The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-01-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON CONsIDERED.

Reflections of an EIcvating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought - Study
Ing the Scriptural Lessons Intelligentiy
and Probably.
The lesson for Sunday, January IL, may
be found in Luke /. 1855.
ITRoDUcToRY.
The song of Mary is at the same time
the portrait of Mary. We have no de-
scription of the appearance of Mary. the
mother of Jesus, much as some have de-
sired it. But here is the photograph of
her heart, the sufficient revelation of her
character and inner life. The Magn.fcat
comes down through the centuries as the
Virgins blessed testimony aud her note
of identification, her inspired credential.
There is Christian experience in it; there
Is the evidence of mind saturated with
Scripture truth. The song is full of He
braisms and the quaint, strong language
of the Old Testament; and just as, when
one is wrought up to the highest pitch of
interest or emotion, he drops convention
alisms and speaks the natural and famil-
lar language of the heart, so here Mary
declares the real passion of her soul, and
discloses, in no small part, what has been
her life in the past. And what an in
spring glimpse it isl
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Mary. Little is known of her, though
legends are plentiful; little needs TO be
known further than this earnest, and Wa
may believe, characteristic prayer. Shs
was of the same lineage as Joseph, and
hence the Messianic line could be
traced back from either.-Magnify. To
esteem great, 10 entertain new appre-
hension of Gods greatness. The same
10 Of ha Oft hau
had performed certain miracles; the
people magnifed them, l. e., held them
In new reverence Acts 5: l3).-My soul.
The mere principle of life.
My spirit. The seat of the higher nat
ure.-Hath rejoiced. An ardent aud
exultant sense of possessions; the same
word used of Abraham, Your father,
Abraham, rejoiced TO see my day"
(John S: 56).
Regarded. Literally, looked upon.
(Epiblepo. The low estate. One word,
lowline-s. Ii is the same word that is
somewhat infelicitously. because mis-
leadingly, translated vile body" at Phil.
3: l.-Hadmaiden. We are reminded
here of Hannah's prayer. q Sam: !: H.
ALL generations. Her inspired words
of prophecy leap over all narrow bounds
of space and time.-Blessed. Or hap
Ply. The words so repeatedly used in the
beatitudes. Matt. 5: 3sq.)
He that is mighty. The able one. is the
closer rendering, there being but one
word in the original. Great things.
The inetfable greatness of that which
was accomplished was only matched by
the unsearchable power of Him who
wrought.-Holy. Goodness with great
ness.-Name. There was no doubt in
Marys mind of the divine origin of the
communication.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
My soul doth magnify the Lord. 1t is
the sentiment of lofty conservation and
of complete devotion. All that she was
or hoped to be, her whole life Joined in
the exaltation of Jehovah. Here was
meek, submissive soul, meet for the Mas
ter's use, and all she had to give was at
his call 10 honor and glorify him. When
the Holy Spirit thrills and controls, thus
does he ever manifest his gracious pres
ence. 1t was because of this full aban-
donment that Paul could say $50 now
also Christ shall be magnified in my body,
whether it be by life or by DEATH"
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my
Savior. Here have we something Of the
sentiment OF trust. As the first express
sion tells of self-surrender, so this
breathes of expectation and the sure per-
suasions of hope. BY the strength of a
ievout faith she laid hold upon God and
rejoicingly held him as hers. 1t seems
10 be of such holy, happy confidence
that our Lord was speaking when to prove
his eternal existence he said TO the cavil-
ing Jews, Your father Abraham rejoiced
10 see my day; and he saw it and was
glad" That is, he so thoroughly entered
INTO it by faiths anticipation that he
already Toasted his eyes upon it. So may
every devout soul rejoice to-day in q COM
plete salvation, though as yet the shad-
ows come and go.
All generations shall call me blessed.
Blessed, but nothing more. The Papal
church seems to have cad much more in
to this text tn IN it contains. Mary her.
self was the recipient Of grace through
Christ, but grace only for herself as for
any other. She herself was blessed in
Jesus; blessed in q peculiar and tender
way but not so as 10 give to her more of
saving grace than she needed for herself
or so as to take from him the blessed one
ness of Saviourhood. All people look
back with n sweet and loving regard to
/ the mother of Jesus not as the custodian
| of Christly favor but as marked re-
cipient of that grace which was his from
! the foundation of the world and shall be
his and his alone through all eternity.
From generation to generation. There
is no trad tionalism of faith taught here,
grace descending by blood relationshi p
from father TO son. Our p@do-baptist
brethren seem to understand it so. But
mark you, in the Greek, it is not fear
that extends from generation to genera
ton, but mercy reaching from generation
to generation. No matter how holy or
faithful have been the fathers, the sons
must accept the Christ on the same basis
as did those who have gone before.
Christ is proclaimed anew to each gen.
Grafton, and no man is relieved from the
responsibility of personal choice.
In remembrance of his mercy. Our
hope is in an unforgetting God. Mans
memory is faulty. Gods alone is never
failing. Work sometimes over-burdens
us and we grow absent minded. We can
think of but a few things at a time. And
vet where in all the weight of creation 8
mighty task-work DO we see the purpose
to save fading from sight? 1t is the aim
kept ever in view. In our thronging secu-
lar conce nm ats We sometimes forget tho
higher Governments of the soul. But
where in all the providence of God, through
all the exacting centuries of Israelitish
and post Israelitish history. do we see any
relaxing of the divine vigilance for the
saving of the lost2 The redemption Of
the soul has ever been precious in Gods