The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-05

boy and girl to-day VINO earnestly desires 10,
that they may giorify God:
every year at the feast of the passover" IL
is written in the law Of Moses "Three times
thou shalt keep feast unto Ne In the year.
Three times in the year all thy
males shall appear before the Lord Godn
lex xiii, 1410. The passover was kept in.
the first month Of the year, to commemorate;
the deliverance Of Israel from the bondage:
of Egypt Ex. xii, ~, and not only points
backward to that deliverance, but also for
ward to a greater deliverance from all;
nations Of the earth, when the passover shall
be fulfilled in the kingdom Of God tJer.
xiii, SO; Luke xii, Is 16). The pass
over lamb was type Of this very Jesus, the
true passover sacrifice q Cor. ", y. 1t is
evident from our lesson and from Sam;
j., 8, 8, that the women as well as the men
went up to at least some Of these yearly
feasts. -,
48. "And when He was twelve years old
they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom
of the feast" This was probably his first
visit to Jerusalem since he had been there as
an infant in His mothers arms; but often had
the events of the first great passover BEEN
talked over at home, as well as the more anc
cient history Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and the later events under Joshua, the Judges
and the Kings.
4S. Sand when they had fulfilled the days.n
The passover was on the fourteenth day OF
the month at even, and the next day began
the feast Of unleavened bread, which contin-
ued seven days, so that the full time Of the
feast would be eight days Gev. xiii, 81.
.The child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusa-
lem" It seems strange that they should
start for home without being sure that their
boy was with them. They probably had such
confidence in Him that they relied upon His;
keeping near them, not knowing or not un-5
derstanding the higher call than theirs al
ready dawning upon Him; or perhaps they
did not think enough of Him, and their care
lessness causes them to lose Him and gave
them three days anxious search. -
A. "They sought Him among their kins-
folk and acquaintance" Here is another
strange thing that His parents should think
that such child would prefer the company
of kinsfolk or acquaintance to that OF His
own mother. There is evidently some neg
lect here on the part of Mary Of the precious
trust committed to her, which Is all the
more strange at such time as this when she
is just returning from this holy feast.
IS. "They turned back again to Jerusalem,
seeking Him." Having failed to find Him or.
obtain tidings Of Him among their kinstdiksS
full, no doubt, Of anxious thoughts concern
ing Him. A days journey they had gone
without Him carolessly; days journey they
retrace their steps sorrowfully. Do we ever
20 day without fellowship with Him and
wander away from Him, our hearts filled
with other things? If so, let us not wonder
i it takes more than days sorrowful seek
ing ere we againrejoice in Him.
48. "After three days they found Him In
the temple" A days seeking in the city,
md finally they think Of the temple and
tloro thor 6pI Div, lVbu did fhov y,ot on
light to the temple as soon as they reached
She city3 It looks as if Mary had forgotten
Gabriers words concerning this child, as It
she did not know just who her child really
vas; as if, though outwardly keeping the
least Of the Lord, she was not in fellowship
with Him. -
A. ''Andall that heard Him were aston.
shed at His understanding and answers"
They probably found one better versed in
Many things in the law than they were them.
selves, able to answer all their questions and
20 ask them many questions which puzzled
;hem. he did not waste his time like the
young people of to-day upon story papers
md magazines, but, no doubt, confined Him.
,elf to the one great book Of the Law, the
ana Whs fhs hass nhou thus dealt with
us? Behold, Thy father and have sought
Thee sorrowing." This was the salutation OF
Mary when they found Him in the temple.
He might have replied: "Why did you go of
without me!" But we cannot think OF H|m
ever saying anything impertinent or unduti-
full. In all His life he did no sin.
49, ''And He said unto them, How Is It
that ye sought Me? Wisty ye not that must
be about my Fathers business?' (R. w: I'm
my Fathers house." or literally, I'm the
things Of my Father" This is tho first re-
corded utterance of the Lord Jesus Christ
~lnI ,,ffa ot1ro n
thirty years Thirty years. unknown, He
trod Galilee's sequestered sod, yet He was
the Son Of God. Daily life, at Joseph's call;
daily duties howe'er small, yet He was the.
Lord of ALL" And is it not all summed up tn|
that one statement 'tAbout my Fathers busi{
ness" II do always those things that please
Him" John viii, 293 covers the thirty years
at Nazareth as well as the three and a half
years public work.
less we are walking very close with God, we
will not understand His words. Mary had
said 'sThy father and have sought Thee"
He replied Il must be about my Fathers
business" but He spake not Of Joseph; from
first to, last He sets, aside the paternity OF
Joseph, This is said to be the first my.
Father of human lips in reference to God.
although there is something very near to IT
in Isa. lxiii.- II; Xiv, 8; Mat. H., 10.
to Nazareth, and was subject unto them"
Having acknowledged His surrender to God
and to His will He goes aside for elghtesSn deSS
years more and is subject to Mary ana joseph,
and in all this He is still about His Fatners
business. If young people could only, see that
to be subject in all things to father and mother
and to those whom G o1 has placed over them,
how much happier they would be-.
So siAnd Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and man"
Verse 10 describes His life from His birth TO
the age Of twelve, and this verse includes
His life from twelve to thirty, Whae the
worrl Subject covers the wholes period.
Going and growing" III Sam. ", 10,
marg.l should describe the life Of every
Christian, and will if we earnestly seek to.
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our:
Cord ami Saviour Jesus Christ al Pet. w.,
S.l-LeSson Helper. =. ~ : S.-1--A
The Jews are SAID to DO rapidly In
creasine in numbers, wealth and lntitlr