Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-06-27
REVIEW OF THE QUARTER.
LESSON XIII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES, JUNE 20.

and the Mosaic Law-Human Nature
Could Not Conceive of Such a Law.
The quarter now closing opens with the
first clear announcement of the essential prin-
ciple of Christ's gospel and continues with al
ternate miracle and teaching to the closing |
lesson on the fatherhood of God. The pupil |
who would be rooted and grounded in the |
Christian faith should at the very start face
the fact that the sermon ON the mount is
utterly at war with what we call human ma
ture-that it is, in every sense of the word,
truly stumbling block 1t is idle to discuss |
whether human nature, so called, is really |
worthy of the name, or whether it is simply !
fallen and debased nature. The fact every
student of our holy faith must face at the
start, and the point w must be prepared to
defend, is that the natural man is there fatty
forbidden to follow the dictates of his nature.
Love your enemies. Pray for them which
that asketh of thee. Judge not and we shall
not be judged. Be ye merciful, as your
Father also is merciful." Human nature
never prompted these sentiments, and human
wisdom never uttered them. The Hnques-
toned fact that millions of human beings
have in a poor, feeble way even approx
mated towards an obedience to them, is in it
self proof of their divinity which no argu-
ment can overthrow. That unnumbered
Christians prosecuted to the death have spent
their last breath in prayers for their perse-
cutors; that men and women Of whom the
world was not worthy have suffered every in
dignity which human malice could invent, and
! yet "reviled not again. this is the unan-
swerable and truly sublime proof of Christ's
divinity. And this proof, be it noted, can
not be cited for any other faith, and is not
denied by the most skeptical historian.
The stumbling block is seen when one in
quires how far the maxims should be carried
in every day life, and the devout student
should not seek to evade or deny it. 1t is ad-
mittedly among the most difficult portions OF
Scripture. Moses announced the law accord
ing to righteousness Christ announced it &C
cording to love; the message of Christ was
the perfect flower on that of which the law
of Moses was but the STEM In Moses it was
a law ITO be lived up to-" in Christ it was an
indwellng spirit 'to be worked out" The
law came by Noses but grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ. With this as the basis
principle the student may readily compre-
bend the following exegesis by Rev. George
F. Pentecost
"lf we accept the precepts binding
statutes it must be seen that in a literal sense
they are impracticable; if we say they are
not to be carried out literally, then we are in
danger of making void the commandments
of Christ. 1t seems to me that we must not
SO much regard them as statutes, but as con-
tanning the fundamental principles of the
law of love- to be held in mind and heart in
all our dealings with men and to be applied
III every case To the last extent of possibility
Put the Christ spirit into all you do, and show
in all your intercourse with men that you are
not acting from personal and selfish motives,
but as the children of your heavenly Father"
In the second lesson we study the affecting
narrative of the widow of Main and the rails
ing of her son from the dead. We are told
that the effect the bystanders was great
and especially that they remembered the
Scriptures-that is they recognized the full
fllment of prophecy concerning the Messiah.
The lesson on Christ's power to forgive sins
therefore follows most appropriately and
the lesson is emphasized by the character of
the woman whose sins were forgiven. The
modern "paragrapher" or satirst might find
material for humor in the quiet but most eff
fective way in which Simon, the host, is con-
trasted with the repentant woman. There is
miracle involved in the quick recognition Of
what was passing in the mind of Simon.
The parable of the sower follows-a practi-
cal exposition of the effect of preaching and
the operations of the spirit: and then, pur-
suant to the alternating plan of the series of
lessons comes a narration of the healing OF
the rulers daughter. After a short but most
explicit address on the power of faith fol.
lows the miracle Of feeding the multitude
and then there is sudden and most surpris
ing change in the daily mode of life of Jesus
This change is inaugurated by the trans
fguration. At this point the careful student
begins to perceive the plan on which Christ
developed His earthly mission: First the na
tvity and ordinary life of a Jewish child
then the first manifestation of divine wis
dom, then manhood and observance of tn,
law, and after that the calling of His disci
piles, the development of doctrine and mani
. festation of power, after which came the
] TRANSPORTATION and preparing for the las
scenes.
a Thereafter his disciples were to be instruct
g ed more and more in the practical details OF
their coming work and the truly awful judg
ments they were to announce. The seventy
!, were sent out, the disciples were taught how
to pray and a model given, reasons for praye
We're set forth in language which carries con
= viction and an answer specifically promised
s. to the prayer of faith Here again. as in tn,
sermon ON the mount, arises a difficult,
which the devout student should neither evad
nor deny. Nothing is ever gained and nue.
may be lost by seeking to cover up or evad
; the difficulties of scriptural Interpretation.
1t is our duty to study them reverently, T.
,. call to our aid all other passages bearing Of
l. the subject, to give modest expression TO sue
: light as we may attain to, and in case we still
!, 'see through glass darkly' to frankly al
g init our ignorance and hope for future en-
10 lightenment. The Bible is not like novel o
a newspaper, to be read once, fully understood
and then laid aside. 1t is to be read daily an
diligently through life, with the perfect con
-, fidence that new light will come with eac
'o reading
The parable of the rich fool and the COL
IA GLIDING lesson on trust in God amplify pre-
vious lessons and most appropriately brin
believers TO the practical exhortaton, "Fea
III not little flock" The coming quarters lesson
will show each addition raising the disciple
o5 to successfully higher conceptions of til