The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-01-30

SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONSIDERED.
A Scholarly Exposition OF the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy OF Calm befec-
tion-Half an Hours study of the scrip
tures-Time Well spent


INTRODUCTORY.
We have window thrown up, as IL were.
In this lesson. and we catch glimpse OF the
mighty grapple OF the kingdom with the
world. There sat Christ In the boat. The
mutitudes were gathered about. They rep
resented infinite need. He the infinite truth.
Why were these not brought togetherf
Why did not all men believe on him. Look
Around about on the rising hillsides arc
fields and the sowor has gone forth 10 SOW.
Christ points 70 the scene as a parable OF
the kingdom Seed il fruitful only rs IL finds
right rootage. The hard. beaten wayside.
the stony. uncultivated ground. the thorny.
unmatched soil. the hungry upturned fur
row-all sorts OF lodging places there are
for the seeds OF truth. Christian worker.
one OF the serviceable gifts OF the Spirit IL
patience. When the heart cries. Who hath
believed our report. ard 10 whom IS the
arm OF the Lord revealed?" remember the
long suffering OF Christ and read again. as
here. the parable of the sower.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
When ne icdS alone. IL was the disciples
opportunity; the cherished hour when freed
from the clamorous and petulant thron2 our
Lord was seated apart with his true learners.
How blessed now the converse. how sweet
the intimacy OF thought and feeling. how
restful 10 bring him all the cares and per-
plexities OF the day and have him remove
theml O favored disciplesl Christian
friend, do you know that this Is your privi-
lege and mine to-day? We can this mo-
ment, any moment. seek Jesus and be alone
with him. His redemptive work finished.
nc Is now seated at the right hand OF God.
That attitude is the attitude OF the teacher
and instructor. He is there TO hear us and
talk with us and remove our doubts.
Blessed portion-alone with Jesusl Said
the bishop TO the young man. discoursing
with enthusiasm OF sojourn in the Holy
Land. said he quietly. significantly: I'D
rather be five minutes with Christ than u
year in places where he once vast
Unto you az as given TO knOlD the mystery.
Above we have the Christians privilege OF
fellowship; here We have the Christians
privilege Of knowledge. 1t is the fulhllment
OF that bold prayer of Paurs in Ephesians
a: IL, 49,. That the God OF our Lord
jesus Christ. the Father of glory. may give
unto you the spirit Of wisdom and revelation
In the knowledge Of him. the eyes OF your
understanding being enlightened The
truth is a touch-stone. IT reveals the truth
or untruth OF the heart. Where there Is the
meekness of child Of God. IL brightens
and illumines; where there is hostility to
God, il but makes the darkness greater.
One clue TO this somewhat startling Script
ure Is in this simple word: III any man will
do his will. he shall know of the doctrine
obedience and faith are at the threshold.
tirst Come unto me-. then learn OF me.
The SOuer SOUeth the lcOrd. Christ is the
great sower. The preacher and the teacher
are but. as it were, the hands of the sower.
We speak not OF ourselves: we are am
bassadors for Christ. 40 though God did be-
secch you by u.s. we pray you. in Christs
stead taS ambassadors for Christ. speaking
Tor HIM. be We rcconciled TO God. Now,
remember, when tho world rejects US il re-
!ects not us but Him who sent us. The seed
- the word: not our word. but the truth OF
God. Wherever that Is spoken it IL
the germ OF new life: and he who ae-
cepts ii or declines il accepts or declines
not our doctinc but the principls
Of life eyerlasting-Gods doctrine. The
Aeld is the world; we 60 forth To SOW beside
AL waters. seeking to cast into good and
prepared soil. we yet let the truth fly abroad
That il may lind lodgment on every hand.
for only the Spirit knows the prepared
heart Ours but to SOW, making our tes-
timony when opportunity occurs; the root
age Is with the Spirit. as with God the in
crease.
satan cOmeM Immediately. We may well
pray, ~ Our Lord taught US. Keep Us from
the evil one" for it is he. precisely. the evil
one that is described here as coming imme-
diately. There is no doubt OF Satan's pres
once in<he world. yea, in the synagogue as
Of old. He is here to withstand the truth il
possible, and to snatch away the seeds from
unwary minds. There is one sort of inildel-
ity. dangerous deadly that we seem 20 be
overlooking. 1t il skeptclsm regarding a
personal devil. We seem wholly ignorant
/ If his presence and whereabouts. and vet
God locates him rs right at our hearts.
working at the very core and center OF our
spiritual lie. some one plileu ~ suggest
/ i've Joke on Mayor Hewitt, Of New York.
! He wrote TO him that the block bounded by
! certain four streets was infested by thieves.
! and that citizens could not pass through
! there at night The Mayor promptly dis
/ patched "A policeman 20 look M the matter
md found that the place described was, sure
/ enough. full OF cut-throats and impossible.
for IL rGS the TOabs. Oar topography Of
/ the city OF man-soul Is about n vague. and
I Of the ranges OF Satan. chained and I'M
| chained, we seem to know as little, and fear
! ess.
BIZ the tcdySide The seed was sown broad
east. Let Us go into the next towns that L
may preach there also, said Christ. -for
therefore came l forth" Manifestly in this
general proclamation all sorts OF conditions
would be met Our duty is 10 preach the
gospel and preach it everywhere, whether
men will hear or forbear. First of all wa
have the wayside nearer; his Is the impen-
I etrable heart. 1t represents the lowest con-
dtion Of spiritual mindcdness, and yet it
, may go along with a. urge degree OF intelli-
gcnce and OF so-called moral culture. One
may become, us we say. ospel-hardcned.
A settled condition OF difference TO the
truth. Nothing tries the heart OF teacher
or pastor more than the sight of dull i'm
mobile faces. unchanging through all the
year under the earnest proclamation OF the
truth. One of our city pastors has insti-
tuted a reform in his protracted services.
He proposes TO alternate nights of preach
ttlE WITH DlBUlS VI NlSlLiHS anu 50 DIlfk new
hearers into the Lcrd's house. Not because
there are not members of the unsaved al
ready present. but because being unsaved
they are still unmovod. They are waysidc
hearers When the fowls of worldliness
come down on the sacrifice. there is no
watching Abraham to drive them away.
So,cn on stony ground. Edward l.. Will
son, in "A recent Century article. Round
About Galiee," gave ia some pictures Of
Gallee farm land There were some very
bad pieces OF ground. God seems to have
given that little patch OF the Holy Land as
very picture-book OF the kingdom. Much
of the ground was stony; the soil thin. its
energy soon gone. What does IL represent
but the superficial nearer. catching up the
truth and hiding it moment to let it Bills
ter and let it dry in the sun when the shower
has passed. or cast il forth to die with the
first frostr No root in themselves" How
ever thrifty the seed. il requires soil for
rootage. and where the barren. rocky
formations occupy all the space. there is no
room Tor the tiny tendrls of the truth. The
seed Is allowed TO perish Of inanition and
just for lack OF sustenance. "A deeper work
of grace we all have need TO pray for.
May the stony heart be removed and a
heart Of flesh be given us.
Next Lesson-"The Fierce Demoniac.-
Mark 5; 100.