The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-02-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.
Scholarly Exposition OF the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy OF Calm Reflection
Half an Hours study OF the Scriptures
Time Well Spent.

The lesson for Sunday. March 1, may be
found In H. Kings 4; 26-37.
INTRODUCTORY.
The Golden Text OF to-day's lesson Will
give us the keynote for the more spiritual
teachings 10 be impaired. There are the
main lines of suggested reflection. The
first Is that Jesus Is the resurrection and
the life; believing In him, though we die.
we shall live again. The second is the re-
lated truth that Christ raises US up at once
out OF spiritual death into life eternal; "for
this" he says, sis life eternal, that they
might know thee, the only true God. and
from Christ, whom thou hast sentn IL will
be well for the teacher to enforce that pro-
found saying OF our Lord I'm the 18th OF
John; whatsoever liveth and believeth In
me shall never die" And can we not follow
IL mp personally rs our Savior did, and
looking deep down into the soul say, abe
lievest thou thisyn
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Went and came. A good half-day's ride;
about sixteen or seventeen miles from east
To west, and slightly north. through the
valley OF Jezreel.-To Mount Carmel.
Probably one OF Elisha's tarrying places.
the spot being memorable. q Kings 49, 20)
-Afar on. There seems to be some rea-
condolences In TRANSMITTING this as in the
Douay. Coming toward. Ii means more
than To be across the way or opposite. The
main word OF this phrase Is rendered at
8; %: On the other side. Probably Elisha
Jaw her across the valley.-Behold, yon-
Ter is that Shunammite. Literally. Be-
hold the Shunammite. This. Not the same
word translated this In v. 80.
Now. Emphatic position In the Hebrew.
This the Revision seeks TO bring out by a
slight change I'm the order OF the words. See
Variations she said, 1t is we'll. The
Douay is more literal: And she answered.
Well, |. e., she simply gave him the salute
of courtesy, like our good morning or good
afternoon, passing on 10 speak directly to
his master.
To the HILL Having crossed the valley.
Thrust her away. The word means TO
cast her out, as by force. So used at Deut.
g: 10, of the Lords enemies. Like the dis
ciples, Gehazi thought TO protect his Lords
person from intrusion. Vexed. Literally,
bitter (Marah. Aid. Not miracuously
revealed.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
Behold, yonder Is that Snunammite. May
her tribe increase, We have the spiritually
dead all about US. Our children, neighbors,
friends lying dead in trespasses and in
sins. What pains are we taking to carry
their cases before the Great Healer, before
him who is the resurrection and the lifef
This woman paused not, but under the same
burning heat that had stricken her son she
pressed on miles and miles to the north TO
where the prophet was. What effort are we
making To save the souls OF kindred and ac-
quaintance? Do we act at all as II we were
concerned about them? Do the angels look
out from their watch-towers and say OF any
OF us. burGened for souls, "Behold, yonder
Is that Shunammite,"
will not leave thee. servant and
STAFF were not enough. She needed the
great prophet himself, and she would not let
him 60 Here was very Jacob at wrestling.
The patriarch hung on, albeit in shrunken
weakness, until he could say, II have seen
lN.z.ll l.. "A
There are times when only God will suffice
US. His servant, however gracious, Will not
do. His rod and his staff do'not comfort.
We want the shepherd and the king himself.
And him we may have II we will, his very
presence and power. Only there must be
the wholly determined, fully devoted, 10
will-nOt- leave-thee spirit. Jesus ChriN
stands at the iron door still waiting TO be
constrained" Not coaxed. No, for IL is
me love OF Christ himself that first con-
straineth Us. lie only pauses for our whole
hearted surrender OF self, and behold, he
has gone In 10 tarry with US.
Shut the door upon them twain. Have
you ever been alone with dead soul, an
unconverted person? Ii is the time when
the issues OF life and eternity are decided.
Indeed. IL is the only way 20 apply effca-
ciously the medicine OF the gospel. The
public proclamation may stir thought,
awaken reflection. make ready for the per-
sonal presentation OF the theme. In the
great majority, IL not i'm all cases, there
must be one soul in which is life brought
into relation with the soul I'm which there is
not life ere the grace of God is impaired
We heard Moody say not long ago. ain all
my experience / never knew man 10 be
converted for whom God had not used some
human instrument II Is thus that faith
is made 10 spread. the spark leaps from
heart TO heart. 1t may not be I'm utter
cluson. IL may be In the inquiry meeting,
but somewhere faith and unfaith must
closely confront each other. When the door
shuts upon them twain, then comes the
touch OF power
He stretched himself upon the child
There was no half giving OF himself 20 the
task. Elisha literally, ard we may say II
I'm no light spirit. laid himself out to the
accomplishment OF the gracious work %
which he was summoned. 1t was mouth 70
mouth. eye TO eye, hand TO hand, the whole
man Joined and committed TO the matter,
body, soul. and spirit. Only thus comes
spiritual success. The work OF an evangcl
Is no trifing work only the whoe-hearted,
the whole handed succeed. ale that win
meth souls Is wise. and strong too, with
wisdom and strength thoroughly given to
the service Paul was all things unto all
men that he might by all means save some,
and when we study the passage In its con-
nection we see that I'm its major purport IL
has reference TO Paul's thorough devote
ment OF self TO each case on hand. @Yet
have made myself servant unto all that
might gain the more.n Go into a genuine,
spiritual inquiry meeting. where soul is
wrestling with soul. IL you would see the
text at the beginning OF this paragraph
practically illustrated
Call this Shunammite. Blessed call She
had heard IL before. "Call this Shunam-
mite,n Elisha had said before when he an
nounced TO her that she should embrace a
son. There Is blessing I'm the very sum-
mons. full as IL Is with promise. So must
have sounded the glad voices about Bar
tlmeus at Jericho when they cried out, "Be
Of good comfort, rise, he calleth thee.~
Reader. he is speaking the same To us to-
day. "Call this Shunammite," our Lord IL
saying, this child OF my love, this recipient
Of my grace. He has called Us before. and
it has always been 20 bless us. His call at
conversion was very gracious. He calls us
still that this same tender relationship may
be continued and new gifts may be be-
slowed. He has better things yet TO bestow.
He still stands saying, aye will not come
unto me that ye might have life" And II
man say, "Lord. we already have life al
thy hands, he answers still standing and
calling, "And that they might have IL more
L.