Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-07-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.


A Pleasant. Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where It May Ne Found-A
Learned and Concise Review OF the
Same.
The lesson for Sunday. July "A. may be
found In Sam. 4: lis.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Beside EOeRexer. We shall not forget an
experience we had with this name one time
In personal Bible study. We find the name
used In connection with two prominent but
widely similar events In lsraels history.
namely the loss Of the ark. Sam 4: 1. 2; and
tho defeat OF tho Philsstines. Sam 7; IL.
That Is. it marks at ono time Isaaels van
quishment and at another time her victory.
Coming upon the instance OF the defeat at
Aphek. recorded In this lesson. and recog-
nizing the meaning OF the word. our first
impulse was to say: Here Is defeat at the
very place marked rict0ry. Lesson: Old
experiences OF blessedness are not in them
relves sufficient: the scene OF victory may:
through ili-conduct. bocome tho place q
defeat Then we looked again and found
that the victorious battle OF Mizpah had not
yet been fought and that this nomenclature
at Aphek was simply an anticipation by the
historian OF name aiterward given. and so
the corrected lesson stands: the place OF
defeat may become the place OF victory.
Aphek may change to Ebenezr.
Israel tcds smitten before the Phflistines.
1t was q needed humiliation; Israeps Bull
Run; and q second and more disastrous was
to follow. God let's his people be smltten
at times. Or rather he smites them him
self. using Philistia as rod. Is IL not thus
he proves his love? Whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth." Israels worry afflic-
tions In her days OF declension were proof
oil the divine concerument. Spurgeon, COM
menting on the word OF Christ: In the
t1Orld De shall hare trt0uldtiOn," says. lest
thou asking the reason OF this. believer.
look uptoard to thy heavenly Father and
behold him pure and holy. Wilt thou easily
be conformed to his image2 Next.
Christian. turn thine eyes dolcntoard. Dost
thou know what foes thou hast beneath thy
feet? Dost thou think Satan will Il { thee
alone2 Then look around thee. The
world Is not thy friend. Lastly. look
tcithin thee. Sin and self are still within.
All. II thou hadst no devil to tempt thee. no
onamies 40 hsxnt thss. and xso orld 10 an-
snare thee. thou wouIlst atilln lind in tn yself
evil enough to be n sore trouble to thee"
all these adversaries God sometimes sends
us q bitter defeat. What Is IL but his mes
senger saying. Watch"
Let us fetch the ark of the copenant Of the
Lord. Irreverence Is to be read here. 1t
speaks In the very language used. Como.
let US go fetch the ark OF the covenant OF
tho Lord. Lend hand: haul IL alongl"
How shocking the collocation OF words.
half sacred and half proiane. 1t was like
Uzza laying his rude hand upon the ark. 1t
rushing In upon the sacred things OF God
and presuming to use them as q talisman,
or. indeed. as barricade against threat
ened and deserved punishment. Whom
Titus besieged Jerusalem. and captured
point after point, the Jews still stubbornly
declined terms Of capitulation. and. pre-
suming on the sudden Intervention OF Jo-
hovah. fed to the recesses OF the great
temple. using the ark again as barricade
and Gods house as stockade. But Gods
Of. lvna
his covenant. Only -he that dwelleth
Through faith) In tho secret place OF the
Most High" can say of the Lord tho IS my
refuge and my fortress" (Ps JD Christ
Sif55iRg ePqt hi 9EsE Hag ngapst RgrqSsPltaR IL lt
awful havoc of the city's overthrow gives
testimony. And what shall We say OF "a COR
rupt church which while allowing and fol-
lowing itself the ways OF the world pre-
tends to secure immunity by resort to
mystical rights and ceremonies2 What ia
IL but saying with brazen irreverence, Let
us fetch the ark OF the covenant of the Lord
out OF Shiloh unto US. Blasphemyl Who
shall ascend into this hill OF the Lord2 or
who shall stand in his holy place lie
that hath clean hands and pure heart"
Quit yourselves ike men, They did their
very best. Philistines though they were.
they are more commendabl9 in this trans
action than were the children OF Israel.
And for this simple reason: they threw
into the battle all the strength they mad.
Israel coming to the engagement rashly.
prayerlessly. with tho form OF godlincss
but without God, invited the discontinue
sho received. IL is what Christ meant
are wiser in their generation than the
children oflight" That l., so far as human
strength and sagacity can go. they prepare
themselves for what is before them. Gods
people. given larger and fuller armament
and enduement. often fall far short OF put
ting on the whole armor and Of going into
battle prepared to prevail. To simply equip
ourselves with the worlds weapons Is to
be less than a match for the world. We
must wait for the strength Of the Lord ere
we can safely confront the world. Only
when. using In our way the same prudence.
we take what is prepared for us and say to
each other In the Lord, Quit yourselves
like men and fight" Is the issue victory.
That initial battle at Pentecost was but a
specimen of what God will do for those
people who fulfill the divine injunctlons OF
equipment and go forth with the sword of
the spirit which Is the word OF truth. o,
the world is using its utmost energies
against usl Can We meet 1t without q
like zeal in the use OF the better armament
God has given us?
HIS heart h-enlbIed for the ARK of God.
Ell cared for the ark as the apple of his eye.
His solicitude for it, along with his meek
ness toward God. was the saving feature OF
his life. There is something deeply pathetic
-by the waysde watching" He had let the
ark go doubtless with misgivings. over
persuaded by his headstrong sons. Now
he waits in gathering anxiety for news from
the field. At last he describes the messen-
ger coming. His heart leaps as he waits.
and presently. himself not less breathless
than the painting herald. he listens for the
word: Israel is fed before the Philis-
tinesl- His check blanches, but he waits
listening for more. perhaps already appre-
hensivo OF such report. Then like q bolt
comes the intelligence. Thy two sons.
also. Hophni and Phinehas. are deadi"
Alas. alas. his name departed. the prophecy
OF God fulhlledl Lut still he looks ana
listens. Then comes the last stroke; And
the Ark OF God is takenl" IL Is enough.
Ell falls swooning and In the fall his neck
breaks and he dies. o. pity not ELI, nor
condemn him. Let us think rather OF our
selves. Do we tremble for the Ark Of God 2
When the world at times invades the
church and lays unholy hands upon the
very Ark OF God. where Is the spirit OF Eli
to feel. as II were. sword-thrust at the
heart?
Next Lesson-"Samu,l tho Reformer.'
Z: LA