The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-10-16

ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.


The lesson for Sunday. Oct 20. may be
| iound In Sam. Z: 1873.
INTRODUCTORY
In the lesson before US we come to a
| thank sgving pause. Pfety was the teach
Ing OF last weeks scripture. confession OF
the lesson that Is TO follow; very approrri-
ately here we give ourselves TO thoughts OF
gratitude and praise. Teachers and schol-
ars have not failed To note that most OF the
scripture lessons passed over in this part
Of Second Samuel are duplicated in First
Chronicles. The similarity and. in some
part. identity OF the narratives. would be
more readily observed but for the strange
principles of variant readings deliberately
adopted by the transators OF l6ll." The
same material was doubtless drawn upon in
both cases. II Is 10 be borne in mind that
Second Samuel is the earlier compilation.
First Chronicles being prepared five hun
dred years later by Ezra at the time OF the
rebuilding of the temple. The latter con
sequently being written for special
purpose. connected with the ceremonial
history OF the nation. omits much OF the
detail OF political event recorded in the
book we are now studying. l Chronicles Is
the history; Samuel the story.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Then. After Nathan had communicated
! 10 David that though he was not 10 build
the temple. his family was to be established
J in the kingship and his own son was TO rear
the sacred structure.-Went King David
in. Into the tent whore the ark OF God was.
Sat before the Lord. or took his place.
Some have preferred, for obvious reasons.
here the word tarried. 1t is the same word
that is translated abode in His bow abode
in strength" (Gen. 49:A.)-Who am IL
The same words used by Moses at the
burning bush. lex. BILL Hitherto. Two
words. up TO here. Equivalent to thus far.
The reference is TO Gods guidance In all
his affairs.
/ This was yet small thing. Or yet fell
short; the meaning being that Gods pur-
pose OF mercy far out stripped what had
yet been done.-O Lord God. or Ny Lord
Jehovah. A term of special relationship.
and also of profound reverence.-Thy
servants house. Dayld's SUCCESSORS
Is this the manner OF man? Rather, the
law for man: /. e.. an institution that is to
last. Torah is the word used. which al
ways means teaching or enactment; g. e.,
One law shall be TO him that is home-born
and unto the stranger. eek. II: 49,
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Who am J. Lord? We are naught in
ourselves. TO God be the glory for what
has been wrought through us; what OF
good there is in us His grace has accom-
pHshed. Here at our side lies piece OF
| crude gypsum, Opaque, unsightly Right
over against ii is clear. lustrous rock,
catching the light and making itself thing
Of beauty. And yet this also is gypsum;
only IL is crystallized. The old common
! substance has been taken up and wonder
! processes OF capitalization. SCOT crystal
lied makes the diamond, common lime
| stone taken up. secretcd. and crystallized.
makes the pearl. ordinary clay crystallized
comes out the sapphire. SO these natures
OF ours, OF the earth earthly, are taken hold
! OF by higher power in regeneration and
wrought into some thing OF beauty in Gods
eyes. 1t is all of grace.
For thy words sake Our ground OF hope
Is Gods spoken word According TO prom
] "A il w mi Gs
the Joy OF good things anticipated, the
Christians pleasures OF hope. IL is because
we have not familiariZed ourselves with the
Book. His word he hath promised. and he
viii perform. Perhaps we know the prom
ise, but have not believed It, Then il is TO
us the same the promise unheard OF.
The faith needed to- day is faith to trust the
spoken word. That is significant sentence
which stands out in the midst of the blessed
divulgences OF Revelation II: And he said
unto me. II is done" Think OF II. all these
gracious deeds, for which we yet wait.
already accomplished in Gods mind. Is it
not in application Of this same truth tha'
the words follow? Il am alpha and omega.
the beginning and the end" We have been
worshiping him as the Omega of ultimate
accomplish ment. let US trust him also "a
the Alpha who sees the end from the be-
ginning and says for our comfort in days of
waiting. 1t is done!"
To make tly servant know. Know what?
Gods greatness and goodness. In fact 20
know God himself. Thou Lord knowest
thy servant" David has just said. And now
he is speaking Of what God has wrought in
orde, that there may be answering knowl-
edge on the part OF the servant. And
VIII at better way for man TO learn OF God
than through personal experience OF his
grace? II is the only way indeed. The
Scotch have an adage that to know u man
you must have some business transaction
with him. To know God we must deal
with him under grace. Como. as some one
has said. TO his bank OF merces and get one
OF his notes of promise cashed. David had
done so. And no wonder he comes forth
saying. Wherefore Thou art great, o
Lord God"
And thou Lord art become their God. 1t
means personal relationship. We know
God as our own God only after we have
gone to him for his saving power and drink
deep from his wells of salvation. There is
no dearer word TO the soul OF man than that
which is spoken 10 the one "athirst." who
yet "overcometh" through faith: Il will be
his God and he shall be my son." IL Is as
we come. one by one, TO God. accepting his
proffered grace. that we realize how near
and intimate are the relations he will bear
toward Us. Horatius Bonar's words-and
we desire to remember this saint OF God
Tor these lines. II for none other-tell the
experience OF every renewed soul:
/ heard the voice. OF Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast"
came to Jesus as was,
Weary and worn and sad
found in him q resting-place,
And he has made me glad
Therefore hath thy servant found in his
heart TO pray. twas revelation that stimu-
lated David here TO this prayer God re-
vealed TO him the precious promise. Il will
build thee an house." On the basis OF tn at
discovery he began at once TO pray This
is what the Bible is for. 1t teaches us the
ground OF prayer. We would not have heart
for prayer were 10 not for the voice that
speaks encouragingly TO Us in the world.
Perhaps the mails brought you the other
day British pamp hlet which bears on its
title page, List of names Of persons in the
United States and Canada entitled 10 prop
erty in England" There follows a thousand
or more names. The person who finds his
iull and undoubted designation there. will
be very likely TO sit down and communicate
with the barrister in London who claims to
have access TO the property. And is not
this Significance OF prayer Gods list OF
persons for whom gifts wait IL sent forth in
his word. "Whosoever will" tells the wide
ness OF its sweep. That call is a SUMMONS
to communicates. TO pray. "Therefore. hath
thy servant found 1t In his heart to pray his
prayer unto thee"
Next Lesson--Sin. forgiveness and