The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-04-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONSIDERED.


The lesson for Sunday. April 7, may be
found In Mark XII Ill.
INTRODUCTORY.
The whole choir OF gospel voices sounds
for US here. Our Saviours passion l. draw
ing nigh. The cross is just beyond the city
gates yonder. Even John. whose voice
now for some time we have not
heard in this sacred recital. speaks
again. There is Significance in the atten-
ton given 10 the details Of this incident.
John tells US the meaning OF IL all. az; 16
These things understood not his disciples
at the first; but. when Jesus was glorned.
then remembered they that these things
were written Of him. and that they had
done these things unto him. IL was "A dis
tinct Messianic event. such as cast its
shadows far before unto the days OF
prophecy.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
They came ntgh. In the lesson OF March
"a Christ was passing out OF Jericho on his
way to the city OF sacrifice seventeen
miles). Now, having passed the night pre-
vious mt Bethany with Lazarus and Mary
and Martha John II: / SD. he at last
reaches his gracious destination Unto
Jerusalem. Tischendorf omits BethphGge.
but not Bethany. The original. in keeping
with the pregnant Greek construction. uses
the proposition into. Into Jerusalem and
into Bethany" having reference doubtless
10 the purpose held in mind on the way
Mount Of Olives. Commanding full view
OF the city.-Tico Of his disciples. Prob
ably Peter and John, subsequently sent TO
prepare the passover. luke %: 81
col your ,cay. Having reference to quiet
withdrawal (upha0O) .-IRtO the village.
That suburb OF the ancient city. called Beth
phage, which they had 10 pass through or
pass by, en- route from Bethany 10 Jerusa-
lem.-As soon as pc be entered an. Or
just as we enter. The allusion is TO place
rather than time.-Neper man sat More
accurately no man has yet sat; hense. SER
viceable for sacred purposes. Mum. 10: p
Loose him. Matthew speaks also of the
mother of the colt brought along thus add
ing to the formal sacredness OF the scene.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
They came nigh 10 Jerusalem. They were
never very far away from that city OF holy
immolaton. Ever was Calvary's hilltop
close at hand. Never did the turrets of that
sacred city. sacredest of all for that which
was 10 occur without the gates, fade wholly
from our Saviour's view. His divine head
felt. no doubt, the prick OF the thorn even
by the peaceful shores of far Galilee. and
on distant Hermons height he spoke with
Moses and Elias of his decease which he
should accomplish at Jerusalem Long
before, yea, from the very outset OF his
theanthropic career may we not say from
the very foundation of the world. he had
steadfastly set his face to go 10 Jerusalem"
As soon as pc be entered into IT, More
closely rendered it is Just as ye enter IN.
This is the divine exactness. None but
God could afford to be precise on such n
point. The gospel writer's are very definite
in their narration here. They were i'm
pressed with the divinity displayed. There
was Christ out there by the wayside. There
wore no walls. gates, trees, hills 10 shut
away his open vision. Go into yonder viii
lage," he says, and confidently as ifihe him.
self had placed il there-and had he not?-
he says. Just at the entrance We will find a
colt tied" A magician cleverly guessing
would have left himself some loop-hole of
escape from possible failure by giving larger
latitude and scope to his directions. Some
where along about 1900 the calculator tells
Us, the world is to come to an end. He may
be right; he may not. God only knows.
Saws the Master calmly. Just there at the
entrance you shall find" 1t is God who is
speaking.
Vent their troy and found They just
trent and found. That is the simple word
of the original Suppose we do as well.
Obedience finds. We do not read OF their
pausing on the edge of the village under
some fig-tree 10 wait and wonder how IL
could be, or under some juniper 20 wholly
doubt and despond. No, they went right
along in the path marked out. and as they
went forward they found it Just as he said
il would be. Why not trust Gods word?
Why not believe his promises? For exam
pie. he tells us TO 60. preach. and he will be
with us. Has any true missionary OF the
cross ever found that promise TO
fail? He tells us to open our
mouths for Christian testimony and he
will fill them. Has any sincere wit
ness ever failed at this pontg Has God
not made even our stammering and our
tears TO testify graciously for him? He
points TO his book and he says knock for
comfort and il shall be opened unto you.
opened for comfort. He points the sinner TO
himself and he says. Come and hndi"
Have you found him? Well. have you come?
What do ye looSin0 tie colt? 1t was just
as he said. and so they are not startled;
they have their answer ready. Brother. the
Master has anticipated the worlds hostility
and the worlds challenge. He has armored
us and weaponed us beforehand. There in
his word is our full and adequate equip
ment. "Of whom shall be afraidY" Daniel
Sloan down there at the Chicago Y. NJ. C.. A.
rooms has sent out a handy little leaflet.
Have you seen it. used it?-"The Workers
Guide" "Inever did anything bad" Ans.)
Rom. 3: II. Il am good enough" Nah. 1: ii.
Il am better than Others" Luke Is: IL.
so on. seventy or more times over. For
every query or cavil there is a word OF
Scripture. Try ii and see.
Eren as Jesus had commanded. Lei us
hold fast to the word Just az 1t is written
for us. Then said Just as Jesus said Is
Bible are n number OF red-letter texts. IL
Illustrated so that they strike the eye as soon
as you turn the leaf. They are Christ's own
words. Somehow. though, all is truth. the
>
doubly freighted We call il Christ in the
InQuirV-roOm. And we like to have tho
seeker and the Borrower speak right with
Christ regarding doubts and distresses.
Here on our study table is book called
What Jesus Says" nearly three hundred
pages OF the wonderful words of life arrang-
ed for the use of pastors and workers.
There on our book shelves Is The Words
Of Jesus" Christ's sayings arranged for tho
responsive service OF public worship. There
also Is "Christs Christianity" system of
divinity in the great Teachers own words.
Friend, have you ever taken the pains to
note how much Jesus saidg" And he said
nothing in vain.
HoSdnnd an the highest. Garments and
palm branches. HYMNS and hosannas, hon.
age OF hand and heartl Let every Sabbath
be day OF the gates. n welcoming. triumph
ing time for him who cometh. ever cometh.
in the name OF the Lord And let every
hymn take hold upon heaven. "Hosanna in
the highestF IL never came 10 us before as
IL did at our last reading OF Revelation viii.
Listen: And another angel came and
stood over the altar having agolden censor.
and there was given unto him much in
cense. that he shoul add IL Revision)
unto the prayers of all the saints" Angel
voices mingle with ours. heavens supplica-
tions and praises augment earths pious
cries. "Hosanna in the highest.
Next Lesson-"The Rejected Son." Mark
II: LIZ