds Re- |
deemer and the one crowned by tho faith
lul In response to Heavens decree King OF
kings and Lord of lords. The lesson is an |
abiding one. with sober suggestions for the I
nineteenth as we'll as for the first century.
as the Lords people they must do the
Lords work and receive the Lords mes
sage: With every age comes a new stew
ardship and with every new stewardship /,
new test. May God enable us to-day to
Lord is at hand"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
!. And he began. Connecting this lesson
with that Of last week (the triumphal entry.
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 1t to
Christ's cleansing Of the temple. and on the
third day as they again enter the city they
ind the fg-tree withered away. 1t is on
this day that he begins that series OF para
0les which consumes. as it appears, two
days in the telling. and which form so large
part OF the synoptical gospels.
| WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Planted vtneyard. Revelation begins
with the words. In the beginning God cre-
ated the heaven and the earth" and closes
with the communication. Surely. come
lnickly." Rightly indeed it could be said,
The earth is the Lords. and the fullness
thereof; the world. and they that dwell
herein" All is Gods, naught is our own.
With reference to the King alone could it be
said, Lift up your heads. o ye gates" And
only as we are joined to his train by grace
10 we enter rightfully in through the gates
into the Lords own. 1t is only in Christ
hat we can utter in else than despair the
wondrous pilgrim chant: Who shall ascend
in his holy place? He that hath clean
aands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted
up his soul unto vanity. nor sworn deceit
ully." None but Christ could enter in his
own right.
Let It out to husland,nen. We have it to
work. that is all. Here is man with a
thousand:dolla loan. He pays six cents OF,
eyery dollar of 1t every year. Why? Be-
cause it is not his own; it 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
Tor another man to whom it belongs. This
farm is being worked on shares. One-hall
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 a steward. simply
solely. Are you making your returns to the
Master? Ten per cent. you oace before you
can begin to speak Of q gift. Was tenth
Of last months or last weeks income laid
aside for the Lord? Are you bringing your
tithes into the storehouse? Our blacksmith
friend is right in his Path to Wealth OIL
Systematic Giving" he says. Il prefer tt
} call systematic paying OF what we owe tt
Cod"
| Tie fruit of the Uineyard. Is it spiritua
fruit our Lord desires? Then know by onl
/ actual offerings and real sacrifices can II
have even these blessed returns of tn
heart. Do you recall that significant re
spouse of Paul's when Epaphroditus cam
. into his cell at Rome, bending under tn
b0 2 81 the hm
sire a gift. but desire fruit that ma
abound to your account" That which i
given in Christ-love is counted for fruit
We have just been having what we call
} It is a free-will offering, over and abov
/, ordinary benefactions. Always large. nev
er falling to agreeably surprise us with it
fulness. do you know? it has more Of tn
/ smell of genuine fruitage than all tn
, other gatherings of the church.
. Beating some and killing some. In brie
form it is the history Of Israel's treatmen
Of the prophet. They dishonored and brok
. the hearts of the earlier servants OF tn
Lord by simply sending them away empty
4 lessness OF the code as administered b.
them. The prophets of the middle cours
could say in the disconsolate language c
Elijah the Tishbite. The children oil srae
! thine affairs. and slain thy prophets, wit
l the edge of the sword; and even only ar
l left and they seek my life to take it away:
l This was little worse than the realty. !
a being left for the times of Jeremiah and hi
!, confreres to realize the full RIGHTEOUSNESS
: and cruelty of degenerate Israel. Is it no
: the treatment untruth is ever disposed t
I Weld the truth? Read what our Savior
l SAYS in John Is. concerning the worldly
. self-exalting spirit: IT the world hate 70
q you" The blow received by the servant
in reality blow aimed ut the Master.
They tool him and killed him. That TO
!: reverence. o, the dreadful malignity OF il
= were we not So lttllllldI W4uA ~ INV VA
r mere statement would shock us We hav
Q read how it startled the Esquilnau chic
/ Kasaignak. The young girl who grew up t
i years OF maturity before She heard tn
story of the gospel wept and then erie
aloud at the enormity Of the offense. Tel
rible it was. but who did it? The Jew {
: nineteen centuries ago? We east him OF
n to-day with our unbelief. we Stay him an
9 cruelty him afresh with our sins; ever
4 afront to his truth is spear aimed ut nj
4 heart, every hooking of his message is
- reyilement at the foot of his cross. Loo
within.
: Marvellous in our eyes. Our hands hay
. naught to do with it. 1t is the Lords dc
!. ing and it is only for our eyes to take it il
I What is impossible with man is posslb
with God. Yes. and the uncomfortable be
comes the actual-actual to faith: The r.
jected stone stands forth marvellous in i
strength and beauty. More wonderful ST.
the rejected and the rejecting people rise
acceptance in the beloved. may we "a
into the hands of God for his mercy! u
gro,r here and there" says Jennie !
Drinkwater, I'VE must suffer his will to |
done IN us. To arorh, here and there
must suffer his will to be done through
Gods will for you will be done by his WI
a., ,,o,, o,d tb,ou1L yOu." Is not this VOL