The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-08-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUC-
TIVE LESSON.
Reflections of nm Eievatipg Character
wholesome Food for Thought - Study
ing the scriptural Lesson Intsiiigentiy
and Probably.

| INTRODUCTORY.
4 This lesson calls a halt I'm mems accus-
| toned ways OF thinking and doing. The
| impression seems 10 have prevailed then, as
| in does now, that To have all that taste or
fancy could suggest is the summum Donum
| OF existence, the highest ideal OF living.
| And so club-life is in full swing and sway.
! To feed the appetite, 20 ciothe the body to
| please the carnal sense Is all some men APP
| pear 20 care for. Those who look beyond
are regarded as little impractical and no.
tional, 20 say the least. Well, this lesson
| helps US 10 readjust our conception or
| things. IL lets in a flood Of light upon the
| long long life that man has before him;
| and now how vain and insignificant seem
the petty Establishments of earth-life.
| Sumptuous fare, purple fine linen! What
/ OF them all hundred years hence? But
| faith I'm God-that abides. Thank God for
the timely revelation. Shall we use itT
| WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
A certain rich man. His riches did moth
ing for him, even his naBe forgot.--Pur-
| ple and fine linen. Symbol OF magnifcence.
| The end OF such Is TO be read at Rev. Is: IL
| 14-Fared. The word originally means,
| 20 be made glad hence, to feast.-sumpt-
uously, splendidly. Ii rs from the Greek
| word here Qampros) that our lamp comes.
Every day. Other men might have oc-
| casional banquets, his we've OF daily occur
renee. He was. To use an expressive world
| phrase, lat the top of the heap"
Named Lazarus. A beggar, but his name
book OF Life.-Was laid. And not very
! tenderly. The first meaning OF the word
(Ballo) j. 20 cast or toss.---At his gate. 1t
may have been an added source OF compla-
! cency that the mendicanss should count his
very gate a choice spot to be.-Full or
| sores. Suggestive OF bodily discomfort, in
/ contrast with the soft ard luxurious condi-
| tions of the rich man.
Desiring Looking With longing, never
| else than hungry.-To be fed Or, TO be-
| eft 10 a.
| petite. There was probably never more
| than enough 20 take away the edge OF hun
| ger.-Crumbs. Or m0rsels, fragments OF
! bread and food I'm general Matt. IS: 27).
| Rich mans table. The splendid feasts
| OF the day were more or less open and con-
| spicuous. the dogs. Literally
| but even the dogs. Running wild and
| neglected i'm the streets Thus significant
of his helplessn ess and degradation.
Persuaded. l. G. So as TO repent
| From the dead. Proven little while later
] in connection with Chrst's own life.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
| Sumptuously every day. Luxury has its
! peris. Rome found it so, all great empires
! have realized It. And individuals are taught
the same important truth-to have riches is
| To have burdens, temptations, trials. We
| sympathize with the poor and pity them, We
| pity also the rich. Great grace is necessary
| thatthe one who livcsin sumptuous surround
| ings may keep himself from cleaving 10 the
| things that perish with the using. Here also
1 are the neglected classes" here on the
avenues and in the club houses o, 10 reach
! the sumptuously clad and sumptuously fed
| with the gospel. For assuredly they need ii,
| In this prosperous age, this luxurious period
/ in our nations history, there ought to be q
! special stirring up OF the conscience regard
| ing spiritual realities. IA new crusade into the
| homes OF wealth and ease. Much we fear
! that, for many, 10 fare sumptuously every
| day means 20 fare wretchedly through eter-
! nifty.
Died and was buried. That was the end
/ OF IL all. No man, however great or power
! full, can render different finale for his life.
Buried That finishes the life, whether
/ IL be great life or an insignificant one.
The important thing Is To have treasure be-
! yond. He who has all his riches in this life
| Is "a poor fool, at the best. What wretched
J folly is displayed by men to-day, coming
| and going from Gods house, hearing tho
message of salvation and yet paying no
heed, laying up no treasure in heaven. That
| Is a stern but searching word spoken by tho
| preacher in Ecclesiastes: ''And 50 L saw
| the wicked buried. who had come and gone
! from the place OF the holy, and they were
! forgotten in the city where they had so
| done Surely, this is 10 die las the fool
! dieth"
Being in torments. Enough said We
| care not whether IL be torment Of literal
| flame, or the horror of deep darkness and
| remorse OF soul. We know il Is fearful
| enough to shun. All the language of earth
| and heaven Is called into requisition To
! impress upon man the direfuiness of sin
! when IL has reached its fruitage. The soul
! has an infinite capacity for joy or misery
| that we know. And that is enough for US TO
| know for the present
said Omar Khayyam:
Il sent my soul through the invisible
| Some letters of the after-life TO spell
And by and-by my soul returned to me
And answered, L myself am Heaven and
Very we'll. Put more of Heaven into the
soul. Let Heavens Son in
great gulf. Greater than some ever
seem 10 think. They are getting sort of
bridge ready for this gulf. In certain in
stltutions OF the East the workmen are
hammerng away at its beams and girders
Some time they expect 10 cast il across the
chasm. And down il will go TO the bottom.
Too short, too short by far The gulf is
greater than mortals ken. We are willing
TO take Gods word for IT, But this we
know there is no impossible gulf here. In
this probation OF grace the hearts once
severed by sin are made one by the blood Of
Christ. Jesus Is for us the way-an open
way that all who believe may tread. No
bridgeless gulf to separate us here. But
what shall they do who, despising i'm this
life the way, find themselves in the next
life confronted alone by the gull fixed?
Cannot. o, that final cannot" 1t is a
can now. We may cross If we will. Alas,
that any should put IL of until too late We
had dream not long since. 1t seemed To
us that we were standing on n high platform
Whiting for a train. At last IL came up and
stopped. IL was time 10 leap aboard. But
the cars did not suit The accommodations
were not OF a sort TO please us. There were
seats, but we wanted better. But the con-
ductor had given the signal and we were
about 10 accept the situation and take the
train, when we thought of some things it
would be desirable 10 take along, lying back
there In the office. .. well, the train was a
slow one; we could easily board it at the
farther end OF the platform. The things
were gotten. Now for the moving train.
But. there, IL has already passed the edge
of the staging. Very well, we will run down
the side of the road and swing on. Now
thoroughly eager To embark, we make "A
dash, but here the way is suddenly steep
We Turn 10 go round the spot, when, 10. as
we run. mighty gulf widens and widcns
between. and we are undone. That dream
was lesson TO us IL may be 20 you.
Next Lesson-"The Ten Lepers." Luke
Il: 1l-19.
IL men are what they should be. the
nation will be right; and if the old insti-