Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-02-20

SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONSIDERED.

A Scholarly Exposition OF tho Lesson
Thoughts Worthy OF Calm Refiec-
tion-Half an Hours Study of the Scrip
tures-Time Wen Spent.
The lesson for Sunday. Feb. 23. may be
found in Luke 4: lib
INTRODUCTORY.
Two things are brought into prominence
and contrast in this lesson. Christ's unut-
speaksble malice and maiignity. The ac-
| tuallty OF evil and on the other hand the
| reality OF goodness have nowhere more
| conspicuous demonstration. Many pro-
found and interesting questions OF doctrine
| arise here. which Wa can scarcely go into
In the space to which we must needs con-
| fine ourselves In these lesson columns.
| Those three texts of the book OF Hebrews.
however. keep recurring to us as we study
| this wonderful passage in our Lords re-
demptive career. I'm all points tempted
ror tnas ne nidiser ma hath suTored being
| Son. yet learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered" o.: 81 Have we yet
gotten down to the depths OF these great
truths?
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
II thou be. Not as distinctly expressing
doubt, but rather temporary concession. as
| II he had said, since thou art. CThe verb
| Is In the indicative mood.) Son OF God.
The word spoken at the Jordan out OF the
| Speak 10 this stone in ordor that 1t may be-
| come loaf; thus showing his divinity and
at the same time satisfying the cravings OF
his physical appetite. The Jewish loaf OF
bread bore some external resemblance to
| the rounded stones of the hillsides. This
temptation is the appeal to the flesh or to
| its sensibilities.
Forty days. Referring forward. first OF
all. to tho verb. led" but belonging also
secondarily to the partlciple which follows,
| tempted" l. G.. continuously so.-Tempt-
| ed. rimary meaning. TO test.-The devil.
Tho false accuser Diabolos) These
days. During the forty days.-Did eat
nothing. TASTED; not necessarily refusing
his lips such meager morsels as came In
| his way. but so wrapped up In his mental
| and spiritual experiences rs not to stop TO
| eat. John came, as Il Is said Matt. 1i:lS),
neither eating nor drinking. g."-Ended.
Completed, as OF q prescribed ordeal--
Afterward. Omitted by Tiscbendorf The
approved text-Hungered Christ's hui
nan nature Here come the three culmin-
| ating tests.
All this power. Rather. authority lex
ouslan.) - Thee. llaced first in the
| Greek. ITO thee will give. And the
| glory OF them. Evi ently from the Ian
guage Of the original. the sight or concep-
| tion itself was made the weightiest part o
| this temptation. This authority. the whole.
and the glory OF these. unto
me. strong wo d. meaning to put in
charge. The same word at Matt. 4: II is
translated, cast into prison. See Eph. 2: 2,
| and 6: 12-Whomsoever / will, or wish
| (tEelo) IL give. Present tense. indica-
| tive. signifying accustomed action.
| WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
Full OF the Holy Ghost And yet tempted?
| Yea, LED into temptation by the Spirit.
| Strange It at first seems to us. When we
/ receive the Spirit OF God we look to be led
| by pleasant waters. not out into demon
haunted wastes. But what II pleasant pas
| tucos lie along that way-a little beyondy
| The Spirit OF God with US as with Christ
has one object to bring us nearer to the
EstheE aAd IS a2iqS Sas WI! q The % 6asRssg msRsg
the test, and just a step farther on is sweet
celestial communion and comfort.
Sometimes mid scenes OF deepest gloom
Sometimes where Eden's flowers bloom,
| BY waters STILL DER troubled sea-
Still tbs his hand that leadeth me!
II thou be the Son of God. 1t is a con-
| cession, but sly and artful one. There s
venom in that little word If" 1t brings
the truth. at least. in gu stion. Have you
| had your attention called to the account in
Matthew's gospel? The third chapter ends
with the declaration, This is my beloved
! Son In whom am well pleased" 1t is God
| speaking out OF heaven. And now. almost
| directly after. we hear voice, spoken not
from above but from beneath. IL thou be
the Son OF God" satan's address. and il is
always such. In the garden the deceiver
was saying. warily, Yea, hath not God said
| ye shall not eat of every tree?" AS IL 10
suggest, HAS he really said just that? Let
| US look 9s the matter" Arch-infldel and
father OF unfaith is Satan. Beware OF his
first approach.
1t is written. Satan knows Scripture. IL
is often said as here proven. Yes. and just
| on that account let us be the reader to use
| IL upon him, following our Savior's exam
pie. 1t is right here that we strike the
lQtnss 81. the harness and find the. .yHlpfSs
ness of Scripture truth. Satan sinks abash-
ed az its truthful utteranee. But be sure
that there be sincere soul behind the
1 ~. - Ill l.. l.
power against Apollyon whom it is welded
| by the hand OF faith. Satan used it. you
| observe, but without faith; and how power
| lessly and fruitlesslyl Christ used IL in utter
i confidence OF soul. aud behold Satan's dis
comhture. To WELD conviction with the
| point OF the sword. there must be convic-
| tion at the hilt.
To whoms oever will. give it. Was it
| n le as coming from the father OF lies? In
the sense in which Satan meant IL to be
| taken, 1t was. But there was n shade OF
| nth in it also; otherwise the Evil One
| would not have used 1t to deceive. IL possi-
BILE. the Son Of God. Satan has something
OF evil authority here. As prince OF dark
/ ness and as arch-ruler OF the power OF the
air, he can take OF the things Of this earth
| and give them to whomsoever he will
| Rather, to whomsoever will take. There
are I'm this world two Kingdoms, two
spirits On the one side darkness. on the
o her side light There Is help for those
who walk in the light. and no less truly
| there is assistance for those who choose
| To walk In the dark. This / say, then,
| walk in the Spirit nd ye shall not fulfill
the lust OF the flesh"
Thou shalt n ot tempt the Lord thy God.
There is a sin OF pious presumption. Men
may rush in whore angels fear to tread.
Some one has said, and rightly. that when
| exEction or peril comes upon us we are. IL
may be. tempted OF the devil, but when we
voluntarily and gratuitously step into places
| OF hazard we are ourselves tempting Satan.
| In another and truer sense we are tempt
ing God. Only he who fears and breads
| temptation. saying humbly and reverently,
| LEAD us not into temptation Is prepared
| TO cry out. Deliver Us from evil" Here
was Jeroboam's sin. provoking Israel to
ldolatry. 1 Kings II: $3.50. Beware OF the
| path OF sin. Beware OF the flesh, Keep
evor meekly and prayerfully in the straight
| and narrow path that leads TO life eternal.
For season. II was one battle. A Sc
| we're one, and a very Gettysburg in its
| premonition, to be sure but there were
| other battles 90 follow. The armor Is not
taken of. the shield not lowered. the sword
| not sheathed. After tho wilderness came
days OF wrestling in the solitudes. aud
| "after n season" conflict like unto this in
Gethsemane. Be glad and rejoice in the
consciousness OF victory. but keep on the
helmet and the breastpate, and sing your
| peans behind the shield.
Next lesson-"Jesus at Nazareth" Luke
4: 1872. N.
Religious Notes.