Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where 1t May Be found-A
Learned and Concise Review of the
Same
Christ the True Vine.

The lesson for Sunday, Nov. 1, may
be found in John IS: JIG.
INTRODUCTORY.
Now that the grain and the fruits OF
the field are safely housed, it is we'll for
us to take into consideration spiritual
fruitfulness, We have come, indeed. to
the harvest of the year, religiously
speaking, and it is for us to clearly know
that God rejoices in returns from his
fields where truth is sown no less than
does the bowman over his reward. May
the days Just before us be rich in bounti-
full ingathering of souls.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS
True vine. Not so much genuine vine
as truth vine; e., Vine of truth -
Husbandman. Originally, til|er of soil
georges, from which oar name George).
Branch. Or twig. Even the sma. t.
-Taketh away. Or, lifteth away, of
q careful removal.-Purgeth Or,
cleanseth. From this word Qkathairo)
our cathartic.
Now. Better, already.-Clean. Same
word as purgeth, in the verse before
Abide. Or, remain (meno).- Can
not. Greek, is not Except it
abide. Or, if it does not abide.--Ex-
cept We abide. Or, if we do not abide.
So the simple Greek.
Ye are the branches More expressive
with italics omitted, thus: l am the
vine, ye the branches. THE same. Or,
this one-Without me. Greek: Apart
from me (choris). CT "Faith without
works" (Jas 2: 2O).
Cast forth. A strong expression: cast
without (exo). Withered. Dried up.
The generous sap and juices gone
Gather Same word translated syna-
gogue, which, indeed. is direct trans
liberation from the Greek.
My words. Greek, rama, declaration.
-Ye shall ask Or ask. Imperative.
See Variations.
So shall ye be my disciples. The
Greek has simply the connective, kai, 1.
g., and ye shall be my disciples.
Hath loved. Aorist tense, loved. OF
one particular point in time, probably
referring to the expression of that eter-
nal love.-Have loved? Aorist again..
Did Ilove?-Continue. Same word as
abide. VS.. 4, z, etc.
Keep. A military term. Guard
Abide. Same as continue in the pre-
ceding verse, with which it is closely
connected.
Spoken. Or talked, in intimate and
oft-renewed intercourse. - Remain.
Rather, be, exist.--Full. Filled up.
An active verb.
Commandments; i. e., By way OF pre-
.ept, instruction, rule.--Have loved,
Aorist Indicative, loved,
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Herein is my Father glorifed, that ye
bear much fruit. Growth in grace is,
important, indeed, essential 1t is part
OF the divine glory. God falls short Of
I, Al, ho
faithful. And herein lives our hope Of
Advancement. God whose glory is to fill
earth and sky has ordained Christian
fru tage as a part OF that glory. And it
is to be abundant fruitfulness. See the
order OF progress. First we read of no
fruit, and presently of much fruit
Surely Heaven loves iruitage Why not?
1t is here put as but another word for
fellowship: $50 shall We be my disciples.
Continue in my love. How? The
way is plain. "If We keep my command
ments We shall abide (continue) in my
love All, then, this book of the law
will help me- Lamp and light it is in
deed. "Words of eternal life" these are,
for they keep in the love of the Eternal.
Mark the possessive pronoun here. It
fellowship with the Father. And he
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that trod by his own loyal feet. "Even
as have kept my Fathers command
-ments,: he says. And it is the Same
love, too. "My love" "his love-" such is
our love. Ours, indeed, when the prayer
is fulfilled "Thy will be done on earth
as it is (done) in heaven"
Lay down his life. 1t is the supreme
test How much are you willing to lay
down for those you love? Is it your
all, your life? Then love is supreme.
"As have loved you," Christ has been
saying. How much did he love? To
the cross, to the laying down of his life.
Now, how much are we to love in re-
turn? The same, that is, the same SO
far as our life reaches. He does not
know real love who does not give his
whole heart, whole life. Have you laid
down portion OF your time, a portion
of your property, portion of your
strength? A portion is naught. Lay
down your life, all you have, all you
are. Here only is love-
Henceforth l call you not servants
Ours is new relationship since Christ
has come In Cid Testament days the
attitude of the people OF God was more
that of servants They knew not save
in part the mind of the Lord. Even the
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"knoweth not what his Lord doeth
But now we are in the dispensation O.
Holy Spirit We toll and strive nj
} longer in darkness Christ, the light O.
the world, has come, and God hath re
veaed I'm us by his Spirit things be
, fore only hoped and longed for. Ours t,
commune with God through the Spirf
} and the word. We are hr. SITS friends.
What ;oever We shall ask. Frazer is o
d vine appointment God desires t,
bless US. and that richly. Indeed it i
for this that we are ordained and sen
forth, that we should be the residen o
heavens power. asking and re eivin,
; of the wealth of God. In fact this, il
itself, is fruit No man prays etfectual
, ly who does not there show the work O
Cod in his soul, and his very prayer
fruitage of Gods planting. "Fear not
, little flock; it is the Fa hers good pleas
| ure to give you the kingdom"
Next week-"The Work of the Hol
, Spirit" John IS: 1-15.
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