The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-07-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.

-Aihho !" Gil Oponl-
The lesson for Sunday, July Is, m ay be
found in Luke IA: 1924.
INTRODUCTORY.
Our Lord uses here an illustration
which all men can understand. Ii is the
story of feast spread, sach as oil might
desire to enjoy and which all men seem
TO be just waiting to enjoy. But now,
when the doors are thrown wide open,
each man turns and goes his dev Gus way.
How shall We account for such perversi-,
ty? There rs no accounting for it, 1t is.
the enigma of human history, the stran--
gest. saddest thing connected with mortal
existence. We cannot explain it,; We,
need only Try to mend it. God help Us,
do 80 IN the lesson of to-day
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
When Jesus seems to be again in
Perea and, as often, is discoursing at
table.-One of them. Probably Jew,
as we might judge from the exclamation.
That sat at meat. One word in the,
Greek, reclining ogether. - These
things. What Jssus had just been say
ing about making dinner for the poor
Blessed. Or happy.
The good time coming of divine rule to
which Israel was ever looking forward
Unto him. AS needing instruct ion
A certain man. Doubtless NOT the king
uooNIlDcQ ~ MAIL
great supper. rare treat. Babe
many. Lorge companies were invited to
these feasts.
Sent his servant. 1t is customary in
the East TO send a second summons.
Several things conspire to make this nee
essary. % The houses are not large
enough to accommodate the guests while
they wait. (2) 1t is impossible to tell
beforehand just when the feast will be
fully prepared. (3) Even if the hour Of
the day were approximately known be-,
fore hand, time pieces are not kept. and
announcement would be necessary.
Come. Like the bell summoning to the
table.
With one consent Or, from the first
on.-Make excuse. Or beg of. 1t il
this same word that occurs in the passage,
Heb. u: %, See that We refuse not him
that speaketh. a piece of ground A
re Il estate venture. Have me excused.
| Implying previous invitation and cor
responding obligation. !,
Five yoke of oxen. A large business
trans action, Wholesale merchant, so to
speak. But why such large purchases a.
the very inst mt when the call to the ban
quet was momentarily expected. -
Married wife. Social engagements.
Sometimes the wedding ceremonies were
very elaborate and prclonged-Cannot
come. This one seems 10 speak as If the
mere mention of his nuptials IS sufficient
excuse.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the
kingdom of God. So easy to say. 1t
sounds very much like one of the good
sayings that, on unmeaning lips, pres
emily become cant. Roll on, great and
glorious gospel cries the camp meeting
anR in tba toa nj his
emotion, he does not see the collection
box under his nose. Not he; his eyes are
shut and he is PARKWAY. He is like Sam
Jones little steamboat, that always
stopped running when 1t blew its whistle,
so tremendous was the blast If this
man thought SO much of the bread of
heaven, why was he not partaking of it
here and now? For this is eternal life,
that they might know thee, the only true
God. and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent.
With one consent began to make excuse
Here is one place where all the world is
agreed. 1t Is unanimous in its excuses.
O, if only the church were as united
for aggression as the world Is
for defense. And yet what miserable
apologetics We try 10 find reason for
the excuses urged. We never shall be
able. They were absurd on the face of
them. And hero is the point of the para
BILE, the miserable inconsistency of men.
their wretched folly regarding eternal
life. Too busy to eat. Too hurried to
be saved. The Roman actor cried, 20,
C9lumi"-O, Heavens and pointed
downward. His fastidious auditors
hooted the solec SIN. Behold men to-
day talking about their highest interests,
and then pointing to the earth. Was
ever greater vanity!
Come, for all things are now ready. It
is rs some one has said, supper time
now" Supper now ready! Last call for
support Have we a better picture than
this of the present crisis In the Christian
dispensation? The gospel feast is spread,
invited. Why, then, are not all eatingP
Some one is not ready. If 1T is not tho
host, who can it be but the guest2 Hear
him. II have bought a piece of ground"
Land poor, indeed, since he will allow
it to render his heaven forfeited. Give
yoke of oxen" And he is letting them
drag him downward. He is not the only
man on whom business has a heavier
draft than religion. Married wife"
As if the wife were not invited, too.
What better wedding banquet than the
gospel feast? Heaven all ready. Only
poor, hungry man unready.
Compel them to come IN. 1t is a time
for urgency. We are TO lay, as it were,
swift and strong hands on men. and COM
pei them to come in. Now, what do we
mean by this? Compulsory Christianity?
Yes and no. Not that sort which, prac-
ticed by the old Gallo chiefs, brought in
a nation in day by the stroke of the
kings pen, and, as it were, by order OF
congress. Not that sort which. practIced.
alas, to-day, registers the unwilling, oft
unwilling infant as subject, so to speak.
by order of Its parents. Not this. nor
that. But compulsion of persuasion, q
constraint of love. We think this man
to be not far from the kingdom, and we
invite him to go with us in the way of
discipleship. Not hel We are offended
at his bluntness, and we drop him from
our prayer and endeavor. We are not
compelling such q one to come in. Here
is teacher laboring along with seeming
ly an unimpressible pupil, here is a pas
tor following mp a careless parishioner,
here a Christian worker keeping on and
on with friend beloved, using one ten
der entreaty after another until at last
the heart is yielded-this is Christian
compulsion. Christ bids us use it.
Next Iesson-"Takinp up the Cross