Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-10-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AMI
ABLY Considered.

Il
! ia4 INTRODUCTORY.
In the last lesson the people solemnly
chose leader, Now. no less solemnly.
David, the cheltain chosen, acknowledges
| for himself a leader the Lord most high.
1t was essentially the taking OF a nafnel
and with that name tho assertion of a char
acter as we'll as the acceptance OF an alli-
! ance. David's city and kingdom. no less
than the ark. was to DO henceforth called
by the Name. the namo oil tho Lord OF
hosts. What's In nuneg" we say: A
great doal: Everything, in fact. We lose
sight very frequently OF the significance OF
names because the suggestion OF the
nomenclature ceases TO be prominent In
thought or act Bethel. house OF God, had
to be revisited by Jacob and the old ex-
perience revivified and the old name re-
vitalized by means Of the new and stronger
! one, FL Bethel. God OF the house OF Bethel
Shall not this lesson bring US back TO an
apprehension OF the meaning Of tn at name
by which the ark OF God" Is called2
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Again. There had been one large con-
vocation when David was crowned. Now
| another great assembly is called. at David g
behest. for the pious offices of the ark OF
God.--Gathered together. The word
same as the Hebrew name Of Joseph. mean
ing increase). 1t probably signifies here 10
muster, it being in a large degree a military
assemblage. with the routine necessary
thereto. -Choseh men. Literally. mature
men. able to bear arms. Strictly. the I'M
married young men, who were liable to milf
tary service. See Latin vir.-Thirty
thousand. This small number. as COM
pared with all Israel. indicates. as above
suggested. that it was special class. asort
OF select body guard to the king for this re-
| ligious service.
Upon new cart AS did the Philistines;
In itself departure from the levitical re-
| quirement. Mum. 4; Is; Z: 81 This David
himself confesses at l Chron. 10: b.
Abinadab in Gibeah. Translated at Sam.
I;II ,Abinadab, in the hill" The word for
hill being Gibeah.-Uzzah and Ahio.
Departure. number two. These do not
seem to have been, as was EleaZar, Sane
titled. ito keep the ark OF the Lord" Il
Sam. 2: IL None OF the family OF Abinadab.
in fact. appear to have been Of the pre-
scribed tribe OF Levi.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
To bring up from thence the ark OF God.
AS soon as David has established himself
In Jerusalem he sends Tor the ark. 1t is
wise expedition. Religion should lave its
place In at the beginning OF things. Whilst
we are caring for the head and the hand.
let us mind also the requirements OF the
heart Let this little city, springing up in
new country. remember to plant along
with It's stores and shops a church of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Let this new house.
mold, beginning according to the ordinance
a. new domestic economy. see to it that tho
altar OF God is also reared. Let this indi-
vidual who. looking forth upon life's duties.
has Just commenced planning a career OF
usefulness In the world. receive at once the
Lord Jesus Christ into the heart. Send we
all and bring up the ark Of God. IL will
give us name in the sight OF heaven and
earth. 1t Is the name OF the Lord God Of
hosts.
Played before the, Lord. The Lord is
pleased with the tributes OF his eatures,
however lowly. Those instruments or FIR
wood would seem very crude for the rendi-
tion Of sweet sounds. The harps and psal-
teries. as then used, might bring forth
sounds to offend our nj dei n critical taste.
Little music for us in those old-fashioned
timbrels. and the comets and cymbals
might seem to give forth more noise than
harmony. Well, remember ii was before
the Lord" He would listen for the hearts
music, We must con ess we hear strange
things in the name OF sacred song In places.
The sounds that break forth from the SAL
walton Army Hall make all the delicate
senses to start back. sh ocked IL not stun
ned. The slow, d. awllng hymns OF one
congreg alton, and, contrariwise, the light
and sometimes frivolous diities of some
others, are not what all OF us would desire
And yet what comfort to know that the
One to whom, at first, the morning stars
sang together and the sons or God shouted
for JOY, is pleased with all that is wrought
what they were meant to be and bringing
them together. in the sweetest harmonies in
the higher spheres. And yet let that which
we render TO God be always our best Only
that Is worthy tribute.
And there he died by the ark OF God.
Think OF 1t. Right beside the ark of life a
scene of death. and that which was for
granting salvation became the swift CONVOY
o. destruction. But so it was when the
ark tarried in Philistia; so also when with
sacrilegous hand Israel hailed IL on to the
battlefield OF Aphek-brought 1t there TO
their own discontinue. "Savor of death
unto de ath" as we'll as OF "liie unto llfe."
Paul the apostle called himself. Such in
deed is the ministry of reconciliation.
wrongly approached. To those who ludely
and heedlessly. trusting proudly in them
selves, put forth human hands on that
which is divine and think 90 mend tho ways
and words OF God. the good may even work
evil. Uzzah's offense was no venial one.
He knew the law; he knew the sacredness
of the ark; he presumed that circumstances
might readily alter the holy requirement.
, o be sure he acted hastily. almost thought
lessly. But well we know that our sudden
acts under momentary pressure sometimes
best reveal to us the prevailing thought
whnln. Well may we pray, who can I'M
derstand his errors? cleanse thou me from
secret hidden) faults. Keep back thy serv-
ant also from presumptuous sins, let them
not have dominion over me; then shall I
much transgression."
And the Lord blessed Obededom. This is
the brighter picture. Hero is the SAVIOR OF
lie unto life. David was disheartened.
There was something Of encouragement In
his half inquiry, half lament: How shall
the ark OF the Lord come to me2" Now
he has his answer. 1t Is by reverent and
loyal demeanor toward God Israel had
forgotten, perhaps. in those troublous days.
to look up to God as she should. Quick as
flash the lesson of Gods unapproachable
Uzzah. Now follows another needed les
son-that OF hope and trust. It is taught
there from the home of Obededom. Who
he was, we know not. How God blessed
him, we can but conjecture. Whether in
land or store. in spiritual or temporal gifts,
in hearts desire or boon unasked. it mat
ters not; this we know. God used Obe-
dedom. In his grace. as the witness to a
great and wholesome truth. His house,
hold. for their faith. became for king and
nation. as it were. a city set upon hill
whose light could not be hid God give us
more Obededom households to-day. and
all the more IL the sky be- overloaded.
Because Of the ark OF God. God cares
for IL. Keep reverently near to the ark. IL
was when the ark went first and the people
followed that they came safely over Jordan.
1t was as accompanying the ark in its
spirit, indeed, that they made their exodus
out OF Egypt. and 1t was while passing
around Jericho in the wake OF the sacred
receptacle that the proud walls of that city
fell Keep the Word and Spirit OF God at
the forefront Be IL our ambition to accom-
pany that ineffable Truth with loyal, rev.
erent following:
-Jesus still lead on,
It'll rest ba