Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-01-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONsIDERED.


and PrOfitably.
The lesson for Sunday, Jan. 10. may be
found In Luke 1: 67-90.
INTRODUCTORY.
We are given here sort Of echo from tn
past. IL Is a testimony of the old dispensa-
tion to the new. And what an ardent, VIII oled
hearted declaration IL isl Zach arias Is liftee
up on the wings OF p. ophecy to announce
the transcendent blessednesS OF the day OF
grace. 1t Is peculiarly tho voice OF u Jew.
knd. In one sonse. for the jew. May there
be many more OF that God honorod race to
accept its witness and know with assurance
that the dayspring from on high has Wis
tied u.s."
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
uIa His iatbeS zeShaEiaS John the Baptist
cumstances OF providential and prophetic
import-Filled with tho Holy Ghost.
Zacharias has been for a time speechless.
which was for sign to him and a judgment
as well; but now. under the influence Of the
Holy Spirit. his tongue is unloosed.-
Prophesied. Signifying, originally. to speak
for another. His first utterance, after
speechlessness. is for God.
Blessed be the Lord God. The Latin
Yulgate begins: "Renedictus Dominus
Deus;" hence the word usually applied to
this hymn. the Benedictus.-Of Israel
See Variations This inspired strain has
long been considered the key to the Testa-
ment prophecy and the connecting link be-
the new.-Visited. Literally. to look
upon, like our conventional look in upon.
1t is directly from this word that our word
eplscopate comes Cepi- skopos. s.)-Re-
deemed. Two words In the Greek. made a
ransom. l. O., a means OF deliverance.
In holiness and righteousness. A possi-
BILE reference to the prediction OF Zech.
IA: 20.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Blessed be the Lord God OF Israel The
prayer begins rlght-blessing God. So
Christ taught US: "Hallowed be thy name."
We need scarcely be told that -Zacharias
was filled with the Holy Spirit" His nati-
tlon Indicates that blessed presence. It Is
the same as speaks in the lofty yet lowly
nifty the Lord" Their ins spiration. like their
hope, Is one and the same. 1t is the initia-
ted word that the Holy Spirit always teach
es. to those who come under His gracious
influence. Bless the Lord, o my soul.
and all that is with me. bless His holy
namel"
Visited and redeemed Not all visits are
such. There are some that we always
dread. They are never less than vista
tion. What is left behind is loss and mo--
tilcation rather than help or comfort. Not
so Gods visits to His faithful people, An
untrustful people might fear His coming.
To those who hope in Him. His appear
ance, like that OF the kindly patron in tho
poor household. is the promise of blessin /.
Gods visits mean redemption. How lon,
has it been since His presence has been
felt in this chul ch, this school. this COM
munity, this homoP
A horn of salvation. note OF prophetic
fulfllment. Flom OF old that strang, ex-
preston had been used as predlctive OF
the day when lsra Is delverance should
come. Sometimes IL is o. the budding OF
the horn. significant of new life and vitality
In the chosen race. Sometimes it Is OF the
exalting OF the horn, referring to the asser-
ton OF power and the display OF strength.
Here at last Is the promise fulfilled. New
lie from God has been given, new might
impaired. An now every time Of gracious
revival Is a budding and cxalting of the
horn OF salvation. We take no pat with
those who decry great awakening. We
pre'er to join heart and hand with those
who believe in the perpetual providence OF
reyivals or religion. Every church. the
most prosperous as well as the most back
ward, needs TO over pray that God will.
from time TO time. raise up. to his praise.
"a horn Of salvation for us in the house OF
his servant David"
Since the world began. So. then. proph-
ecy is as old as man. There arc no prehis-
toric fellow mortals to whom God has not
spoken. This is the voice OF inspiration.
Do you say that science does not find 1t so2
Science seems TO be every day yielding
more and more to the declarations OF di-
vine truth. Professor Lyell reminds us that
In 1906 "the Fr.nch Institute enumerated
no less than eighty geological theories
not one of those theories is held to-day"
II Is better to trust the Lord Since Eden's
earliest day the voice OF prophecy has not
ceased its first faint note. that pregnant ut
teranee. 1t shall brulse thy head ana thou
shalt bruise his heel"
To perform the morcy promised. What
Is IL to p ,rform mercy2 IL 1t anything
else than TO fulfill the promise given?
Mercy Is already ours In the pledge and
covenant given. IL only waits to be exc.
putp6 "nrOun-
ised" to our fathers, The word promised is
needless Interpolation. Mercy was al
ready theirs in the oath sworn with them.
And that grace which is ours is theirs too;
Tor Christ's coming Is mercy performed for
our fathers rs we'll as for us. The bond that
holds US all in one is faith In our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Serve him without fear. 1t is alittle win
dow through which we may catch glimpse
OF the times. Fearful times they were.
The obscure four hundred years that lie be-
tween Malachi and Matthew were years full
OF wars and expressions. First threaten
ings from the East. next threatenings from
the North, then threatenings from the
South, finally threatenings from the West,
until Artaxerxes the Persian, and AlexanA
der the Greek, and the Ptolemies on the
Nile and the Caesars at Rome have done
their worst. There has been Service but
never without fear." Nor yet. at once. is
the day OF unm olested service to dawn. It
belongs TO those far. fair ages with which
are ushered in more and more distinctly
the holiness and Righteousness" which are
before him."
And thou. child. The fathers address TO
his infant son; there is infinite tenderness
and pathos in il. There is more; the last
OF the priests Is saluting the last OF the
prophets. Last in one sense. first In an
other. for John Is pre- eminently the har-
binger OF the new dispensation. The old
priest abdicates in favo Of the messenger
OF the kingdom. No more blood OF bulls
and goats, no more temple sacrifices. The
perfect Offering is at hand. Hencesorth the
religious lealer OF the people is but as
herald to go before the face OF the Lord to
prepare his ways" who In himself is for all
time prophet, priest and king.
To give knowledge of salvation. Hore 10
| our commission. our sole prerogative as
teachers and workers. Away with the
blasphemous priest. saying. "Absolvo te-
| Il give the absoution." IL is not for man
to give salvation. His only TO give
knowledge OF salvation" We but stand
! like John with lifted finger and point tho
way. And how clear and real IL Ia Tor us
| all. No payment Of ours. no labO1 Of hand.
no burden Of penance. It In way OF sim
| pie forgiveness. And so we say to Elm
laden souls OF to- day. just as OF old. Be-
hold the Lamb of God tn at taketh away the
sins OF the world" Aud just as OF old, will
you not let him take them2
Next Lesson-"Joy Over the Child Jesus"
Luke H.. 800.