Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-03-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.

Lesson ana Whore Ii May Be found-A
Learned and Concise Review OF the
Same.
The lesson for Sunday, March IS, may be
found In III. Kings, s: 1927.
INTRODUCTORY.
Covetousness Is the sin that Is depicted
here again, and II Is well for that we
| have two strong lessons on t1ls strong
handed inlquity. There was never day
when 30 much is to be dreaded from cupid
| ity and the desire for unholy gain. Never
were there such opportunities for money
| getting. and never before such Inducements
to seek for IL and lay hold of IL In vicious.
or, at least. in underhanded ways And
never before on the other hand, was there
| such demand that wealth should be right
1y used, being made help rather than n
hindrance 10 the kingdom. III so IL must be
honest money, honestly gotten and honestly
given. God help US that We stumblo not at
this hazardous point.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Returned. The distance Travelled was
about thirty miles.-An his company.
| Like him impressed with the signal demon
stratlon OF Jehovah's power--Stood be-
| fore him. Same word used In v. OF the
last lesson; but now 1t is In quite different
mood.-But In Israel Peculiar Hebrew
idiom; literally, But IL. The same exprca-
| sion IS found In the original Of Ps. 4; 2 AMI
| Gen 80; 20 al Will not let thee go, except
thou bless me- ")-A blessing, l. e., pres
| ent Benefaction comes as near as any
| thing 10 the correct rendition. IL Is the
word used at Ps. 3: 6, which is thus made
all the more suggestive It is translated
| present at III. Kings IS: 81 ("make an agree
ment with me by presently.
Before whom stand. The same express
| preston used by Elijah of himself. l. Kings
| II: 1. Elisha was the worthy successor OF
| the fiery servant of God will receive
| none. Another peculiar Hebrew idiom: II
1 receive any.-Urged him. From the
| word meaning to hack. 1t is the word rem
| dered stubbornness at j. Sam. Is: %.
Be content, or, be pleased From the
| word meaning to wish, or be willing
| Two talents. 2 81, ,S00.-Urged him, or
prevailed upon him; from the word mean
Ing to break. Translated compelled at
| Sam. 20: 20.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Now know. After the trial comes GER
| tain knowledge. 1t is experience that
teaches and establishes us. 1t is not aSee
| and taste that the Lord is good, ~ but Htaste
| and seen And this tasting means whole
| hearted surrender You cannot taste salt
by partaklng of one of its elementary con-
stituents, or by looking at the whole COM
pound. You must put the real, full sub
stance on the tongue, give yourself to IL and
IL TO yourself. Naaman knew because he
| had put to the personal experiment. We
shall never know religion by looking at ft
| from afar, by admiring II. or talking about
| IL. We must appropriate 1t and have IL as
| "A personal possession. ITO as many as RE-
ceived him to them gave he power to be-
come the sons of God.n This man OF Syria
| could speak of the gift of healing which
| was his as the Samaritans later said TO tho
| woman who cried, "Come see. is this not the
| Chrlst?n "NOw we believe not because of
thy saying; for we have heard him our
| selves, we know that this is indeed the
| Christ, the Saviour OF the world"
l will receive none. No compromising.
| Elisha would accept OF no reward for heal
| ing as IL be, by his own hand, had WI ought
the cure. 1t way well give US pause I'm our
| dealings with the world. IL is not neccs-
sary for us to say that the church should
/ accept none OF the worlds money; for all
| the wealth Of the world is the Lord's, and
| sometimes he turns the kings tribute ers
he turns the kings heart. But there must
| he discrimination. When men give as IL IL
were quittance sum for grace rendered,
or as II IL we're to purchase the gift, they
| deserve the stern refusal of Paul to Simon.
the sorcercr: "Thy money perish with theo
because thou hast thought that the gift OF
! God may be purchased with money!" Elisha
saw ints Naaman's heart, and. knowing the
motive that prompted the present, he could
not but refuse II. Doubtless our modern
church fairs and festivals lay at least
temptations, not necessary but incidental.
for the mixing of moral values at this
| point. That remark of DIR. Gordon's Is
worth considering. We quote II In sub
| stance. There are some mills where the
water runs so low at times that they need
| TO turn TO steam for n while. and they say,
GThe power Is given out 1t is what some
churches. turning away from the legitimate
operations of the spirit, seem to be saying;
| The power has given out.
Two mules burdens of earth. IL Is about
as far as some peoples piety extends-two
mule packs of earth. They carry little
! holy water about with them for occasions
! OF worship. A sort of Lenten element IL Is.
IL does not interfere with the general course
| OF life The house OF remission is accessi-
! BILE still, the theater, the dance-hall, the
| card able, and when they desire to be re-
llgious there is that rood OF holy ground
| they have laid. To be sure, they worship
none other than Jehovah-when they wor-
| ship at all, but the worshipful times, like
| tho worshipful spots, are few and far be-
| tween. 1t is the modern high-church, holy
ground heresy. Naaman may, subsequent
| ly and upon reflection, have become gen.
! uine believer I'm the one true God. III so,
IL was when he made more than two mules
| burdens of earth sacred, but counted every
| place, that the sole of his foot might tread,
! given TO &C d and holy unto him.
All s well. No, IL was not; all was foul!
| So gads the tlme-serving, self-pleasing
Christian after the chariot of the world.
| You ask him how things are going, sAll
well, all well,n he says. and notes not the
terrible affront he is putting upon God by
! his unHllal and inconsistent behavior. But
| there are those that grfeve. The prophet
was palned. Gods heart was pierced. There
! is no sadder more distressing sight to day,
! in the presence of men and OF angels, than
! the spectacle OF a Gehazl Chris tian, weak
spirited we know, at best, and false -hearted
at his worst, following, like captive. the
worlds chariot wheels. All Is well then
with the interests of Satan, not with the
kingdom of God.
leper as white as snow. The picture Is
a fearful one; but grave dangers require
loud alarms. Leprosy signifies uncleanli-
ness, estrangement, misery. death. Is there
any less terrible fate on ahead to-day for
hypocrisy, unfaithfulness and deceitf Is
the church in any hazard of receiving mo-
| ney upon false pretenses? Clear mp the
record, tell the truth, stand by the Lord and
his prophet! When mems souls are perlsh-
ing shall the moments be frittered away In
following the worlds seductions7 ais IL
time to receive money, and TO receive gar
ments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and men servants, and
maid servants?n There have been times I'm
history when, minding such things and for
getting the kingdom of God and his right
| eousness, the church has gone about a
! wretched leper. God forbid that 10 should
be so again, In any part 50!
Next Lesson "a Elisha's Defenders" 2
Kings 6: SIS.