Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-09-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INsTRUc-
TIVE LESSON.
Reflections OF IN Eievating Character--
Wholesome Food for Thought : study
ing the scriptural LessOn InteiIleently
DwnAeaI.I-


Ing the scriptural Lesson IntelIIsently
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday, Sept. 21, may bo
found In Luke 10: 37-48.
INTRODUCTORY.
This lesson Is prepared, so to speak, ION
the wing" and without our usual facilities
for research. But here is our New Tesfa-
ment, In Greek and English, and the gem
eral bearing OF the Scripture presented, II
Is not difficult to discern. And how signih-
cant ID is! Our Lord has come at last to
the time of his formal d declaration as the
Lord OF the new kingdom, the gracious Son
of God. We read very carelessly, II We
do not see here a marked crisis In that won
derful life. That face, ''steadfastly set
reached the long-predestined goal. Tho
King, the King has comet speak IL, discipie;
shout IL. ye poople! Whatever men may say,
'"Brlng forth the royal diadem,
And crown him Lord OF d1l.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Come nigh. Better, drawing nigh. Pres
ent participle in its progressive sense
Descent. Just where the hills began TO
slope and the city burst upon the Wow
Whole multitudes of the disciples Not
nece ssarily loyal believers, as the Pharisees
among them ". 30) would seem to imply.
"Began to rejoice. IL seems TO have been
spontaneous and almost involuntary burst
acles. Their pent-up wonder and admira-
tion here broke forth into speech. They
could not help IL.
Saying. The Holy Spirit doubtless gave
them their theme.-The King. wonder
full declaration.-In the name of the Lord.
Not In C9sar's name.-Peace In heaven.
See the angels song Luke 2: 1D.--In tho
highest. Susceptible of various interpreta-
tions; Its basal meaning, supreme worthi-
ness.
From among. Better, from. The Phari-
secs were doubtless part of the multitude
impressed by his mighty deeds. They
simply objected to the natural inference of
the popular acclaim.-Rebuke thy dis
ciples, !. e., demonstrate with them. as s1y-
ing dangerous thing, or going little too
faI. There was the LreJORlan court rising
on their view. 1t was not safe to speak OF
any other king than Casar.
Hold their peace. Literally, keep silent,
l. O., regarding his Messianic kinship, so
impressively manifest TO them at this mo-
ment. The stones. 1t was time when
praise must perforce find voice. Words
worth quantity says that ''the stones did
cry out when one stone was not left uIon
another"
When he was come near. Rather, as he
was como near.-He behcld. The ssand'
that follows should be transferred to this
point, rendering the passage moro after the
literal graphlcness of the Greek.-And as
wept over It. The very sight of IL, as It
burst upon his view, brought the tears to
his eyes,
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Even now Mt the descent He has reached
the furthermost edge, the ultimate range of
his Messianic career on earth. From now
on there is a sheer descent to the final
catastrophe IL such we might call It, near
by to the slope of Olives brow, his sad
Gethsemane. Yonder he can sight the tow
eEs qttr lateesst GQpEta -wheEe cruel- -taunts
Yea, blessed Lord, thou art even now at the
descent. And 10, thou shrinkcst not. .,
IL thou hadsti
The disciples began to rejoice. To them
IL was but a triumphal recession, full OF
glad cheer and strong exultation. "Hau
him, hail himl' And they look into each
others faces and their eyes shine as they
catch the answering light OF hope and joy.
"Bless the Lord, o. my soul, and all that Is
within me, bless his holy name" We have
had the sweet experience, all of us, to
greater CT less extent. The easy down
hill path CLEANS out before us leading TO
our city of beauty beyond. Already IL
seems TO wavc signals of acceptance bo-
yond. All, well for us that we do not al
ways know the sleeps and storms that lie
between. But we'll, yea, well for us that
Another d )es, the meek-faced Master rid
ing there, sober and serene. Just because
he knows, we may still rejoice.
Peace in heaven and glory In the highest.
1t is earth's answering voice. The angels
said, peace on earth" Now man responds
"Peace in heaven" Peace, peace, every
where, through Christ the Son. II has been
a long time coming. Thirty years and moro
this echo has been gathering. But now al
last heaxen,s refrain. at the dawn OF q
better day, has been caught up and thrown
back by earth's glad multitude. blessed
be the King that cometh in the name of the
Lord" A prophecy is IL not, OF what future
ages will DO? Not yet has heavens glad
acclaims received, save I'm this mcager an
ticipation at Jerusalem's gates, its due
response from earth. But the time Is APP
preaching. The coming day is coming and
he shall be hailed as King, whose right 1t Is.
The stones would Immediately cry out.
They have cried out in their way. "No
speech nor language-their voice Is not
heard; but their line is gone out through
all the world, and their words TO the end or
the world" Do we render the passage In
corrcctly2 Look in the 10th Psalm and see,
throwing out, IL you Will, the useless, and
worse than useless, verbiage of the transla-
tors. But there is another and higher
sort of praise for mortals to render. The
tongue of man must speak, where nature Is
mute To him Is reserved the high prtvil-
ege OF the voice of praise for him who 'com-
eth in the name of the Lord" Alas, how
many of us have been letting the stones at
our feet outvoice our tribute OF praise.
Have n care leSt we De lOu0Q Crying uuto
them TO come between us and the Throne at
the last.
He beheld the city and wept over IL.
Christ hath tears for II still; he beholds the
city and weeps over It. Much as was old
Jerusalem the concentration and epitome OF
all that was TO be hoped and feared for OF
old so stands the great metropolis to-day.
The city of the land holds the destiny OF all.
As goes the city so goes the country. Look
upon these great centers of life and activity
to-day. Do you wonder that infinite love
yearns over them, and that indefinite pity
weepsf And what do wei o, that the city
might move the church of Christ as that
elder city on the hills moved the heart OF
the Christ.
Because thou lnewest not the time OF
thy visltationl God gives still his times OF
gracious visitation. He Is always seeking
70 save; VIC can find no other satisfactory
explanation OF his works and ways. But
undoubtedly there are times when he draws
especially near TO the community-to the In
| dividual heart. 1t may be so In many 0
church and Sunday school just now. We
have seen it solemnly so In certain quiet
neighborhoods where days OF summer rest
| have been spent. God has chosen them rot
| davs OF peculiar and blessed visitation.
Perhaps, dear soul, it IL with you to-day as
| you peruse this lesson. O, that thou mightsf
| know Il, I'm this thy day.