Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-04-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONSIDERED.

Reflections OF an Elevating Charactsr-
wholesome Food for Thought = Study
ing the scrIptural Lessons Inteiiigentiy
and Prohtably.
The lesson for Sunday. April IA, may be
found in Mark II; 1-l2.
INTRODUCTORY.
This lesson is TO be read under strong
light from two quito different sources. In
the light OF the Roman torch setting ablaze
the temple tapestries and Israers royal
dwellings. we see rejecting people them
selves rejected and their honor given to
another In the light OF the gospel dis
pensation. with its virginia. lamps borne
into all dark corners OF the earth. we see
The rejected son become the worlds Re-
1eemer and the one crowned by the faith
lul in response to Heavens decree King oil
kings and Lord OF lords. The lesson is an
abiding one. with sober suggestions for the
ninetoonth as woll as for the first century.
Let the Israel of God know that to abide
as the Lords people they must do the
Lords work and receive the Lords mes
sage. With every age comes new stew
ardship and with every new stewardship
new test May God enable us to-day TO
make return according TO our trust and to
hold the vineyard for the Master. The
Lerd is at hand"
WHAT THE LEbSON bA16
/. And he began. Connecting this lesson
with that OF last week the triumphal entry,
we see that two days have passed. The city
seems to have been first entered upon the
first day Of the week; the barren flg-tree Is
cursed on the second day as they pass 1t to
Christ's cleansing of the temple, and on the
third day as they again enter the city they
find the fig-tree withered away. 1t Is on
this day that he begins that series OF para
bles which consumes. as 1t appears. Two
days in the telling, and which form so large
part OF the synoptical gospels.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Planted vineyard. Revelation begins
with the words. I'm the beginning God cre-
ated the heaven and the EARTH" and closes
with tho communication. Surely. l come
quickly" Rightly indeed it could be said.
The earth Is the Lords, and the fullness
thereof; the world. and they that dwell
therein" All is Gods. naught is our own.
With reference to the King alone could 1t be
said. Lift up your heads, o ye gates. And
only 40 we are joined to his train by grace
do we enter rightfully in through the gates
into tho Lords own. II Is only In Christ
that wO can utter In else than despair the
wondrons pilgrim chant: Who shall ascend
into the hill of the Lord? who shall stand
In his holy place? He that hath clean
hands and pure heart; who hath not lifted
up his soul unto vanity. nor sworn deceit
fully" None but Christ could enter in his
own right.
Let IL out TO husbdndmen. We have It to
work. that Is all Here is q man with a
thousand. dollar loan. He pays six cents on
every dollar of 1t every year. Whyg Be-
cause it is not his own; it has been let to
him for use. This man in the West has
charge OF ten thousand dollars worth of
stock. He sends back to the East, perhaps,
a third OF all receipts. 1t is sign that the
capital is not his own; he Is employing 1t
for another man to whom 1t belongs. This
farm is being worked on shares. One-halt
OF every crop, one-half or all receipts, is
apportioned of for another man-the owner.
What right have we to the things OF this
earth? Tho right OF a steward, simply,
solely. Az you making your returns to the
MASTER? Ten per cent. you olre before YOU
can begin to speak OF q gift. Was a tenth
OF last months or last weeks income laid
aside for the Lord? Are you bringing your
tithCs into the storehouse? Our blac ksmith
friend Is right in his Path to Wealth or
Light rom my Forge" CHaye you read itO
Systematic Giving" he says, Il prefer to
call systematic paying OF what we owe 10
Gcd."
TIE fruit of the vineyard. Is 1t spiritual
f.uit our Lord desires? Then know by only
actual offerings and real sacrifices can he
have even these blessed returns Of the
heart. Do you recall that significant re-
sp nse of Paul's when EpapAroditus came
into his cell at Rome. bending under the
donations of tue generous Christians oi
Philippi? Hear him; Not because / de-
sire u gift but l desire fruit that may
abound to your account" That which is
given in Christ-love is counted for fruit.
We have just been having what we call
for want OF a bett r word "a gift service.
1t Is lree-will Offering, over and above
ordinary benefactions. Always large, new
or failing to agreeably surprise us with its
fullness, do you know2 IL has more of the
smell of genuine fruitage than all the
other QnthpriDn3 OF the church.
Beating some and killing some. In briei
form it is tho history OF Israefs treatment
OF the prophet. They dishohored and broke
tho hoarts of the earlier servants OF the
Lord by simply sending them away empty
Moses and Samuel grieving over the fruit-
lessness o. the code as administered by
| them. The prophets of the middle course
could say in the disconsolate language oi
Elijah the Iishbite, The children oil srael
have forsaken thy covenant thrown down
thine affairs. and slain thy prophets with
/ the edge of tho sword; and L even only an
left and they seek my life TO take IL away.
| This was little worse than the realty, II
being left for the times OF Jeremiah and his
confrcres to realize the full rebellousness
| and cruelty OF degenerate Israel. Is IL not
| yield the truth? Read what our Saviour
| says in John 10, concerning the worldly
self exalting spirit: IF the world hate yoJ
| ye know that it hated me before IL h ated
| you" The blow received by the servant /.
In reality blow aimed at the Master.
! They took him and killed him. That for
reverence. o, the dreadful malignity of it
| Wefe wo not so familiar with il how the
mere statement would shock usl We have
read how 1t startled the Esquimau chief
Kasaignak. The young girl who grew up &
! years OF maturity before she heard the
story of the gospel wept ami then cried
aloud Mt the enormity Of the ofrense. Ter.
| rible IL was. but who did it2 The Jew o
nineteen centuries ago2 We east him ou
| to-day with our unbelef. we slay him anC
cruelty him afresh with our sins; every
afront to his truth is a spear aimed at hil
heart, every mocking of his message Is
revilement at the foot OF his cross. Lool
within.
Marvellous IN our eyes, Our hands hav,
naught TO do with it. 1t Is the Lords do
ing and il is only for our eyes to take it in
| What is impossible with man is POSSIBLE
with God. Yes. and the inconceivable be
comes the actual-actual to faith. Tho re
| jccted stone stands forth marvellous I'm it
strength and beauty. More wonderful still
the rejected and the rejecting people rise {,
acceptance in the beloved. o may we fal
into the hands Of God for his mercyl ~T,
gro,c here and there" says Jennie m
| Drinkwater, I'VE must suffer his will to b.
done in us. To uork. here and there, w
must suffer his will to be done through us
Gods will for you will be done by his will
ia you and through you" Is not this you
petition, too. Ttiive me all thy will2- Sa
| In the devout spirit OF another, Take thin
own Will with me. o Lord thou canst no
otherwise than bless"
Next Lesson-"The Two Great Command
| ments." Mark 12: 1884