The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-04-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
"A Pleasant, Interesting. and Instructive
Lesson and Where Al May Be found-A
Learned and Concise Review of tho


The lesson for Sunday. April 20. may be
found In Jonah 3: lilo.
INTRODUCTORY.
Two lessons must suffice from this inter
esting book OF Jonah. Ii Is touch OF the
gospel from away back I'm the enshrOuding
darkness Of early times. Travellers climb
ing the glaciers tell Us that, sometimes.
near the very summit OF the icy range. far
removed from trees, and all other vegeta-
ton, they find bit OF "a flower peeping out
OF the debris; aud the sight rarely fails To
bring tears to the eyes. There Is something
likewise rare and refreshing in this intlma
ton OF good things from far back. And the
glimpse that cheers is "A glimpse OF God.
Man conduct Il not any more pleasing In
this case than In any other. But we read
here in large letter this sweet legend. God
is love. And this makes us glad.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Word. Davar. Rendered as OF COM
mand at Josh. 1: Il. The same word Is
used OF the "ten commandments" 1. e.. ten
words. EX. 81: 2S.-Came. Literally.
was. CT, ain the beginning was the word
John 1: H.
Arise; go. Identical terms found in the
first injunction q: D.-Preach. Same
word as "cry" in 1: 1. "Cry against it."-
The preaching. Hebrew Cry the cry
bid thee. The ~ is emphatic. The term
"bid" Is the same as that translated word in
V. 1 above (Davar).
AIOSt anu went. Same WORDS As In lne
command OF V. ,. Arise, 90, and he arose
and went Strict obedience now.-Ac-
cording TO the word OF the Lord. Precisely
so since this was exactly what the Lord
great city. Hebrew.
Great To God, expressive of greatness and
majesty. "A high figure OF speech. -Three
days journey. The word Is rendered walk
at Eze. ~: 4.
Began First meaning TO open up. He
opened his evangelistic campaign by one
days journey TO the city. Giving procla-
nation rs he went. Perhaps he got no
further before they repented or begun 20
repent Cried. Same word as "preach,n
V. 2.-Overthrow. From the word Hap
hah, 10 turn or Overturn. "A strong word,
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
And the word OF the Lord came unto
Jonah the second time. 1t i the parable OF
the vineyard in early anticipation. The
great king sends and sends asan. in spite
OF mans perversity He Is passing merci-
full and kind. lie is wondrous patient. A
second time. Yea. many times he presses
his gracious overtures. What does IL re-
mind Us Of? This. "GOd, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets hath
In these last days spoken unto us by His
son" God Will not let go OF man. lie in
iinitely desires TO save We call this won
derful love, and il is wonde full for its
Condescension and constancy But, after
such a God 'as oursy Doubtless the old coll
ored woman was right about IL: "Mussa.
me no think il so wonderful, cause il is just
like him.
The preaching that | bid thee. There
was the d fficulty with Jonah lie did not
50 much object 10 the mission. If we may
so speak. as To the message. lie was ready
20 take "A much longer journey IL would
seem, To far Tarshish. But, Oh, that
preaching And yet just "the preaching
that bid theen must be delivered. There
are plenty OF men to-day ready 10 GOO
the other way. And they preach as they
go. But Is IL the preaching God bids? The
going and the preaching are identical in
character. Go. preach Christ the SON of
God. And there are men who turn their
faces the other way. and as Unltarianism
goes IL breaches. Go tell OF the wrath 10
come. And there are men who put their
backs 10 the truth and Universalism goes
preaching toward dim Tarshis h. ssThe
preaching that / bid thee,r says the Lord.
Assuredly we must be in God : way I'm order
To meet Gods messengers and in Gods
mind In order u preach Gods truth Pay
son said. IL never seemed fit 20 say a word
10 IA sinner, except when | had a broken
heart myself"
Cry nightly unto God. Two things the
threatened Nineyites did. This was one
they prayed, and prayed with all their
might. That Is they threw the whole heart
and life into the appeal Such prayer never
goes unheard. And for this simple reason,
that IL is born Of God and must. there fore
find God. DR. Faunce likens true prayer to
circle whose beginnings are with Goo, "from
whose throne its vast curve sweeps down
ward, passing In the lower edge OF its cir
conference through the sphere OF our VOL
untary petitions IL must mount upward
again to the completion Of itself as by a law
inviolablc and divine. The same thought-
full writer instances two men converslng ON
..,,I,f
that while he thinks IL profita bic thing for
those who exercise themselves thereby. he
doubts whether there l. any one TO respond
and listen sat the other end of the line "
Whereupon his friend responds alt seems to
me your position Is that OF the man who be-
lievcs in the prayer but not in the answer ~
which Is logically absurd. True prayer
implies two parties. We're these Ninevites
think you. praying for merely the exercise
OF it,
Let them turn every one from his evil
way. Repentance was the other step taken
by the awakened Ninevites. And II was
just as essential rs duplication. Indeed
the two We're conjoined The repentance
was real because mixed with faith and the
prayer awaited because it went on to "A
change of mind and beart; and the whole
the work of the Spirit OF God But how
can a man repent and pray at the same
time? il is asked. Readily Indeed. as be-
fore intimated. prayer Is not prayer with
out repentance, repentance is not repent
ance without prayer. What is Ii 20 repent?
IL Is 10 turn. The. best definition OF the
term is I'm the word OF Scripture, "Rcpent
and be converted (turn).n How long does
that take under the influence OF the Spirit?
How long does IL take me 10 fly the track OF
the lightning express? This moment, as we
hear Gods voice. we can repent, and so this
moment, with bowed heads. we can pray.
And God repented Of the evil. That Is,
he did IL not. IL is our human way OF speak
ing. God Is without varla bleness or shadow
OF turning. He changes not. And verify.
that Is the reason he can so promptly and
fully pardon us when return 70 him.
Thank God for the one fixed mark. for the
one who changes not though all else change.
sHow long, some one asked, ~does IL ia l<e
10 be convertible The answer came swift
and strong; allow long does IL take the
Judge TO discharge the prisoner when he
finds him not gullty?" All forgiveness is
through Christ, all repentance Is by his
Spirit. The instant we come into right re-
lations with him. we are accepted i'm him.
sIf any man be in Christ, he is "A new crea-
turen-in Gods sight Did God pardon the
people OF Nineveh on any other ground than
thiap @There Is none other mama undar