Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-07-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUC-
TIVE LESSON.
Reflections of an Elevating Charaotsr-
Wholesome Food for Thought = Study
ing the scriptural Lesson Intcliigentiy
and ProfitabIy.

ing the scriptural Lesson Intcliigently
and ProfitabIy.
The lesson for Sunday. July 20. may bo
found In Luke IA: 25-35.
INTRODUCTORY.
Our Lord here speaks a sober word OF adj
monition. IL Is not meant for discussion;
rather for exhortation to right living. IL is
timely apprisal OF those who are careless
and unthinking that the life into which
Chrtet is 10 iding Is no idle. triiing affair.
1t Is a serious business. Hate Is not the
spirit he wishes to inculcate. but whole
heaited love. love that will make all lesser
loves to be, as compared with IT. despised
and forgotten. IL is TO be remembered that
this was TO be the institution OF a new re-
ligion in hostile world, and what. through
the growth OF the kinl dom. TAX, 8 the form
Of lave NOV. was at that time, in Its hrat
broaching. at variance with the existing
order. 1t manifested itself first OF all,
perhaps. in ali nations from old asso-
ciates. And such II is to-day whenever the
Kingdom Of love is opposed Whatever re-
sists the spirit OF truth is to bo bRnished
from our affections, save as the affec-
uons can avail to break down the antag-
onism and bring into sympathy and fellow
ship.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
And. Introducing another incident OF
the journey Jerusalemward. The ac-
count need not be considered as strictly
consecutive one.-Great multitudes. or.
crowds. Drawn along partly by curiosity.
partly by tho popular enthusiasm.-Wlth
him. Journeying as he journey d.-He
turned. as the leader OF troop might do.
TO them. This is probably the sub
stance OF one OF his searching discourses
by the way.
Come to me. The Ito ms" is strong ex-
preston (pIo3 mel siguifying something OF
fealty or attachment the plain
word for hatred; the opposite OF love. The
signi1cance OF the passage, oracular In It's
tone, is 10 be seen In Matt. 10: 37.-Father
and mother. 1t was time when, far more
than now. the espousaf OF the new faith
meant sundering OF all the social ties.
Yea. and his own life also. or even the
life OF himself. See Variations. This in
dicates that the choice is TO be between
earth life and heaven-life One is to even
abandon that within himself and of him
| self which initiates a,ainst the Kingdom.
| My disciple. Literally. learner. He
| is tell ng them what loyalty means in the
new kingdom--not so cheap matter as
some OF them had supposed
Bear his cross. His own cross. We
must read this as it came to them who
| looked upon the cross as the fea ful SYM
| bol OF life desertion and possible destruc-
| zion. He virtually said that 70 come alter
him was TO court tbs worlds execratlon
| and TO defy even death itself. .--CannotL lie.
Literally. Is not able 10 be. lacks the proper
| conditions OF ,isciplcship. falls utterly
| short OF the qualifications.
Sand. Has no power OF earthly nutri-
ment-DunghilL No fertilizing power.
Cast it out, /. o. Throw it away
Ears to hear. A disposition TO profit by
what has been said.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
And there went great multitudes with
him. But not iar How deeply and
thoroughly they were with him he here
puts to tho practical test. There arc SO
many like that people to-day: StiIl is It
away away Said our Lord at one time. II was
| one OF those moments OF closer scrutiny,
| which resulted in wide separation. Some
| preachers and teachers are willing TO let
| this non-commiltal condition OF things
| abide. For tho sake OF holding. as they
| think. the great multitude OF unsurrendered
| ones they refuse TO use the sea. ching wore
| OF truth. They speak not OF the blood.
Not so Christ.
His own lie also. Holy hate" this has
| been called, Has hatred any place in the
| Christian faith? Yes. The very love that
makes us to cleavn to the good requires us
| ais o to hate the evil and to despise the gar
ment spotted by the flesh. 1t does not
| moan personal variance with all men.
| This last clause explains. IL Is whole
| hearted abandonment OF the hesh ana
| acceptance OF tho Spirit Father, mother.
wife. chill lren, brethren. sisters. yea. ones
| self are to be - us rs nothing, and worse
| than nothing. compared with love Tor God.
| We love them. but /: Is with spiritual love.
one form OF which is despite toward the
flesh. Indeed. our hatred OF the merely
carnal. in large degree. measures our gra-
cious affection. Yonder SEQ tho heaped-
up debris Of tho coal pit. BY what has
been cast aside know. and IT Is my only
way OF knowing, the wealth OF that which
mas uvon taNvu cut ana asvoPt.-----------
Cannot be my disciple. There is -can
not" with God. 1t Is. indeed. moro OF a
cannot with him than with us. Ours in
truth is a will not. Whils wo Will not God
| cannot-there is tho basal barrier. Two
things there are to which this strong can
not" is applied. One is preferences; the
other is indifference. II we prefer HE
thon God cannot. II we sTurn the cross OF
sel.-sa acrihce-the God cannot. God has
done his part He can absolutely do no
| moro for us until We are ready 10 DO some
| thing for ourselves. Discipleship in an
| important sense. Is placed upon our own
resnonsiDillLy, God accepting the act and
owning IL by his grace. Learn OF me. ne
saws. Aud there he stands. As truly as
| thou llyest until thou turnest to him In
simple trust. he can do nothing more for
theel
Not able to finish. Here comes In our
inability; mans cannot Is at this point:
Though OF truth Christ is the Alpha and
Omega OF our faith. and 1t is God that
wurketh in us. Yet no LEES truly man musi
J manfully yield himself ere that grace Pc
. | for I1s. now in us, God in q sense, cannot
or himself begin tho work OF renewal
There is a border line OF choice he does moi
cross. Man. on the other hhnn' canno' n,.
tion is wholly OF grace. Consequently y
begins with mans meek acceptance. And
| that Is all. in reality. that man can do. God
|. | docs ali the rest: he doesi all-he finishes
| II. Men start cut to he saved. No one get
} | 10 the fnish who docs not let God In TO will
! and do of his good pleasure. Who're theI
, Is our ability? Simply here, TO confess ou
inability and receive tho finished work o
, Christ.
: Salt is good. And this Is the same q
savInu that savorless salt Is very bad
4 Here is lot OF white sand in the salt chest
d II looks like seasoning. We apply lt. ant
!, 10 II is dead. fiat, unproftable. What 1
disappointmentl Did you ever observe Tn
look on persons face who had unnxpect
edlv taken bite Of unseasoned food2 An
) | are Won surprised that the world should D
shocked-yes, shocked. by hypocrits
| Chrlstinn profession leads one TO come ez
! necting the SAVIOR OF Christly self -sacrihc'
y | when a is absont. thcre Is not only negt
tive evil. n failure to do good. but posltiN
y, wrong; the one who came expecting GOO
. "a offended. stumbled. Ou is grave r
snonaibiity. In whatever circle we 81
placed. we are there as salt. DO not ca
undor foot.
!" Next Iesson-"Lost and Found Lui
IS: LILO
IS Los ANGELES has one sewer ~
n 81 I.rc, that Inns not n alnO