The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-04-26
THE COMMAND TO WATCH.
International Sunday-SchOOl Lesson 1os
May 8, 1889.


GOLDEN TExT-Take We heed, watch ana
pray; for We know not when the time is
Mark 1888.
CENTRAL TRUTH-To watch and pray Is
our privilege, our duty, our safety.
TIME-Tuesday afternoon, April 3, A u.
80.
PLACE-Mount of Olives.
CoRREsPoNDING SCRIPTUREs-Matt- "a ~
81; Luke 81 1855.
CIRCUMsTANCEs-This lesson is conIln-
uation of the last lesson Jesus, III 1un
view of Jerusalem, two days before the
cruclfixion is giving comfort and lnstruc-
ton to His disciples.
Helps OVER HARD PLACEs-24. Sun Shd.tbe
darkened: to be taken either % fguratlvely,
representing great civil and social commo-
tons. or (2) literally. 1t applies hguratlve-
" to the first two cOmings, ana prooaoiy
literally to the third. p. POtreT~ in HcGre'i'
if taken figuratively, 'the invisible lnnu-
ences which rule human society,"; IL nter-
ally, "the solar system" 20 In ctOudS: as
He went to Heaven. (See Acts 1:9-ILJ |
With spiritual and heavenly powers. Gredt
potUer and gIOrU: manifested IN the estao-
lishment of His Kingdom on the GARTH
Schaff. 81 Send His angels: heavenly angels,
| the ministers, "angels of the churcnes"
| (Rev 2:1), or any messenger ana agencies
| of God Cps. 104 a; Heb. 1:7-i4. Gather HS
| elect: His chosen ones, His disciples; the es-
| Establishment of one church; the heart-unlty
| of the church. From the four trtnds; denot-
ing the four quarters of the world; l. e.
| from every part. 30 This 0ehcFd!a0n: 10 DO
taken ~ literally, and referring to the de-
struction of Jerusalem (see Mark 9:1), (2)
| in the sense of a race or nation, meaning
| that the Jews should not cease as olstlncC
nation till the fulfllment or THESE tnngS
and Christ's Kingdom have come.
FIJLFIL1MENTs-D All these things were
fulfilled in the first era of Christ's coming
(see last lesson, which began on the day
of PentecOst and ended with the destruction
of Jerusalem. The Kingdom was then es-
tablished. The new graft of the Gospel dis
nensation was united with the old olive
tree of the Jewish dlspensatlon, and by the
fall of Jerusalem the old branches were CUT
away, leaving the graft to grow alone lnto
the perfect tree (see Rom IL: l2-@o). Inc
living. personal Christ was in the church,
guiding and ruling it, 1t had become one
great, true church. 1t took place within Inc
generation then living, amid all the signs
foretold. Note that almost every earnes'
= longing for Christ's coming IN the new
, Testament Except that in Revelation) was
I written before the destruction of Jerusalem,
t and the era of the Gospel Kingdom. Note
I'D.
d warnings, left the city of Jerusalem before
q it's destruction and went to Pella, In The
t mountains, so that not one of them per
d ished ~ 1t will be more completely 1ul
. filed in the full coming of the Kingdom o
d God on the earth. There is growing unit.
of the church. Christ is becoming NOR
: and more visiby present. The commotlon
}. and troubles fOretOld always precede In
=, establishment of Christianity in any nation
o False Christs are arising. The GoSpel !
a beng rapidly preached to all natlOns
10 Jerusalem is Still trOdden down OF the Ger
N tiles. and the Jews are still scattered, bu
there are signs of their return, OF thel
at being again grated into the magniicer
r. tree of Gods Kingdom. 81 The fulfllmer
at the day of Judgment is in the unknoW
ok future. but is the certain completion OF tt
ga Kingdom of God on earth.
no COMMENTs-Thing against which we 81
n. to watch. The dangers which beset u
Christian did not all pass away when pers
nv cution died out. Times of persecution nay
n. their great dangers, but times of prosperl
ra are not safe. One of the dangers to Whl'
"a the apostles were to be exposed, and again
an which they were to watch, arose from u
- liability to be deceived i'll religious matter
49, New teachers of religion were TO arse, w
10 would try to draw them away from Jes
NO very clever and plausible men, who, II
were possible, would deceive the very ele
Just so in our day there are men who q
getting new revelations of one sort or 6
UA other, by which they try to supersede the
Things for which we are to watch. Chr
taught His apostles that 1T was their OIL
ere TO watch for His second coming. DE
If a them that He was going ION far journe
Dad ". 34), but none the less babe them wat
vas In verse 81 He broadened out the comma
the so that it includes you. Jesus Christ
dar not come during your lifetime, but
tia are to be In the attitude OF watchfuln
loA. none the less. That He
| nv I come again is sure. That DE
NON come suddenly is sure. That His com
cd will be like snare TO many, catching th
'ood unawares, is sure. That His coming
rsd find many unprepared, like the five foo
virgins, is sure. "Watch, therefore, i
coming suddenly, He find you sleepin
D. The true mariner not only watches aga
~ storms, but he also watches for favor
M winds, that he may take advantage OF tn
-; and be the more surely waited TO his
80 sired haven. Carelessness lies at the
g. of much coldness. So, too, the young CT
tan may protitably watch for opportun
of usefulness. Many wounded man
been left 10 perish, not because those
go, | passed were priests or LeVlLes, DuL DeC'
- they were careless laymen, who never
the man at all No day will go by, Vi
AZ ordinary circumstances in which the Wa
full disciple will not see instances whe
can be OF use TO his fellow men We ar
80, sponsible for not doing. as much as 10
s:s ing; and most probably our sins OF G
sion far outnumber our sins OF commits
~, The Saviour's accusation against thos
10 His left will be, because they did not
NJ On lister TO Him, and their excuse will pas
. D 1un nothing Rev. A F. Schauf1er.
0, 900, pp,cTIc,, srcovsTroxs
o'ne1 l. Dark and troublous times are su
come before the kingdom of God can b
ac"l tablished
ames 2. These should not discourage US
were bring comfort and faith, as signs OF the
neeKs ing.
ng 10 g. Jesus Christ is surely coming IL
lnno- kingdom, successful and triumphant
leTlng | No+hiuC IN universe