The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-05-09
THE AMOUNTING,


Especially arranged from B. B. Quarterlyi
LESSON TExT-Mark 14:1-9
GOLDEN TExT--She hath done what she
could-Mark 14:S
CENTRAL TRuTH-The olessedness of max
ing sacrifices for Christ.
TfME.-The plotting to take Christ Tvs. 1, 2)
was Tuesday evening, April 4, A. ID. 30.
The supper at Bethany was on tho previous
Saturday evening (at the close Of the jew
ish Sabbath) (John 12:l).
PLACE-The plotting was at Caiaphas'
palace in Jerusalem; the supper, at Beth
any--a suburban village two miles east
of Jerusalem, over tho Mount of Olives.
PARALLEL ACCOMPLISHMENT. 23:1-13; John
12:1-S.
INTRoDUcTIoN-The first two verses give
an account Of what the Jewish rulers were
doing at the time Jesus was discoursing to
His disciples four last two lessons) The
story of the supper ut Bethany is given
here, because Jesus reproof at that time
was one of the reasons which led to the be-
trayal by Judas, the account of which fol-
lows.
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcEs-1. Take Him
:. put HIN to dedth: they would get Him
into their power, and keep Him from teach.
ing any more, but wait till after the feast
before they killed Him. O. An uprodr: there
were multitudes there from Galilee attend
ing the feast. They might be friends Of
Jesus. 8. Simon the leper: a relative Of Laz-
arus, and probably cured by Jesus. A rom-
| an. Mary, the sister of Lazarus mot the one
spoken of in Luke Z: $3.50. Bor: flask
| with long neck. Ointment Of spikendrd. a
pound Of 1t, says John. It was made of the
spikenard, plant OF the valerian family,
| which grows in the East. Very precious:
worth three hundred pence "a penny, dena-
rius-fifteen cents) therefore worth s45; but
as penny was the pay for a days labor
Matt. 90: 81, it would equal $500 in our day.
Poured Il on His had: and also His feet, and
wiped them with her hair John 12: 81. And
some: Judas most Of all John 10: ~. 8. Gipen
to the poor: that was his pretence, but John
says he was thief. And he betrayed his
Master soon after for SIG. 8. Good uork: 1t
is good to express love- 1t leads to more
giving to the poor. 0. A memorial: not so
much of her gift as of the love which
prompted it.
EXPRESSIONS OF OUR LOVE TO JESUS
Love IN the heart always desires to express
itself in action, to make sacrifices for the
loved. (2) 1t is not the largeness or the
sinallness of the gifts, but the cost to us,
the self-sacrtce in giving, made freely and
gladly, that measures love. (3) There Is
great value in these expressions to those
that receive them. Sympathy with the poor
expre ssed by gifts is worth many times the
same gifts without the sympathy. There is
great hunger in the world for expressions
of affection; and the world would be vastly
happier If the affection really existing be-
tween parents and children, husbands and
wives, pastors and people, teachers and
taught, were more often and more fully ex-
pressed. (4) Love is increased by express.
| .& n1,. a, T..
conscious activity our love for Jesus so much
as making sacrifices for Him. (5) Each
must give in his own way, and what he him
self has. Martha gave service, and it was
accepted and recorded. Mary gave the ala.
baster box of perfume. Each did what she
could. co. Often the continuous giving of
many Titles is more costly and more accept
able than one large gift.
MODERN APPLICATIoNs-1 What God
asks of us is the gift of our hearts, the most
costly and precious gift one can make to
another. But whosoever gives the heart,
necessarily gives with it all other things.
(2) God often gives us opportunities Of do
ing hard things for Him, helping others to
our own weariness or suffering, resisting
temptations speaking to others on religion.
The value Of these hard things lies in the
fact that we may do something for Jesus
that costs, and SO proves and increases love.
CoMMESrs-In order to draw practical
lesson for our scholars today, we must
lead them to discern the motive which
underlay the action Of Mary. This being
I made clear, they will see that that which
gave character, or moral quality, to the out
ward act was the unseen but very real con
dition of the heart. To do this will not be
difficult Let the teacher call attention tc
the two markedly contrasted characters
present at the feast, viz: Mary desired tc
give; Judas wanted to get. Mary forgot
, herself entirely; Judas never for moment
lost sight Of his own interests. To lose fol
Christ's sake was to Mary Joy; to lose fol
Christ's sake was to Judas q misery. Mary
was willing to lose her life for Christ's
sake, and she gained it; Judas sought u
: save his life, and he lost it, The radica
difference between theses two persons lay
deep down In their inward life. Action.
were but the outgrowth Of that deep spirit
ual nature, which in tho one case wa.
Christ-like, and IN the other Satanic. Now
as in Mary's case, so in ours, the most i'm
portant thing was the state of the heart
That being right, all else would be right.
Can q person be true Christian wht
neither gives any thing to or does any thint
: for the Mastera No. That piety which ha.
III IL Ho spHiI VI gldu SelI-SacrlnCe lS bogus
, The tree which puts forth neither leaves
nor fruit is dead. So the church membe
who has neither the grace Of liberality no
self-sacrifce is dead. By their fruits "
shall know them The spirit Of Mary mus
, produce the deeds Of Mary, and the Chris
tan spirit in any disciple must produc'
Christian living and giving. II these latte
| are wanting, the former is not present
however loud the profession may be.-Rev
!, A. f. Schaufler.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. Affection desires to express itself b,
) making sacrifices for the loved.
, 2. All need the sympathy of others, and +
have 1t expressed.
8. Expressing our affection increases it.
4. God does not need our gifts, but ou
love, our giving-the proofs that we homo
and love Him.
8. Worldly men find fault with Christian
giving.
9. But Christ approves Of It. .