Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-09-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.

a Scholarly Exposition of the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy Of Calm Reflection
Half an Hours Study OF the Scriptures
Time Well Spent.
Christ the Good Shepherd.
The lesson for Sunday, Sept go. may be
found In John 10: 1-16.
INTRODUCTORY.
1t is ssthe shepherd of the Sheep that is
brought into distinct portrayal here May
the form and face be clearly deserted.
what want the sheep but shepherd.
shepherd? Long ). enough they have
sought pasturase at the will of hirelings
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:
ode Massa OBJ de sheepfold
Dat guards de sheepfold bin,
Goes down froo de gloomerin' meadow
Where de long night rain begin;
Goes down froo de glimmerin' rainpaf
Where de sleet fa's piercin' thin.
And be 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.
word.-Thief, from the verb to deceive.
--Robber. from the verb, to plumber.
The shepherd. Better, shepherd. l. O..
the usual conduct of a shepherd. The word
shepherd is associated with the verb, to
feed.
10 him. Greek. to this one-Porter %
gateman. Same root as door. above In " L.
-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
(svoice," "calleth").
A stranger. One who is other, such the
simple significance of the Greek.-Not
the voice. Again call would graphically
| convey the sense; same word as In vs.. :
and above.
Parable. Rather, proverb, saying.
Literally, by-wOrd, from compound OF by
and the way. This is not the word para
bola. usually rendered parable-spake
unto Or talked, as if so accustomed to
address them.
Then. Better, therefore See Variations
door of the sheep In the sense 90
for the sheep, i. c., belonging to them.
All that ever. Ever, is omitted in the
Revision and Bible Union But some such
| distributive seems to be implied in the
Greek osoi, ALL as many as-Before 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
sSetched as feeding on without listening to
| the false call.
Even so Better. and The Revision fol-
lows the Greek here in connecting this df-
| ractly with the verse before: anime know
| me, as the Father knows me and know the
Father.n Triple knowledge like the triple
unity Of John, 17:21, which see.--Lay
down. Same word translated giveth in v.
III, but why not rendered by the same word
in the English:
Not of the fold. He was speaking to the
Jews.-Bring. Or conduct Margin, lead,
l. 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 "wall 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 1t
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 grazeG 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.
lam 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 ways2 1t has
been vain, troublous and tiresome effort
Philosophy is not q door; neither is culture
Pride fails to find entrance, self-trust is
entering place. But to the meek and lowly
door opens wide right in front of them.
and over it is written, "COme unto me all
we that labor and are heavy laden. and
will give you restn Weary. worried sheep.
there is door expressly for you, and 1t is
this moment wide open. Enter.
Go in and out In the original it is. go
in and go out, and it Is we'll to mark the
emphasis. 1t is DR.. A. J. Gordon, is it 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 tarry-
ing place where we may gather strength
for each days duties in the service of
souls? This is our liberty of the sheepfold,
liberty. indeed, of the Spirit, since it
goes about to do the Spirits work. Learn,
in Christ's name. 10 go out as we'll as to
go in.
am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more abundantly.
already come; thou art already here. Then
1 have not far to 80 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 step. Nay, child, sit is only
that you look and live" l 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 it is not life only. but abundant life
that am to have, life that overfiows &c
that there is enough for me and for my
neighbor too; yes. twelve baskets full
after have had sufficient. Is 1t for this
; that thou contest to me, my Master? Then
let me be satisfied with nothing less. Come
Lord Jesus, even so. come!
1 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 80 neal
to him as to learn his love?
ooh, dearly, dearly has he loved.
And Wa must love him too.