The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-03-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONSIDERED.

LESSON CONSIDERED.
Reflections of an Elevating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought Study
ing the Scriptural Lessons Intelligently
and Pr0atably.
The lesson for sundny. March 9. may be
found in Luke A: 1914.
INTRODUCTORY.
Christ's days were busy days. He was
ministry, but that ministry. though only
three years i'll duration, was crow ed uilo:
thoughts. words. and deeds. unspeaki,bly
great and gracious. Here / /, this lesson We
have Que specimen day Of our Lords Cali
lem career. 1t lies near the opening Of
lis ministry, for. as Mark Indicates. it is
Immediately alter the formal calling OF
] eter, Andrew, James. and John. Wllnt IL
stirrins series Of wholesome object lessons
his first days work must have given those
new pupils of the Master! May they like
wise instruct and inspire us!
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
And. This Scripture follows. without
break, upon the lesson OF the preceding
Sunday.-Synagogue. The local place OF
made first resort to these in his ministry.
". 3i.l-A man. Greater liberty. by far.
was allowed in the synagogue than i'll the
temple.-Unclean devil. The word "un-
clean" (akuthartos)is probably used mainly
IA II SOl OluOulll SSISCs i W. GliluR5 uES
to be noted here. ~ That it was a time of
very crude notions regarding disease. (N
And yet it was also u time when Satan, for
MS discontinue. was given unusual
lease and license with the bodies of men.
Let us alone. In the Greek 1t stands Ea.
an exclamation OF annoyance. See Varia-
tions.--Whut have we to do with thee?
I as it has also been rendered. What hast
thou to do with us?" Wilson's Emphatic
Diaglot.l Literally it is. what to us and
what IN tbon II cirrjlor Nvnroee;o, +n +hnt
used by Jesus ut Cana Of Galilse John
:: A.--To destroy us. The whole Sa-
tanic dynasty.--The Holy One of God.
a name for the promised Messiah Ops.
1G: 10y.
Hold thy peace. Literally. Be muazled.
The same word being used in 1 Tim. 5: IS.
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox."--Come
out. Both verbs strong mperatives; TIE
word Of a master. -Thrown. Matt. OF: 5,
Probably. in his paroxysm. hurled pros
trate.-Came out Same word as above.
Instant ohedience.-Hurt him not. or
disabled. Conanu. harm. The same. word
used at Mark 16: 10, 1T shall not hurt
them"
They were amazed. A strong express
sioE. Amusement came upon all.-Spake
among themselves. Literally. Went to
talking to one another. Imperfect tense)
What word is this. We prefer this as
more literal and graphic than the Revision
o. Bible union version. Variations -
Authority. ~Prerogative. (exousia) -Pow-
or. Execution. (dunameD-Command-
eth. referring back to "authority."-
They come out. Referring back to power"
WHAT H LESSON TEACHES.
In the synagogue. A strange place for
disease and uncleanness. But SO it was;
right there. in the place where the holy
law was read, Was found that which was
unholy. Was not that the reason Christ
went about SO much from synagogue to
synagogle? They that are whole need
not a physician, but they that are sick"
Not in the ~pricstly temple but in the popu-
lar synagogue was it that Christ W GU lit
his mighty works. He came not to call
In our chu' ches and chapels to-day the
man with the unclean spirit is to DO iound.
BE it SO. Christ is there to heal.
Art thou come to destroy us? Devils re.
tho Messianic errand. and they know the
essential variance that exists between truth
and error. right and wrong. Strange that
mortals need to DO taught this by the spir-
It's OF evil themselves; The moment Christ
begins te build he begins to tear down.
What is for the furtherance OF the Kingdom
is to the destruction Of the strongholds of
sin. The church sometimes Is just on the
point OF making peace with the world when
suddenly some son of Satan tinds tongue
to seek and saver" Yes. but just because
he is come to Destroy" The shepherd of
bethlehem WHO saved'the flock OF old was
he who smote the lion and the bear. BE OF
GOOD cheer: l have overcome the world"
Hurt him not. low could the evil one
hurt him to whom the Lord Of life had
spoken? For there. at hand. stood Jesus.
We have seen men sick with sin writhing
under the power OF conviction. Their mo-
tons and cries are. it may DO, heartrend-
ing. and it would seem that the very jaws
Q! death were opening to receive them.
Presently, we look, and there they are sit
ting. clothed and in their right minds. at
the feet OF Jesus. Satan has thrown them
in the midst, rs it were; has tossed them
G~rleVously about; but he has not hurt them.
There stands the good Shepherd. patiently
waiting. And as he waits we mark him
saving: MY sheer. hear my voice-and
hand"
What a world is this! Suppose Christ
had spoken milder words here. Would he
not have been less than God? He might
converse gently with the poor and peni-
tent. Indeed. he must ave just been
speaking so t. sweet words of grace and
truth there in the synagogue. But now it
IS the Kingdom OF Satan that confronts
him. He rises at once a King. Silence!
Out Of him! And Satan mas fed abashed.
An, here Is authority and power" Au-
thority2 Hear his quick, stern word OF
command" Power? Behold instantly
the evil spirits have come out" Great
to-day!
He stood over her. Christ at the sick
bed. He stands there still. Many q shut
IN one has looked up and seen, us it were.
the Christ STOPPING over the couch of sui
fering. and such a one feels in the JOY Of
he expo! fence to thank Goo for the aiilic-
ton that has given it occasion. It is such
a near, consoling, personal service that is
here felt. Do you note that it was one by
one that those sick with diverse diseases
Galt CbriSt'S touch tl,ara in fba twilirb+9
0, it is well to bring our stricken one to
Jesus! And there is no agonized entreatv
necessary. There was non with this
mother OF Bethsaida. Asked is the word
wen and trustingly told Jesus about it.
just leaving it with him to do what was
best. And whether he rebuked the foyer or
not. whether she arose or not. there he
stood over her, and it could not but be we'll
with her. Stricken soul, look up into those
eyes of love and compassion! Is it not well
with thee?
Tho sun was setting. And see them
thronging to the Great Physician. From
every side they come bearing their sick.
Who could tell what the morrow. would
bring forth? Their only thought. How
shall We escape if we neglect so great sal
-vation?" Oh. my soul. smother day is wing
ing toward its close! What tomorrow may
give OF opportunity none know. Here to-
day is Christ. and now is the accepted
time; to-day is the day Of salvation" Seek
Him at once. Perhaps there we're some in
Old Bethsaida who waited till a more con-
venient season: How Jared they? The
morning came. but Christmas not there.
Other. villages. other vigils were calling,
AMI in the morning. rising up u great
while before day. He went out and depart
cd" Impenient friend, it is getting toward
sunset with your soul.
I must preuch. There was the divine
>onstraint. Go preaching, go heralding. is
the sense OF it. Is the same constraint
upon us to-day? Does the church look
abroad and. feeling the thrill! Of the heav-
preach the kingdom of God to other viii
lagos. also?" It is not home missions.
versus foreign missions. but home missions
plus foreign Observation-Disclosures mission. O.,
yes, there is plenty still to do ut home; but
thero are the other villages crying for tho
gospel. I must go tell them the good news,
for therefrom am I sent" Have you heard
Sidney lanier's Song of the Chattahoo-
chic?
@All down the hills of Habersham,