The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-09-16

/
INTRODUCTORY.
IL Is "the shepherd of the Sheep that Is
| brought into distinct portrayal here. May
! the form and face be clearly deserted.
What want the sheep but a shepherd,
shepherd? Long enough they have
sought pasturage at the will of hlrelings
and aliens. . TO see them come, called by
this lesson, To the shepherd himself! May
many an estray catch vision and voice
after the plaintive song OF the South
| land, as:
"De Massa Oh de sheepfold.
Dat guards de sheepfold bin.
Goes down froo de gloomerin' meadow
Where dc long night rain begin;
Goes down froo de glmmerin' rainpaf
Where de sleet fa's piercin' thin,
| And he lets down de bars oh de sheepfold,
| Calm sof, Come In, come in
| Calm sof', Come in. come in"
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
Verify, verify. Introducing an eXtraor-
| binary statement-Unto you Jesus Is
| still addressing the Jews at Jerusalem -
| The door, or the gate.-Sheepfold. First
| meaning, an unroofed enclosure.-Climb-
| eth up. The verb means simply to go up,
| or ascend. Analysis Is from this same
word.-Thief, from the verb to deceive.
-Robber, from tho verb, to plumber.
The shepherd Better, a shepherd, !. O..
| the usual conduct Of n shepherd. The word
| shepherd is associated with the verb, to
| feed.
To him. Creek, 10 this one.-Porter or
| gateman. Same root as door. above in v. 1.
-Calleth, the word implies "A loud or
| sonorous call. 1t is the same as the word
voice in the line above
His own. Greek, all his own.-Before
| them. strong word, in front OF them.
KNOW his voice, Better, his call, the
| same word used twice in the verse before
(@voice,D "callethn).
| stranger. One who Is other, such the
| simple significance OF the Greek. - Not
the voice. Again call would graphically
| convey the sense; same word In VS..
and above.
Parable. Rather, proverb, n saying.
| Literally, by-word, from n comp ,und OF by
and the way This Is not the word para
| bola, usually rendered parable -Spake
unto. Or talked, as IL so accustomed to
address them
Then. Better, therefore See Variations.
Door of the sheep, In the sense OF
for the sheep, /. O., belonging to them.
All that ever Ever is omitted in the
Revision and Bible Union. But some such
bistributive seems to be implied in the
Greek osoi, all, as many as-Befo me.
Omitted In Tischendorf. 1t is, after all,
not needed. -Hear. In the sense of heed,
but the same word used throughout this
narrative The sheep are picturesquely
sketched as feeding on without listening to
the false call.
Even so. Better. and. The Revision fol-
lows the Greek here in connecting this d.
roctly with the verse before anime know
me, as the Father knows me and know the
Father" Triple knowledge like the triple
unity of John, 17:21, which see.--Lay
down. Same word translated giveth In v.
IL, but why not rendered by the same word
in the English?
Not of the fod. lie was speaking to the
Jews.-Brng. Or conduct Margin, lead,
i. e.. with shepherd care and guidance
And one shepherd. Better with and omitted.
See Variations. This may simply refer to
the breaking down of the avail OF parti-
ton" between Jews and Gentiles, Eph. 2:14.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
For they know his voice Better still:
They know his call. You have tried it
yourself, perhaps, at the farm. Your voice
rang out quite Justify and you threw all the
persuasion possible into your tones, but the
sheep and horses grazed right on unmind-
full OF your summons. Then the good
farmer himself lifted his voice. and at the
first cry every head was up and presently
the animals were all about you, rubbing
their necks against you. The secret, this:
they knew the call of the master And so
does the world.
am the door Of the sheep. There Is q
door for the sheep-let them know it, door
especially fitted and fashioned for them.
Have they been trying other ways? 1t has
been a vain, troublous and tiresome effort.
Pride fails TO find entrance, self-trust Is
deceitful, work. righteousness discovers no
entering place. But to the meek and lowly
door opens wide right in front of them.
and over 1t is written, "Come unto me all
we that labor and are heavy laden. and
will give you rest.n Weary. worried sheep,
there is door expressly for you. and it is
this moment wide open. Enter.
Go In and out. In the original IL is, go
in and go out, and 1t is well TO mark the
emphasis. 1t is DR.. A. j. Gordon, is 1t not
who notes here the freedom that belongs to
the people OF God, freedom OF exit as we'll
as OF entrance. freedom to labor as we'll as
TO rest? For what Is our fold but "a tarry-
ing place where we may gather strength
for each days duties In the service OF
souls? This is our liberty Of the sheepfold
q liberty, indeed, of the Spirit, since it
goes about to do the Spirits work. Learn,
in Chrlsts name, TO go out as we'll as to
so In
am come that they might have life, and
that they might have 1t moro abundantly.
For this, o Lord, thou art come; thou art
already come; thou art already here. Then
i have not far to go for salvation. The
wide space betwixt sin and holiness, betwixt
] weakness and strength, betwixt ignorance
and wisdom has been crossed by thee.
Mine is but a step. Nay, child, ait is only
that you look and live" / am come, sweet
/ words. Then let me just rest in thee,
blessed Shepherd and the work is done. No,
not fully, "still there's more to follow "
For il is not life only, but abundant life
that / am to have, life that overflows so
that there is enough for me and for my
neighbor too; yes, twelve baskets full
after | have had sufficient Is It for this
that thou contest TO me, my Master? Then
let me be satisfied with nothing less Come.
Lord Jesus, even so, come!
/ lay down my life for the sheep. We
show the strength of our enlistment in any
enterprise by what we invest In it. Here
is one who invests, lays down, his life. We
! prove our devotion TO our friends by what
we cast into the scale OF friendship. Here
is one who places his life at the disposal of
those who are his. Surely the shepherd
loves the sheep. There can be no doubt OF
that The only question; Do the sheep love
the shepherd? or. rather Are they so near
TO him as to learn his love?
"Oh dearly, dearly has he loved,
And we must love him, too;
And trust In his redeeming blood,
And try his works to do"
Noxf lesson rtarIv Raviaw Mis-