The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-09-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.

I've stood before thine altar
child before thy might;
No breath within thy temple stirred
The dim aud cloudy light.
And still knew that thou were there
Teaching my heart TO say:
Speak, for thy servant heareth,
And heareth TO obey.
We cannot see our God; but he Is near.
can see us. know us even by name. viii
speak TO us, and We may speak 10 him.
Philosophers may accept or deny; par
alyzed and decrepit faith may fail TO receive;
the hard. careless. wicked life without may
scorn and refuse TO listen; but in willing.
child-like hearts the wondrous call Is still
heard. Blessed are they who. like Sam
uel. rise up at the word. III any entreaty
could be more earnest than another to
these children OF ours, who from their first
days have been led TO the house OF God. 1t
should be this: Samuers God loves you
also. has messages for you TO hear. and
will speak in your heart with voice gentle
and winning. -SOuthgdte.
Lesson III. The sorrowful death OF Eli.
/ Sam. iv. lis.
Practical thought. Retribution.
The mills OF God grind slowly
But they grind exceeding small
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness grtnds he all.
No closer doth tho shadow follow the
body than revenge follows sin. Walk east
ward in the morning. the shadow starts be-
hind thee; soon after ii is upon thy left side;
at noon IL is under thy feet; lie down. il
croucheth under thee; toward even II leaps
before thee. Thou canst not be rid OF Ii
while thou hast body and the sun light.
Lesson III. samuel the reiormer. l sam.
vii. liz
Practical thought. Repentance.
Ny God, accept my heart this day,
And make it always thine,
That from thee no more may stray,
No more from thee decline.
This is the admirable virtue or repent
ance. that with the eagle IL causes US To re-
new our youth. and with the snake to be
fresher and livelier alter the casting Of our
old skin. When sin hath impaired and en-
feebled. and made us old and withered
creatures. repentance revives us, and puts
young spirits into US. SO hearty and cor
dial is this physic of repentance. Other
phySic may take away our bodily inilrmi-
ties, but yet so. that it brings some weak
ness 10 nature: but repentance adds
strength TO our spiritual and renewed nat
ure.--Uyke.
Lesson " Israel asking for king-1
SAM viii. 10
Practical thought. The sin Of willful-
ness.
The modern popular theories OF religion.
that boast themselves as better than the
gospel plan, are "a delusion and snare.
and lives lived under their inspiration grow
away from God. not toward him. Let no
sane man make such waste and wreck of
his immortality. TO say, each one TO him
self. AS for me and my house. we will
serve the Lord" 10 accept Gods Word
without reserve. this is duty and this is
safety.
Lesson V. Saul chosen as king Sam.
TX. 1927.
Practical thought. Religion in politics.
When Alexander III. knelt in the cathe-
dral at Moscow. during the coronation GER
emory, and prayed, 20 Lord God of our
fathers. King OF kings. who createth all
things by thy word, who rulest the world in
holiness and justice. do thou, o Lord and
Ruler. support mo In my appointed task.
inspire me with wisdom. ana guide me In
great service 1t was such an appeal as
told nightly for the stability OF his empire.
The tendency OF the time TO materialize
everything affects this highest of earthly
dignlties Political forms are viewed as
mere expedients. in which there is no cause
to find "a wise and everything will. lip
pant and infldel spirits are trying TO Danish.
in all public places and on all public occa-
sions. any recognition OF him who "romov-
est kings and setteth up kings. Could
they succeed, our days as a nation were
numbered. Impotence OF restraint, the
noisy assertion OF liberty TO do as each and
all please, and which so many are ready to
applaud. BODIES only trouble and disaster :.
Reverence for all that are in authority, not
for their own sake. but as representing the
sovereign life and interests OF the COM
munity or commonwealth. needs in our day
TO be the more cultivated. Where this vir-
tue reigns. the Psalmist's word finds best
realization: Happy is the peopls that is
in such ease; Yea, happy is that people
Lesson vi. Samuefs farewell: i Sam.
xii. lis.
Practical thought. Only fear the Lord.
OF what sort. then, is the fear of the
Lord? Is ii an ahject. slavish fear? No.
certainly; all exposftors agree TO warn you
against this sense and Interpretation OF
fear. But were you TO ask the reason why
the fear of God is not "a slavish fear. there
is only this reason TO be given you, because
God is no tyrant. and suppose every man
of sense will admit this for good reason
and what else Is this but adjusting the
sense Of fear from the true motion and con-
ception of God. The properties of relig Gus
fear which are mentioned in Scripture are
valious. The tear OF the Lord is clean. :"
says the Psalmist. The fear OF the Lord
is TO hate evil" says Solomon; and again.
1T is a fountain OF life;" and again. The
fear of the Lord is strong confidence. -
Sherlock.
Lesson VII. Saul rejected; Sam. XIV
10 81
Practical thought. Rejected OF God.
He who once met n company OF priests
coming down from the high place. with a
psaltery, and a tabret. and pipe. and a
harp. and on whom the $ irit OF God came
so that he prophesied with them and was
another man. had now by his own folly and
disobedence driven away the divine spirit
and brought upon himself that retribution
which sooner or later overtakes all who
indulge dark and sinful passions. An evil
spirit OF remorse and self condemnation
came upon him from the Lord. The warn
ing cannot but come home to our hearts.
Lesson VIII. The amounting OF David;
Sam. xvi. lib.
Practical thought. The Lord looketh on
the heart.
Man looks at the visible and temporary;
God looks at the invisible and eternal Man
looked only at a kingdom which should
triumph by might and power; God sought
10 establish a kingdom that should be
established by righteousness and overcome
evil by good. Man chooses success as
measured by an earthly rule; God works
for character measured by n heavenly rule.
Lesson TX. David and Goliath: l Sam.
xvii 32-5l
Practical thought. Our only weapon the
truth OF God.
Lesson X. David and Jonathan; Sam.
Xxx: 1-l3
Practical thought. The friendship Of
Christ.
Lesson II. David sparing Saul. 1 Sam.
xiv ALI.
Practical thought. Self-mastery.
Lesson XII. Death OF Saul and his sons;
Sam. XXI lib.
Practical thought. wasted life.
IL the decade ending with 1895 the