The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-02-25
THE sHUNAMMITE's SON.
international Sunday-School Lesson (,
March 1, 1891.

1ohoEN lEXr-Ihe Father raiseth up the
dead, and quicseneth them.--John 5:sl. -,l5'I
CENTRAL misunderstanding TO your faith 4:
shall be done unto you.
TIaE-Bctweon S90s64 b. c.. ~
PLAcE-shunem, now Solam, three miles and
half north of Jezreel. and seventeen from
Mount Carmel whore Elisha was at this time,
probably holding lncJ lays for instruction and
worship. The place VS. probably where Elijah
had his victory over the prophets Of Baal.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACEs-95 $50 she
wont:" From shuncn to Carmel, II miles,
&C. 1T Is wells Is it pcaccl Aad she en-.
swerod with one word Peace" the common
salutation. 1t meant: An right, never you
mind" %, Did desire SOM" Did ask you
for the gift. Why then does God take back
his free gifty 20. take my STAFF the symbol
OF the prophet, making the bearer his repre-.
sentative, as kings seal or scepter makes the
bearer the kings representative. Salute him
mott" the Oriental salutatons were long, and
there was no time now to stop for them. 80
"And he arose:" Elisha sent Gehazi, probably
because he was engaged in religious services;
but he yields to the mothers persevering
prayer. 81. 1.-THE child is not awaked." the
stan In GehaZfs hands was Of no avail He
was bad man. 1t is probable that Elisha sent
Gehazi, with the expectation that the child
would be restored. But when he set out him
SELF there was no reason for Gehazi's success.
1t would be better for all for the prophet him
self to accomplish his work. 80. And prayed"
Gods best gifts come through prayer. "a. He
lay upon the child" he used the best means
possible, but OF no avail in itself. The per-
sonal contact Of living spiritual heart and life
brings spiritual life to others.
LESSON COMMENTS.
A DEAD CHILD. 1t seems that he
must have been badly sunstruck, for
when he came home to his mother he
fingered only few hours at the
farthest and then died. His poor
mother carried the body up to Elisha's
plain room, and, laying it on the bed,
fastened away to tell the prophet in
the hope, doubtless, that he could help
her in her distress. 1t must have been
sad ride for her, wondering and fear
ing, hoping and dreading the outcome
of her interview with Elisha The dis
lance to Mount Carmel was about
seventeen miles, and she probably lost
no time on the way. AT some point on
on the road Elisha saw her coming and
sent Gehazi, his servant, to meet her
and ask for her welfare. To Gehazi
she did not wish to answer fully, SO she
merely said: "All is well," and pushed
ahead to the very feet Of the prophet.
Elisha saw that there was something
the matter with her, though God had
not revealed to him the cause OF her
trouble. But as soon as she said: "Did
desire son Of my lord?" he guessed
her case and saw that the child was
dead. .t. r Tt4 5h,-,..
GEHAzI's EFFORT. Sent by his mas
ter, he started at once for Shunem Ex-
actly why Elisha sent him first we do
not know, 1t may be he thought that
that would be enough, or it may be that
he expected to follow, and did this
merely to arouse expectant faith in the
heart Of the mother. But whatever his
thought, she gave him no rest until he
himself got up and went with her. In
the meantime GehaA had done rs bid
den, but all in vain. The bodyremained
as dead as ever. 49, ..sl-.s.ss.,. - ,
ELIsHA's EFFORT. Now comes, the
prophet himself, and shuts. the door OF
his room, and prays to God. He lays
himself on the child, and walks once
through the house. Again he stretches
himself on the child, and 10! the boy sits
up and sneezes. Then The prophet calls
for the woman and gives her'son up I'd
her.sdYT /. aLarrbo{ siSosS'sf l%is =
OF allsure things in the world, death
is thu ,surest. Death, or the fear OF
death, brings much n sorrow into the
world. In New York, to-day there are
over one hundred homes where the fear
Of death sits dark and foreboding, and,
before another ,tWentyz.four hours. ore
over, this fear: will have been realized
in those hundred homes But besides
these, there are many unhappy homes
where some dear one lies sick, where
they, are full oi anxiety for the loved
one, and know no rest, day q night,
lest the messenger of death should soor
break the door open. There is hardly
. scholar in this class, whO hes not suf
fered from this fear, in his own case
When. the fever begins, or the sore
throat sets in, or strong pain arises, we
begin to fear lest this be the precursor
OF death. Many persons are oil thei,
lives long in a kind of bondage through
this same fear, And whether we fear
It or no, it is sure to come in the end,
| DOES DEATH END ALL? Some people
say it, does. But, they contradict thu
Word Of God, which says that deatf
does not end all. The resurrections thai
we have been considering are a kind o.
prophecy that death does not cpd all
and the resurrection of Christ is a proc
that it is not the end of human lives
We read in the Word Of God that thu
day is coming in which all that are II
their graves shall hear The voice OF Ii.
Son of God and shall come forth. Deatl
Is a transition from life in this world t.
life of another, kind in the other world
Death ends our experiences here, bu
begins them in another realm.
NEED WE FEAR DEATH? That de
ponds. Upon what does it depend
Upon the way in which we have livet
In this world. The true believer neet
not fear death at all, for he Is sure OF /,
glorious resurrection at the great day
But the soul that has rejected the Lor'
Jesus in this world should fear death q
the most dreadful thing that can hap
pen to him. For those who are not tn
children of the Lord Jesus, while the.
too will rise, will rise to shame an
everlasting confusion. Tho sting o
death is sin,-but thanks be to God
who gives to his children the victor.
through the Lord Jesus Christ.-Rey
| L Soharillar n u