The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-02-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.


In Ephesians L: g occurs the oft-quoted
word. accepted i'm the beloved" A study
OF the words In the original while not viii
ating the familiar King James translation.
makes the ampler and yet more reassuring
meaning Of the word TO be, Ordced or oifted
IA the BeiOUed. That Is. all that we have
comes as ~ plain and positive importation
from Christ We attain this MS 10 nothing:
all that we have we obtain AS gift throu Il
Christ. We have an OBJ ,ect lesson on this
truth in the lesson before US. How signih-
cant, especially. the statement, Virtue had
gone out OF him." and the query. who
touched me?' Christis at this me on the
Capernaum side. where The people gladly
received him. and is now on his way for
healing To the house of Jairus.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
4 certain rOnIdn. That was all she was
then; an unknown woman. just as one OF
the crowd, n sufferer amidst a multitude of
sufferers. What made her great was her
contact with jesus. In him was all great
ness and goodness. To become one with
him is TO make the most of life and TO lift
ourselves out OF the crude mass into per-
sonal recognition with God. In n sense we
all have flal relations with the great Head
o. the Universe. In a sense. no less true,
we arc IN our natural alienation wholly alb
sent ana apart from him-"with out God and
without hope in the world" wanderers in
the wilderness. lost i'm the dark. Have you
noted that passage in Ephesians Il :5l: The
adoption Of children by Jesus Christ"
only as we are in Christ are we lifted up 20
true sonship toward God. Only through
Christ do We write our names on heavens
great family registry.
Rather gretc tcOTSe. Such progress is
made with the worlds soul physician. IL is
always from bad 10 worse, growth down
ward, moral de generlt So was it found
when Christ came 10 earth. The philoso-
piers had applied their lotions and the $ OK
man was worse. the so-callcd religions had
applied their medicines. Buddhism. Con-
lucianism. Zoroastrianism. all 20 no effect
save to increase the disease. Even Judaism
was growing Jelune and effete is there
no balm in Gileal?" the worlds soul ght
well cry. lis there no physician there? 2"
The patient fares no better under latter day
physics, according TO the course Of the
world. Materialism. ratonalism. agnosti-
cism, miserable comforters are We ALL" the
soul finally declares. The Princess Alice
was inclined for u time to be skeptical, but
ere her early and lamented decease shs
said TO some one: Since / talked with
certain humble Christian l have been trust
ing that Jesus has saved me from my sins"
She had fed away from earths false physl-
clans TO the great Physician.
Touched has garment He is never so far
away, or so thronged and pressed. but that
you can do that. poor soul. You do not
feel near enough TO rccline, like John, upon
his breast. You do not feel bold enough 10
stride along like impulsive. courageous
Peter at his side. But you can humb'y
stoop and touch his garment There in
your home. there in your resting place in
church or Sunday school. wherever you
are. YOU caa. albeit timidly. but. pray God.
trustingly, bend TO the hem of that blessed
garment which. through the influences OF
his Spirit and the word, floats savingly
within the reach Of your trembling fingers.
You have sung it often with the lip; sing it
now from the heart.
Lord Jesus, l long TO be perfectly whole,
/ want thee forever 10 live in my soul
Break down every idol cast out every foe;
Now wash me nnd shall be whittier than snow.
And remember in faith these other lines.
drawn rom the gospel record:
she only touched the hem OF his garment
AS 10 his side she stole,
Amid the crowd that gathered round him,
AMI straightway she was whole
q, touch he hem OF his garment
And thou, too, snail be free;
His ing pow or this very hour
Shall give new life TO thee."
shall De tchOie. 1t was just touch but
il was the touch of faith. The Il shall be
whole" along with the stretching forth Of
the hand. gave energy and efficacy. Behind
the slight movement OF the body was u
mighty movem mt of the soul. You see here
the n put in the right place. 1t is not IF
thou cditst." as said tho father OF the smit-
ten child; not III thou ,ctH, the address of
the leper; but "if I touch" The perad-
20 the divine part in the transaction there
is complete certitude. Il shall be whole.
she says. y, We spend so much time with
the n. with the bend of the I. as it were.
We are long while reaching the whole
ness promised TO US by Gods word. That
is IA reasonable word of Wayland Hoyt's.
quoting TO the inquirer the text. Him that
cometh unto me l will in no wise cast out"
Don't you suppose, says the preacher,
that ifyou do your part OF it it is perfectly
certain that Christ will do his part-receive
you-never cast you out?" Presently the
inquirer was saying. 1T must be so;" in
answer TO the question. DO you thus conner
AS far as l know myself 1 do" and mo-
ment later. Why. is that all? Then--I
think-I must be "a Christian" Why not
you?
Virtue had gone ont of him Salvation is
not merely power. il is love as well. Re-
deeming grace brings into exercise the
mighticst forces of the universe. There is
such thing as stored energy. reserved for
use. 1t is not TO such treasure store we
come for redemption. II is rather 10 that
which is pictured for us in the active. force
full dynamo which is continually generating
ana supplying power as IL Is demanded.
When soul comes to Christ there Is n con-
scious meeting of man with God. and there
Is "a new and 81 acious importation as strong
and fresh and powerful as when tho blind
eyes were opened OF old and tho deaf ears
unstopped. We stand in personal and vital
relations with the Son OF God. and in every
individual case all His wondrous energy
goes out toward the repentant sinner
Depths Of compassion. a world Of love and
sympathy. the riches of His grace are drawn
upon when one sinner repents. Away with
the idea OF priestly viccserency. of delega-
ted absolutionl When "a soul is regenerated
virtue goes out from Christ Himself In
Him was life" i'm Him alone.
Who touched me? Christ is speaking,
looking about upon thronging multitude.
The same voice speaks to-day. In the great
congregation. in the Sunday school where
multitudes are pressing upon him. but SO
few. alas. are reaching toward him with the
hand OF faith. Have you felt that stirring
OF soul within you which tells you that in
prayer or in meditation upon the word or
under the gospel proclamation you have
turned unto him and have laid hold OF him?
Here now spoken 10 you this word, Who
touched me?" He wants your witness.
your testimony. He seeks yet more. He
wishes to send you forth with peace and as
surance. For we go from grace to grace.
and the real touch OF faith leads on TO the
cleaving Of trust and the resting OF faith.
Very like this question was that OF old
Peter. its half rebukc hidden in its gracious
promise. Simon. son Of Jonas. loves: thou
me? Feed my sheep"
Next Lesson-"The Great Teacher and
the Tive I've" Mark 6: lis.