The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-02-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.
A Pleasant. Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where IL May Be Found-A
Learned and Concise Review of the

Inc lesson LOT Cuuudy. IoD. 10, may 10
found In Luke ILL.,. IN.
INTRODUCTORY.
IL was the hteenth year of Tiberius
CAESAR; the period in the reign OF the Sec
ond Caesar. when that Hover OF the Roman
civilization went aside. a self-exiled volup-
tuary. 10 plunge into luxury and wanton-
ness at CapreR. Just at this time OF no
torious wickedness in high places came the
rebuking voice at the Jordan. Rebukin2.
aud yet. at the same time. reassuring. For
while ii laid bare mems sins IL also olntcd
lorward-the "refiner's fire" become
beacon-to an escape from tue sins and the
diwning of a better day. In any case. 1t
etokened the utt weakness. OF human
strength and the total worthle ssness OF hui
man greatness or goodness. The only nope
for lost man was In the verifying OF the
prophetic message, brou Ght by this man Of
the wilderness. And the verihcation ls at
hand.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
The axe is lail Is lying. As il ready
for instant work. -Unto the root. Rather
ut the root. 1t has not yet been applied to
cut. --Brin yeth not forth. Same word a
above in " s. Do. trees doing is in its
iruitage. THE fire. More accurately. in
to fire. No particular fire. except the anal
ogy.
Asked, Or we're asking. kept asking.
This like the then sail he" oil 7 (he was
sayin2) is in the imperfect tense, implying
frequentative action. What shall We do
them See the original Using the sam
word as John employed in VS.. =, 9. but
translated bring forth. What shall We
bring forth.
He answereth and saith unto them. A
close rendition into idiomatic English
might be. Answering, he would say 10
tnem.-Two coats. One OF these gar
ments was sufficient In that cline. 1t was
equivalent TO saying he that hath an extra
coat.-lmpart. Literally. to share with.
Meat rood.-Likewise. i. o.. share
with the needy out of his abundance.
Publicans.. Tax gather5rs under the
Romans much desplsed by the people,
M aster. Teacher.
Unto them. Exceedingly personal preach
ing. The Greek represents him as speak
ing straight at them tproS autous). -EX-
act. No mere searching word could have
been spoken to the aX-gatherer.-
pointed you. Prescribed. The publicans
were accustomed to extort amounts larg -ly
beyond the legal requirement. The same
word is used by Paul. l Cor. I6: l, con
corning the collection for the saints. as |
have given order. etc.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Briug forth there or fruits worthy OF re-
pentance. John was the truth telling
prophet. We might suppose that such an
outspok si1nation as generation OF
vipers" would offend and turn the people
from the preacher. 1t did of but IL d d
not drive his congI egatlon away. Why?
Because II was the ruth. Like very nest
OF serpents they were, 81 pping out OF their
dens, warned. as ii were, stirred up by
sJmo molssting instrument. This sudden
apprehension. or fri Int. John says. Is not
enough. DO something. he says; Deein TO
live as II you had really Iepented OF the
past and abandoned Ii. And TO such
straightforward preaching they responded
with eagerness. My IL not always be so?
You nave grlevously Offended my hu--
band" said the Oh Istian sister 10 our
nelghbor pastor. Il am glad of it," said
the pastor. \ he next day the man HIM
self called. you hurt my feelings. last
night, Yes, but IL was the truth. was it
notI" Then followed an earnest personal
converted soul. Tell men the truth about
themselves. 1t will do them good.
These ston -. Sermons in stones" in
deed. What multitude OF helps 10 the
preacher o. righteousness are lying about
MIN and at his very leet; nature mutely
waiting TO b. used for driving home the
truth. These stones are used to shatter the
dogma OF traditional righteousness.
Children OF Abraham, the men about
John were calling themselves. as II that
were any exoneration for ill doing or any
plea for acceptance. Look at these stones,
said John: God Is so far from being de-
pendent upon you or under obligations TO
you that he can, as at the first. take these
aud raise up from the earth a new chosen
generation. There is Just an intdmation
mere OF the new dispensation. Dull. life
less, hopeless-very stones the Gentiles
seemed TO be, in the eyes of the SELF right
eous jew. Such indeed. in "A sense. they
Were. But out of these very stones, uuoth
John, God is able. by renewing grace. TO
raise up chillren unto Abraham. And
{ uly. what hope for these Jews. them
selves. were this not so?
What shall we do then? They are not
asking, as did the three thousand at Pents-
cost or the iaier at Philippi, What shall
do 10 be saved?" 1t is DOUBTFUL whether
John couli have answered such aquestion;
certainly not as Peter answered IL with the
power OF the resurrection and the mighty
demonstration OF the Spirit. The question
here is what shall we do to repent? how
shall we p. owe our sincerity? A query it is.
not to be forgotten to-day. and 20 be as
carefully and truthiully answered. as by
John. In TACT. IL is included in the
apostles doctrine at Pentecost as a
sort OF subsidiary inquiry. Repent and be
baptized" said Peter. IL baptism be the
Immediate token OF such repentance. then
the life outlined by John here il the per-
petual declaration OF the change within.
Let us take the Bible as our lamp and light.
step by step it guides us on our way. an
swering. ono by one. every sincere question
OF the soul
lie shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Christs coming meant. not new Spirit.
but "A now importation of the Spirit. The
Holy Ghost was in the world from the be-
ginning. else how should the prophets Of
old have looked forward to Jesus? John
himself was speaking by that Spirit. Ever
since the oundation OF the world IL has
been us Office to testify of the Son. first. as
he that was TO come; now, with power. AS
he that Is come and is raised up TO 1T upon
the right hand OF the Majesty on high.
Hence Christ is said to baDtize with the
HOLY Spirit. and just here we place the ac-
cent. Christ pours out the Spirit with such
strength and iullness as to overwhelm and
engulf the whole being lost, as it were, in
the new bestowment. Is il not to this tina
Paul Iefers in the thrilling language Of Eph.
3: 10. that ye might be filed with the iull-
ness OF God2"
voice came from heaven. Does not
God give to Us similar tokens OF assuran ca
When we have obediently and trustingly
accepted OF him. does not the Spirit descen
upon us, noselessly. indeed like the dove.
and with the doves peace left resting in the
soul? Yea. more. the voice from heaven is
ours also. For whence is that voice cry
ing Abba Father" Within Well we know.
''uod hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts. crying Abba Father. "
And so. as Paul here at Gal. A: z. saws.
Thou art no more a servant. Tut son.
Christ gives his brethren testimony from
on high like unto that which was his. Only
] & US remember that IL was while he was
praying" that the heaven was opened.
Next Lesson-"The Temptation OF jesus.
Luke 4: 1-13.
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A Suspicious Character.
WnNs