Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-09
FEEDING THE MULTITUDE.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, M
TERNATloNAL SERIES, MAY II.

stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission Of H. s. Hoffman, publisher, Philadel-
phia.l
The sending forth of the twelve, and the
beheadig Of John the Baptist, briefly refer
red to in the opening verses Of this chapter,
ars more fully recorded by Matthew and
Mark. In connection with the first, it is
worthy of note that He had just taught them
70 pray that the Lord of the harvest would
send forth laborers into His harvest; then
He called the twelve and sent them forth to
answer their own prayers. When we pray
let us remember that God expects us to be
wiling TO be used by Him in answering our
prayers.
10. Sand the apostles, when they were re-
turned told Him all that they had done"
"And He took them, and went aside private
lyn There were so many coming and going
that they had no leisure even to eat, and He
took them aside to rest awhile Mark vi, 81.
While we continue in these mortal bodies we
canrot work increasingly, but the time will
come when we shall be able to serve unwea,
riedly REV vii, 49,. To be often alone with
Jesus is another essential to faithful service,
for He Himself spent whole nights in prayer
to God
II. "And the people, when they knew it,
followed Him." John says that Jesus crossed
the Sea Of Galilee, and the people followed
because they saw His miracles Matthew
and Mark say that Jesus went by ship and
that the people followed on foot and outwent
Him. In the boat He would be an hour or
two alone with His disciples, and they would
have little rest; but what Il busy life He
ttt,A IF nf
house hath eaten me up" FPS. Xix, 8; John
Il, ~.
''And He received them" Matthew and
Mark both say that He was moved with com
passion toward them. No pity for Himself,
but full of pity for these sheep without
shepherd, even though he knew their motives
in following Him. How unwilling we are to
be intruded upon by thoughtless people, our
time L. SO precious. Oh, how unlike our
Master
"And spalse unto them of the kingdom Of
God, and healed them that had need Of heal
ing" Both body and soul He attended to,
for He is a Saviour for both, and the time
win come when every saved soul shall have
redeemed body in which to dwell.
l2. "Send tho multitude away" So said
the twelve as the day began to wear away,
and as they weary and hungry, saw no
prospect Of rest, and not much prospect Of
even bite for themselves from their few
loaves and fishes, if that hungry crowd re-
NAMED. Not all tho glorious things of the
kingdom, Of which Jesus had been speaking,
could mako even the twelve forget that they
were hungry men. They had seen Him still
the storm aud raise the dead, but they seem
ed not to consider that the same power could
feed these hungry thousands Their wisdom
was to let them scatter where they might,
and find food and shelter as they were able
in the towns and country round about The
old question still lived, Can God furnish
table in the wildernessm (Ps xvii, 49,.
- "But He said unto them, Give ye them
TO eat.n He had asked Philip, "Whence shall
we buy bread that these may eat and Philip
had replied that they would need about two
hundred pennyworth to give every one little.
1--WE have no more but five loaves and two
fishes" When He asked Philip He did it to
prove him, for He Himself knew what He
would do John vi, G, just as He so often lets
us get into strait place to prove us, while
all the time He knows tho way out and just
what He will do.
IA, Is. "And He said to His disciples, Make
them sit down by fifties in company. And
they did so, and made them all sit down"
Mark says: upon the green grass" John
says: "There was much grass in the place"
Mark vi, 50; John vi, l0. The thousands
were all now orderly arranged and seated in
companies upon the green grass, Matthew
says there wero 5000 men besides women and
children Matt xiv, 2D; SO there may have
been 100 companies of 30 each, or ten COM
panies to each Of the twelve disciples, But
observe the order, and remember the precept,
'I4et all things be done decently and in or
der" for God Is not the author Of confusion
q Cor. xiv, 49, 40. A disorderly home or
room or wardrobe or bureau drawer or office
or store is no credit to a Christian. Confu-
sion, disorder, tumult, unquietness are none
OF the doings of the Holy Spirit Our bodies
are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and the
life of Christ is to be manifest in u.s. Let us
lay it to heart
lG "Then lie took the five loaves and the
t-o fishes, and looking up to Heaven, He
bl.ssed them, and brake, and gave to the dis
ciDies TO set before the multitude" He took
t0tt what they had and used it. He took the
rod that was in Moses hand and wrought
wonders with it, He took the widows pot Of
oil and multiplied it.
IL. "And they did eat, and were all filed"
Philip thought that two hundred penny
worth might be enough to give every one n
little, but Jesus does not give that way His
invitation is, Eat, o friends; drink, yea
drink abundantly, o beloved Song of Sol
v, J.. And even these poor shepherdless
sheep lie delights TO fill. As the disciples
pass around from company TO company
pressing more food upon them the answer
comes from all directions, Satisfied, abun-
dainty satisfied.
"And there was taken up Of fragments
that remained 10 them twelve baskets In
stead Of a little for each disciple which would
have been all that twelve men could obtain
from five loaves and two fishes, here is a
basloiful for each. Had they sellishly kept
what they bad for themselves, how little they
would have had, but by giving it away what
abundance becomes theirs. Afraid to give
10 God lest we have not enough for ourselves,
we continue poor; but when we cheerfuly
give Him that which is all His own any way,
then He makes us to enjoy His fullneSs, and
our cup Tunneth over. The blessing OF the
Lord it maketh rich; and He addeth no
sorrow with itN prov. x, 2A. He gave
Himself 10 be broken and poured forth for
us; why should we hesitate to place our
selves in His hands most unreservedly,
that we may bo broken and passed
round by His hands for the life of
othersl IL may not be pleasant TO the flesh,
but it will be wonderfully profitable "Ex-
cept a corn OF wheat fall into the ground and
die. it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth
forth much fruit John xii, ~. Who is
willing to be passed round for the good of
others, not loving his life here So that he may
keep it unto life steFnali Some miracles are
recorded by three of the eyangelists some by
two aud some by only one; bnt this one is re-
corded by all four, aud It is, ] think. the only
one 80 recorded. May the reason be 60 teach
us that having received Jesus as the Bread of