The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-07-23
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant, Interesting. and Instructive
Lesson and Whore 1t May 10 found-A
Learned and Concise Rcview Of the


Same.
Tue lesson for Sunday. July 27. may be
found in Luke Is: LILO.
INTRODUCTORY.
In this and the next lesson we have
strong testimony as TO the mind OF God
with re.erence 10 the lost This IL couched
Tor US IN three picturesque similltudes-
the lost sheep. the lost coin. the lost son.
farrar suggests that la these three par
ables We have pictures OF the bewildered
sinners, the unconscious sinners. the vol
nntary sinners. This has been called the
Lost and Found" chapter. We rea here
Heavens sentiment toward earth. In the
llrst parable there may be deserted the atti-
tude OF Chr list TO the snne". lie is the
tender soaking shepherd. In the second
parable we can see something Of the rea-
ton OF the Holy Spirit. like one broodng
over and searching alter with light. In
the third we behold how God. the Father.
reels toward the sinner. coming out to
meet him on the way. In all we SEQ how
true the word is for all tho world. God Is
love.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Then. Rather and bible Union) or now
Wevislon). IL was in the course OF his
Journey toward Jerusalem. near.
A peculiar construction OF the New Testa-
ment Greek, the copula boing joined with
the present PARTED pie. as in our own En-
gltsh.--Publicans. Tax gatherers. a gem
orally wel-to-do but odious class--Sin-
ners. Those who made no pretense TO
piety or position. the outcast.-To hear
him. Attracted by his utterances.
The Pharisees. The ritualists ong the
jews. The word probably comes from the
root meaning cleft They were the separ-
atists of their day.-Scribes. Lawyers or
teachers OF the law.--Murmured or NUT
tered. strong word. --Receiveth To
entertain or give access TO. The same word
Is used by Paul in his commentator OF
Phebe to the Romans: That We receive
her. Rom. IS: p --Eateth with them. A
sign OF fellowship.
Rejoice with me. The language here be-
ing almost identical with til at at " 6.
There is JOY. In V. T. The future tense.
there will be. 10 used herein the pres
ence OF the angels. Angels participating.
One sinner that repenteth. The de-
pendence of heaven upon earth for tn
provocation Of her highest Joy.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Drew near unto him. They could not
help II. There was something In Christ
that drew all men unto him. The human
heart found in him sym pathiZing friend.
All men. young and oil l. rich and poor, felt
the wooing Of his tender. loving spirit. Ao-
cording 10 an old legend there came one
time TO a certain village IA stranger who yet
did not seem stranger. She went in and
out with them as though she had been al
ways neighbor and friend. The old
matronS saw In her one like them selves.
4 he young mothers found in her happy.
sympathizing companion, Even the maid
ems felt toward her as toward one OF their
light-hearted selves. Only a little child
plucking her by the gown, looked up at last
and called her Mary. The homage which
the Catholic lays at the feet OF tho mother
we carry to the feet OF the Son. who is to
each OF us the chief among ten thousand
and the one altogether lovely.
This man receiveth sinners. And there
was something in man that turned Christ
to him. 1t was not so much that men were
drawn to Christ as that Christ was drawn
to them. I'VE love him because he first
loved us. Two men were once speaking
OF their attachment TO Jesus. One said he
hoped to DO saved because he had hold OF
Christ. But what, said the other. II Satan
should cut of your hands? MY hope" ne
continued. lis this. that Christ has hold OF
me, and Satan cannot cut his hands off. !"
It was Whiteheld's parting message TO the
people OF England. as they gathered in the
early morning to hear his farewe serm on
ere his final embarkation for America:
Neither shall any one pluck them out of
my hand. Those whom he had led into
the kingdom he could safely leave. since il
was not he but God who kept them.
Until he find it. If only we could have
that Oainstaking, persistent spirit that
keeps on until it finds. We 20 seeking
souls in such a faint hearted. bungling way.
no wonder we find but few. seek and ye
shall find Is as true in work for others as
in our own approach TO God. Soul seeking
requires tact. He asked me what l was
doing" said an evangelist regarding the
companion met by the way whom he de-
sired 10 win for Christ. and told him
was hunting. He said. What are you
hunting forY / said, Il am hunting for
heirs. There has a man died and left a
very large legacy, and / am hunting for the
heirs He said. Sir. will you tell me the
namo of that family l said. 1t is very
s. He said, My mothe S name was
smith, i said, Well. this Is a lager fam
lily than the Smith family The name OF
this family is sinners. Will you 90 to the
throne OF grace TO get your answer If L
present a petition for you as one OF the
heirs?' In lew weeks 1 got an an
swer back. He said. Dear friend. L have
followed your counsel and put in my claim.
and am one of the heirs There was
practical seeking; resulting in actual find
ing.
Rejoice with me. for 1 have found my
sheen that was lost. The source of true
Joy is doing good TO others. There is genu-
inc philosophy in that Joy among the
angels. All lasting soul-comtort finds its
genesis close 10 this point Mr.. Holcombe
was telling at the Buffalo Christian con-
vention of man who. having spent his
substance in selfish qualification upon
himself. went to one Of the bid .es of the
Chicago River to destroy himself But.
said he. will wait until alter dark so that
no one will see me and try to rescue me.
As he waited he felt few pennies in his
pocket. He thought he might as we'll give
them to some one. lie met a | title child
and accosted it. The little one said 1t was
Whiting to see il il couldn't get some tn ing
for its sick mother. He went TO see the
mothor and found her sick and hungry. He
helped her. When he came out OF that
house 1t was TO say. Il have found out how
TO enjoy ll'e." And he gave himself 10 tho
10y OF helping others. Find here the way
to joice with angels. Are they not all
ministering spirits
Light candle. There are helps in seek
ing Too often we go to work with our own
unaided energies and poor blurred vision.
and at best we have little or nothing &c
show for our search. Take Gods candle
with YOU in your soul-seeking. Garry with
you, TO illuminate the innermost recesses
OF darkened hearts. the light OF the word,
Flash the light OF a gospel text into every
hiding place. The seer saws, The spirit OF
man is the candle OF the Lord" Then use
the candle ere il has burned itself out. Let
il burn little for soul-savin'. That was
an impressive word spoken by the gray
haired preacher at the association the
otter day to his venerable deacon across
tho pews: Brother. II you and are going
10 do anything wo must do 1t now" II every
one but realized the greatness Of the quest
and the preciousness OF the moments. how
many more souls might be sought and
found within the next fortnight