The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-03-18

INTRODUCTORY.
1t will be a happy thing for ms all II we
take To cur own sometimes perpleXed and
afrighted hearts the inner teaching of this
lesson. Encompassed we often are with
difficulties; hedged about, as IL were, by the
adversary, our hearts often fail US. allow
shall we doTn we cry. And the answer
comes promptly, "Fear not" That is,
cease, first OF all, and at once, 10 do what
you are doing now. fearing. Fright makes
us weak and dims our sight TO Gods larger
encompassment q, To change fear 20 faith
and 10 say 20 our souls, in the language OF
Jerome's translation OF the text: sThere
are more with us than with them!"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
King OF Syria. Benhadad H.. dwelling
at Damascus. Same king as sent Naaman
10 Israel TO be healed q Kings 5: 81. He
evidently had "A short memory. -Warred
against, or was warning against, In state
OF war.-Took counsel. The same word
means To plot. 1t IS translated consulted"
at Ps. 50: 3-Shall be my camp Or, shall
be my encamping. This word occurs at Ps.
20: Though host should encamp against
new
Beware. From the Hebrew word mean
Ing to watch or TO keep Adam was put in
the garden "to keep itn-this word occurs i'm
Gen. .: 15.-Pass not Also rendered pass
over or through. So translated at,Numbers
20; 17.-Come down. Joel uses this verb I'm
suggestive way, "Thither cause thy mighty
ones to come down, o, Lord" Joel 3: IL.
Warned. From the word Simplifying to
shine or show light. A pictorially express
sive term.-Saved. A form OF the same
verb translated "beware" " 81. Hence.
doubtless, the curious rendition of the
Douay. See Variations.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
In such and such place shall be my
camp. So the world has often plotted
| against the church OF Christ. Here let us
a. aYnn hnr laf ne Ia nttra ,i,trah
Is the history OF SINS antagonsm through
out the centuries. But God has interviewed
betimes, and the enemy has been circum-
vented and disappointed in his insidious
designs. Even those ambuscades that have
seemed 10 succeed, where cruel hearts have
wrought sad havoc I'm blood, have turned
presently 10 the helping OF the cause OF
Christ and the worsting OF the emissaries OF
Satan. St Bartholomew was bad. but
worse, terribly worse, for the church OF
Rome than for the church OF Christ. Satan
was himself taken in the trap which he had
laid, and Catholic France Is still staggering
to-day over the blow she there dealt her
self. There were sly plottngs in the early
years OF Americas discovery and settle
ment about making the new world a camp
for the minions OF the Pope. Yea, more
than once the plot has been formed; IL is
forming again to-day. But we trust in a
God that warns and saves not once nor twice.
VIII ye not show me which of US is for the
king OF Israel? Is there an enemy In the
camp? Or why is il that, in spite OF nice
plottngs and clever designs against the
Lords elect. the trap is never sprung or, If
sprung, the bird is not inside the barsI Yes,
there Is some one for Israel. but not "of us.n
So says the servant. "None, my Lord, o,
King; but Elishan-ah, now we have it, that
Elisha, the king had forgotten him. There
was some one who, though afar of, could tell
the very whsperings OF the king OF Syria In
his bed-chamber. There is an Eye that
never slumbers, an Ear that never grows
dull of hearing. He knoweth our thoughts
afar on We can hide nothing from him
And, I'm "A sense, there Is something @of usn
| that is for God and the right No man has
ever been able to rid himself OF conscience,
that little monitor OF God within the soul,
rebuting, disturbing, disrupting "Eterni-
ty.n cried the young French nobleman, ed
ucated in skepticism "When wake and
when / sleep, | hear the voice, Eternity,
eternity" Said aq infdel to his friend,
"There is one thing that mars all the
pleasure OF my life-I am afraid the Bible
is true" The Book is for the King OF Israel
Go and spy. The world will ape the
prophets power Where he reads by the
revelation of God IL will ago and spy.n
Let IL do its best; the very eyes with which
| ii sees shall be turned i'm upon themselves
| In utter blindness. Just when they had eye
| and hand upon the prophet Of God, their
keenness failed them, and they were led, as
InOu1n DllnuIOlus luIO the HlluSI OF Gdfnafld.
| SO does the Lord Smite those who with
wicked hearts come peering into his hiding
places OF power. On the other hand. sec
| what God does with the eyes OF his people.
| He opens their organs OF vision and says:
| Go see. and behold darkness is turned To
| light and weakness to strength. Truly the
| light Is Gods and these instruments OF
| sight are his. lie turneth them WHITTIER
soever he will. Lord, take these eyes OF
ours, cleanse. quicken, sanctify. Make
them to look heavenwise rather than
carthwise.
Alas. my master, how shall we do? 1t is
so easy To say. These carnal minds OF ours
| turn quickly TO fear and our lips to hopeless
complaint. "Alas.n IL Is a common word I'm
the vocabulary OF us all. The sons OF the
prophets were quick TO speak IL. over at
| the opening OF the chapter where the AK
| falls into the water, "Alas. MASTER they
| cry, "for IL was borrowed.n And now, "Alas.
my master, how shall we doYn Or. as Je-
rome renders IL Variations, "Alas, alas,
alas!n Some Of the graduates OF that theo-
| logical seminary at Jericho, or Whereabouts
| seem 90 he still occupying the passionate of
neighboring "churches hereabouts;" that is,
| il the adage alike priest like people, be
correct The hosts OF Europe seem To be let
| loose upon us--they throng our cities they
encompass our churches, like tho armies OF
| the aliens. "Alasn we cry. show shall we
| doIn Do? Why, trust God. Open your eyes,
| as faith enables you to do, through the
| agency OF the word and see the encompass
| ing help OF our God. Who knows but God
| has brought these people here 10 make them
| trophies OF King Emmanuel?
Horses and chariots OF fire. Elisha's por-
! ton Is n goodly one. Worthy successor he
OF the prophet OF fire. Was Elijah given "A
chariot OF fire? Elijah Is given many.
| @The mountain was full OF horses and
| charlots OF fire around about Elisha Aud
| now we understand that verse In the mar
lsrf., ..fe In hfrlD Inn N Lon MT
| "a shield about me.n Why about meI Be
| cause as we read further, we see that the
| hosta Of the enemy do "set themselves
against me round about The shield
| matches the peril. God has Punishment
| for all our need. Chariots for help. and
| chariots for hindrance; chariots to lift from
earth and chariots to put TO flight the pow
| ers OF sin. The Lords chariotry Is ample.
| his equipment OF lions dwelling places Is
adequate to all our need His many man
! sions stand stocked and stored TO our help
| ing now, as To our supreme refreshing I'm
the Blessed time coming. Why not trust