The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-07-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY. CONSIDERED.
A Scholarly Exposition of the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy of Calm Rehec-
tion-HsIf AN Hours study of tho Scrip
tures-Time We'll S,ent


tion-HsIf AN Hours study of tho Scrip
tures-Timc Well Spent.
Tho | sson for sunday, July 81, MAJ be-
found In |. Sam. T. liz
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
10 keep me ARK Of the Lord. IL was a
precious thing. and there needed 10 DO "A
prepared people 10 keep the holy receptacle.
An increasingly dissolute priesthood under
Hophni and Phinehas forfeited il. head
strong. thonghtless people. AS at Aphek.
sacrificed IL, a heather race could not
abide 1t. and with their idols falling pros
trate and their inhabitants smitten tho
Phllistine captors were forced 10 cry out in
dire distress, What shall We do with the
ark OF the Lord? Tell us wherewith wO
shall send IL TO his place" Even Beth
shemesh in the borders OF the Holy Land
could not endure its presence. who Is
able. they said. ito stand before this molly
Lord God. and To whom shall he go up
from usl" So they sent word 10 the in
habitants of Kirjath-Jearm. farther north.
The Philistnes have brought again the
ark OF the Lord; come We down and fetch /.
up TO you" And the people of klrIatn-
Jearim were not prepared TO keep the ark
OF the Lord" until they had set apart "A
place for il and sanctiied Eleazar Tor its
jealous care. The lesson is a profoundly
important one. Gods Righteousness is not
10 be approached lightly. He desires pre-
pared heart. and in the history Of nations.
as OF individuals, he makes ready "A tit
place for his ark 10 rest, for his richest
blessing TO descend. Has it not been so
with America?
Al the house Of Israel ldmented after TIE
Lord. blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness. for they
shall be filed" DR.. Broadus has lately
quoted with em phasis the true saying: A
man Is as holy as he ever fully intended To
be. So also may we say o a nation. 1t gets
what il seeks. it realizes its supremest spi-
rations. IL was the hope of Israel, ever. in
her wanderings. that she was still so hope
less tcithOut God Always was she. If not
rejoicing in him. lamentng Tor him. She
was never satisfied with SHINING. Other
nations might deny God and rest content;
not so Israel. Her heat was restless till it
rested again in him in whom she WAS
called. That was Israel's assurance Of
Gods blessing. Across the sea comes the
Mayfower, laden with the first settlers OF
America. the hope of new continent.
What are their credentials? What their
pledges OF successl Their sad counter
ances. their anxious hearts. The unrest
they ielt under false systems. the longing
they experienced for freedom TO worship
God"-that was their mark of divine line
age and the sign Of their coming greatness.
When you see a ldmeRtiag people it is. as
here in this great awakening. the har-
binger Of rejoicing people.
Put array the strange gods. That was the
first step IN preparing their hearts unto the
Lord. Doubtless IL meant not little sac
Iluce on the part OF israel. Inc lcOnOCldSblC
spirit cannot but show a somewhat rude
and destructive side. Strange gods some
times involve prop rty cOnslderat. ons and
always include the planting and nurturing
of more or less deep-seated sentiments
To uproot these requires heroic I, eatmcnt.
AS George Washington was on his way TO
the Colonial Congress before the reyolu-
ton, he met his friend. Jonathan Boucher.
the loyalist clergyman, who warned him
with earnestness that participation in such
a body as he was about TO enter meant war
and bloodshed. Moncure ID. Conway Is
authority for the statement that the future
commander ot the American forces replied
warmly but probably unpremedtatvely.
If you ever hear OF me Joining in any such
me asures you have my leave TO set me-
down for everything wick, d." But reyolu-
ton is not small play and it meant destruc-
ton and devastation in this case. however
little thought of such the patriots had at
the outset 1t illustrates the militant and
indeed the iconoclastic element or the
Christian life The child OF God hears this
plain. imperative. Put away the strange
gods" What that sign fed Tor Israel tho
Israelites alone knew. What hidden ex-
perienccs OF the soul it intim ates. none but
that soul can tell
Gather all Israel TO Mizpeh Great gath
erngs like this constitute the worlds mile
posts. History takes for its dating points
the great councils and conventions of tho
centuries. We adopt Tor our reckoning
points in these centennial days of United
States history the patriotic assemblies of
our fathers in the early days of the Repub-
lie. notably the first Colopial Congress.
which met in New York, October 7. 1865.
and passed the Declaration o Rights:
the second Colonial Congress. which con-
veDed in Philadelphia in September OF IVA
and voted 10 sustain Massachusetts in her
contention with Great Britain: the meeting
of Congress in the same city July 4. i776.
when the Declaration of Independence was
7 formal lDunUllratinn M
Washington. in New York. April 30, 1889.
This gathering at Mizpeh was u turning
point in IsraePs history. 1t marked the
change from state Of anarchy 70 that of n
strong and united government. 1t was like
| our Monroe Doctrine" 1t looked forward
farther than TO this little engagement at
] Ebenezer. All the future of Israel was in
/ volved there, and to remotest days the ma
| ton felt the influence OF that united vow
/ at MiZpeh. He who can ii the limit or
! such results as spring from a national re-
vival Of religion might possibly tell where
/ the fruits of this great gathering ceased to
/ appear.
/ il TO be raised to memorialize a great VIC
/ tory. Whose shall be the honor? Samuel
! does not say, Hitherto hath Israel prevailed
/ but Hitherto. or mp 10 here. the Lord hath
| helped. And so he calls the rock stone OF
| HELP" clarifying God rather than man.
/ Would you raise q monument OF victory
/ over sin? Let it be n life meeknes IS. which
| daily confesses Gods help and healing. Or
rather let IL be life in which Gods good
ness and mercy is constantly manifest. a
! life OF faith or submission. One of our con-
/ temporaries was recalling not long since
the legenl of the temples. A prize was
\ offered for the grandest pie TO the sun.
I One man built a massive structure OF
/ carved stone. another erected a building
/ entirely OF gold whose polished sides re-
/ Elected the bright rays OF the sun. The
/ third. for there were but three contestants.
J built house entirely OF glass. a crystal
/ palace. "a it were which admitting tho
rays OF light. was flooded in all its parts
with the suns own glory. 1t is needless to
Say which structure was approved. How
/ Is it with the house you have buided
/ When others see your good works do they
/ glorfy your father which is in heaven2 Is
| your lie marked E6enezer-God's help?
Next Lesson--Israei Asking for King.
/ sam. =: 40.
|