The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-03-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONsIDERED.


The lesson for Sunday. March 16. may be
fou nd in Luke ): Ill.
INTRODUCTORY.
The lesson OF the miraculous draught OF
fishes brings up an lot resting question OF
chronology. The question Is. did the events
OF this lesson occuc PRIOR TO or alter tho
incidents narrated in the last. |. O.. the
healing In Peters home. etc. Lukes ac-
count seems TO imply the former suprosl-
ton. since this account follows almost d.
rectiy upon that. But IL is indeterminate-
ina much "a the fifth chapter OF Luke. n ON
which our present Lesson is taken. does not
appear TO BIO rigiily chronological. but
rather gathering up OF the notable an
nails OF our Lords repeated circuits In
Galilee. number OF scholarly mn. like
Gresswell. st oud. Mimpris. and Stout. ar
que that this ceiling OF Peter Is not id-n-
tical with the calling OF the four disciples.
viii ch Matthew and Mark place In conncc-
tion with the events OF tho last lesson. On
the o ther hand. no less eminent authorit 90
than Rob nson. JhomI son. Iischendorf
Andrews. Gardner. etc. hold that Ii Is es-
Ssntlaiiy the sims or N contemporansous
event We Inc Inc To the opinion OF the
latter. The most ret sonable explanation
seems 10 be that Luke Is hero giving fuller
and more itemized account OF the calling
oI the disciples, outlined briefly but moe
precisely as to time by the other gospel
narrators For this purpose no goes back
step.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
after the sermonic fashion. he goes on
speaking, Tut this time in a quiet way.
directing his remarks to Simon. The
VIII ole account Is veIy graphic and pictur-
esque. --Launch cut; put out To the deep
water flshing-grounds. Let down your
nets. Tue word literally means slacken.
as would DO necessary in order TO -let
down the net.-Draught: the word Tor
draw (ago).
Two saips. The other was probably that
of the sons OF Zebedee. alluded to by Mat
thew and Mark in the calling OF the dis
ciples. standing by the lake. Or BIZ the
lake Shore.-F Fishermen. Fishing was
highly lucrative industry along this body OF
water.-Gone out OF them. Suggesting
recent disembarking. - Washing their
nets Or rinsing. is needful with seines
after draw. Tney were probably in the
shadows near the shore.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
The people pressed uron HIM. That IL
the way we desire to see 1t to- day--the
people pressing up 10 hear The Word OF
God. How shall We get at the massesf
Here Is hint Give them Jesus and then
they will themselves do the SO king and
will come pressing in TO ill our houses OF
worship, our chapels. and our Sunday
school rooms. Yes. but we do preach and
teach Jesus. is the answer: and DOUBTLESS
1t is true There is little dis position amons
those who read these paragraphs TO speak
any other name than that which Is given.
Then preach him, taacn him more. Live
Christ UT him forth and let yourself be
lost sight OF behind HIM. Let 1t be his con-
straint that the people. old and Young. feel-
Think you that this attraction is 10
mighty than OF old? Prove him and see.
He entered into ono of the ships which
was Simon's. Was II "a cLss of conhs ca
ton or Impressment? He took ri OF
property which was Simons." Was \
any arbitrary power hereg Not with aLN
that was Simon's. Christ knew Peter ami
knew that. since that summons to faith
yonder at the Jordan. the fisherman OF
Galilee held all for Christs sake. Are you
on such terms with the Lord? Gould Jesus
come you way and use OF yours $50 called)
what he would? Do you hold il for the
Giver?" suppose the pastor or superin-
iendent should say There will DO "A cot
tage-meeting tonight at Bi other C.s or
Sister h. =" do you understand the room
70 be given Tor Jesus sake? Very we'll
then, suppose there j. call Tor miss on
airy 20 be sent 10 North Burmah. You have
the means to send him. Why should he not
inter into one of the ships which is yours
aud ask you TO thrust out a little from tho
landy" Would such request. in Christ's
hume. elate you or offend you? o. why Ia
Ii not oitener sufficient 10 say. The Lord
nath need OF nimY" And. be assured. the
Lord will send him back again." as he did
the boat. weli-laden.
Taught the people out of the ship. A ship
is a sanctuary il Christ be there. Jesus
digniled all places and made all spots sa-
cred by the pressure OF his mediatorial
Get. He spoke in the temple. in the syna-
gogne. in the palace. In the cottage. on the
hillside. on the sea. No place hindered;
no place so helped as 10 be necessity. ut
was the truth he uttered. or rather. TIN.
T nth that be was and Is that sanct fled.
Why not take that ruth forth where it is
tue most neeued? Why not send II leaven-
ing throughout the whole lump OF humani-
tyy Is there Il hall or a street corner some
where near you where the gosT ell may have
respect I'll hearingP school house. IL
mag be. or "a crossroads. or "a chance stop
nil r.loo shar ltx-a ri Aaa cttIa
a ready TO be heped-ready though they
may not say it. Behold Christ teaching out
ol the ship. and despise not these waysi do
sacristies.
Let down your nets for draught. The
fathers were not wrong in calling the mi
raculum mystsrium, or IN finding in each
wJnde work OF our Lord parable. Christ
means US to be -dIliCent in business while
-tervent in sDirt;" in each and all cases
serving the / d." But there is deepe
lesson here. The Master was giving his
disci pies lesson in fishing for souls. Let
down your nets for draught. he says.
alter closing his discourse to the multitude.
AMI then. when, TO use Malacbis figure.
there is poured out such blessing that
there Is not in these two poor vessels room
enough TO receive It," he adds. "henceforth
thou shalt catch men" Throw the net
Be not content with using the PROV OF the
boat for "a pulpit. Boats were made 10 fish
WITH Use discretion in chur CHI and Sun
day school as any fisherman would do: hut
in any case. some way. by come method.
-let down your nets for a draught.
Nevertheless. Here is faith There is "a
whole body of divinity in this word. and
tho thiity-nine art ces thrown in. Walk
by faith. o child OF God. not by sight
Peter knew. skillul fisherman that he was
that the won ted time for casting was gone
by. lie knew. too. from his all-night expe-
rencc. that il was u very poor day for fish
ing. And any one could see that with all
Il at confusion on the shore the chances for
n catch had been all the while diminishing.
Nevertheless at thy word" O, blessed
neverthelessl Here 8 the secret OF "a fruit
nj faith. James says OF effectual prayer:
But let him ask. nothing wavering. We
look that last word up. 1t means judging.
discriminating. weighing the chances. IL
n the same word. though differently rem
cered. that IL 10 be- found at Rom. 4: 20.
where Abraham staggered not diak' ino)
at the promise because Of unbelief hut ives
strong in aith. giving glory 10 Cod That
il. he did not Judge for himself. nor set up
his own opinion against Gods d. Not
knowing how IL could possibly be. he just
believed IL and let God have all the glory OF
the doing OF IL. Suppose we do the same.
Take God at his word.
Next lesson; Christ Forgving Sin.--
Luke 5: 1926.
a corros nondent Of the Chriatian Al