Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-02

n Pleasant, Interesting and Instructive
Lesson and Where 1t May He fOund-A
Learned and Concise Review ef the
Same.
The lesson for Sunday, April s, may be
found In Kings 2: 1-l6.
INTRODUCTORY.
We enter with this Sunday upon another
quarters lessons from the Old Testament.
Through these three months we shall con-
fine ourselves to the days OF the kings, days
full OF picture lessons for the church OF
God. The lessons In this part of the Bible
Will close Juno 81 with @The Captivity of
Judah.n Then we shall turn to the gospel
OF John. The Scripture for to-day Is long,
but it seems necessary TO give the whole
stirring narrative of Israers dellverance.
II one of the scholars would recite Byron's
"The Assyrlan came down like "a wolf on
the fold, /" 1t would add TO the interest.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
The word of the Lord. Rather than Eli
sha's word, which the king. at frst seemed
TO demand.-A measure. Hebrew, Seah,
one and a half English pecks.-Two meas
ures. One word, double measure, like the
English 9two-pence.p The seah is one
third OF an ephah which Is next to the
largest Jewish dry measure "a homer).-
Shekel. Literally a weight. three-fourths
OF an ounce, equal TO from 55 to go cents
Called also "Stater." See Variations
Gate. The open space near by making a
convenient market plhCe or even forum or
meeting place. "L9t sat in the gate OF
Sodom.n Gen. 10: 1. Judges sat there.
Deut 16s Is.
A lord. Revision, @captain." Literally,
a third man, 4. e., a chariot warrior, one Of
the three appointed to war chariot one
with the spear, one with the shield, and one
with the lines This was hence, probably,
one OF the royal body guard. Leaned.
The privilege OF the highest Official in the
kings body-guard.-If not In the He
brew. We know of the contemptuousness
of this exclamation mainly through the dis
corning response IL called forth.-Win-
dows, or slulces, as when @the windows OF
heaven (same word) were opened" for the
rain in the days OF the flood (Gen. 2: III,
Margin "hood-gates,) not eat. Note the
contrast between @see" and seat"
Leprous men. Men OF grief. probably
named from the lamentations they lifted.
Entering of the gate. Or as we should
| say, gateway.-Why sit we here? The
1--WE" and "heren are expressively emphatic
In the Hebrew
II. Or whether. Thus: whether we say
we will enter the city.-Fall into. In
confessed weakness The word signifies to
fall as in battle The Dousy translation
here is peculiar. See Variations.--R they
| save us also. The original is very terse and
strong, six words In all. Like, II life, life !;
| IL death, death.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
IL the Lord would make windows In
heaven, might this thing be! 1t is unbelief
| that speaks, incredulous, mocking unbelief.
@Flood gates,n the Douay version says.
| Heavens treasures thrown wide open, the
| courtier scornfully cries. would not be suf-
| hcient He has lost all faith in Gods pow
| er. so he has at last unfaith's reward. "He
| that is filthy (of the earth) let him be filthy
still.n Have care lest that famine
| through which we some time pass, instead
of quickenng our spiritual sight, dull and
harden and kill all that is for hope and
held within us. Keep rather that lofty
| faith and confidence that speaks I'm the
closing prophecy of the Old Testament.
| "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord
| of Hosts, IL will not open you the windows
of heaven. and pour you out blessing
that there shall not be room enough to re-
ceive it.n
And they arose up in the twilight. Africa
| has gotten new name today. They called
| on Thomas Johnson, the advocate of the
| African missions among the colored people,
the other day In a ministers meeting, 10 re-
| port for his church. "My church, he said,
| ais Africa, which you used to call the Dark
| Continent, but which Is now the Twilight
| Continent. / think of 1t and dream OF IL.
| ] carry IL with me wherever l go; ON my
letters, in my hat, the map of Africa seems
written on my heart. o. save my poor neg
| lected home people; for Jesus sake, do not
| give us up"
|
I tidings, and we hold our peace. And the
| day is still on Ours is time OF glad tid-
| ings, and certainly II we hold our peace, we
| do not we'll. Christian America Is peculiar
| ly I'm the situation of those comforted
lepers at the city's gates. To remain quiet.
and selfshly enjoy the gospel joys and
| privileges which ar ours Is to do most lily.
| Says Henry Richards. the Congo missionary:
"There seems tO be great deal of that
Jewish spirit about us. There is no doubt
but that God took the privilege OF preaching
| the gospel away from the Jews because they
refused to do II, and gave IL to the Gentiles
| OF Europe and America, and has opened up
| the world TO them, and IL they do not give
| the world the gospel no doubt God Will
| raise up some other race, and take that
| privilege OF preaching away from them"
| Henry Richards speaks the truth.
Go and tell the kings household. And
| where is the kings household? Wherever
| there are lonely families, stricken souls to
| be helped, wherever there are men and
women to be saved for King Emmanuel.
| John Wesley was seeking them when he
carried the real message OF the gospel into
| students rooms and into humble homes OF
England. George Whitefeld was getting at
| them when he lifted the gospel proclama-
| tion with such rare power under the open
skies of Old and New England and sur
rounded himself with throngs OF colliers
and villagers. The missionary OF the cross
is going to tell the kings household when
he hRstens to the benighted abroad or TO
| the hopeless and neglected of our great
| cities. Wherever we go let us look for the
kings household Say with the great
French General Champlain on his tour of
| discovery and conquest, "These kingdoms
are for God.n
Go and see There are two similar and
| striking texts I'm this lesson, sGo and seen
and GGo and tell.n After we go and see let
us go and tell. Doubtless there was much
| OF unfaith in the heart of the king. He
could scarcely believe such good news.
But he had little faith, and the Lord. who
| Is passing kind to us, takes even the little
| faith and makes it lead to great things.
| All he asks of us is to go and see. Stanley,
as he came across the dark continent for
the first time and met with the pious and
| heroic Livingstone. saw grace displayed
| that put to confusion all his skeptical
notions. Travelling later down the Congo
and meeting with the native Christians at
Banza Manteke, he beheld a work of spirit
ual regeneration that could not be gainsaid
| and to which he gives calm but cordial
| recognition. What Henry Mabie shall say
| TO us of what he has been permitted to ago
| and seen I'm his tour of the missions we cam
| not yet tell. but we are sure that the story
| OF what he now beholds will wonderfully
| thrill the hearts of the brotherhood. The
way full of garments and vessels cast aside.
Yes, and much moro besides.
Next Lesson-GThe Good and EVIL In
Jehu,n2 Kings 10: 1921.
n