The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-12-28

POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Begin right. 1t was Cyrus first
year" at Babylon, and he opened his
career there by doing the first things
first-a good beginning.
Cyrus was stirred up" OF the Lord TO
do it, Suppose he had gainsaid and
postponed. 1t is an awful thing to re-
sist the strivings OF the Almighty. There
is nothing more notwithstanding in the
world of to-day than to behold the prev
alent indifference 10 spiritual impress
sions and propulsions. Every good inn
pulse withstood becomes a smooth paw
lng-stone on the way to eternal death.
Back of all was the word OF the
Lord. Here jeremiah: Thus saith
the Lord. that after seventy years be
accomplished / will visit you; and per-
form my good word toward you, in
causing you to return to this place. For
| know the thoughts that think toward
you saith the Lord, thoughts OF peace
and not of evil, to give you an expected
end" And did we think evil OF thee, o
God? Forgive us. Let us now fall in %
the hands of the Lord; his mercy en-
dureth.
Who is there among you?' IL is still
q selective as well as elective call.
There is yet but remnant of the rem
nant that seem purposed to do Gods eX
press bidding, "Multitudes, multitudes
i'm the valley OF decision few. indeed,
out OH the hill-tops of endeavor. Who
will return to-day for revival blessings
to the hill OF the Lord? The call con-
tinues TO go forth even an ongst his
people,. "Ho, every one that thirsteth
come ye TO the waters. 1t is for those
that long for it; it is still a voluntary
matter Zion, in its beauty, is for thos o
who have beauty in their hearts; the
Lord for the Lords.
40 who is there among us, the true and the
tried,
Who'll stand by his Captain-who's On the
Lords side?"
Helped-lifted up is the Hebrew of it
with silver, and with gold, and with
goods" is the man who steps out on
Gods way Why not? The gold and
silver, the cattle on thousand hill
are the ] ord s, and we know that all
things work together for good to them
that love God "a bless ed conspiracy
for advancement on the road to Zion.
Yes, even the apparent calamities help
out and lift up, for "tribulation worketh
patience" and that sometimes is our
greatest need, and its coming Cor
greatest blessing to us. Let us be
careful to read this passage at verse
four Alright. The word remain
means surviveth, and refers to all the
Jews let from the long captivity. The
gifts were not for those VINO indolently
stayed behind, but for those who cour-
ageously went forth. Where else, in
deed, does blessing lie? And Jacob
went on his way, and the angels Of { cd
met him" The kings laden messengers
are to be found on the kings highway.
1t was all done by men whose spirit
God had raised" True enough. it takes
a raised people TO secure for us raised
walls. Jerusalem had to be first builded
i'm their hearts within. ere it ST God forth
fair again on the hills and in the eyes OF
the nations. AS man thinketh in his
heart SO is he"--and so does he. But it
is well TO note here that in the original
this is precisely the same expression
that is used in the first verse regarding
Cyrus, there translated. and more
closely, stirred up" Cyrus was stirred
up to send and the people were stirred
40 to go. Thus God accomplishes his
blessed purposes. The preacher or
teacher, who plays usually the Cyrus
part in the new and charging work of
or nothing without a people or class re-
sponsive to his spirit.
Bring forth tho hidden vessels, the
chargers of silver and Of gold that have
been out of sight so long. Our property
is much greater than any Of us suppose.
There is much unrevealed as yet, while
we remain in languid. captive condition.
Where are those basins of gold" 1--WE
have. for. Doth, been using pewter long
enough? Where are those basins OF
second sort four hundred and ten, and
other vessels thou .and?" Yes, and
look up the nine and twenty knives,
of which we have heard but the rumor.
There is use Tor all the Lord s furnish
ing in the blessed enlargement OF Zion.
Believe it. children OF God, the Lord is
on our side. Things seen and things
unseen are ours, as we own him and
claim them with a royal faith, in his
name. The stars in their courses
fought against Sisera when he was
against God. The earth helped the
woman who was for God Walk with
him. Mundane assistance, celestial
epduement, things present and things
to come, all are yours; and ye are
Christs, and Christ is God s."
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
There is no better way TO study the
lesson than by beginning at the bottom
and building from the ground up: Cd
Ga her the facts. p Put them to-
gether. 60 Draw the conclusions.
Consequently. make your own Undue
tive study. To this end it would be
well, first, TO read the lesson straight
through as it stands, then, dividing the
Scripture up into convenient parts,
study the separate verses or portions.
getting the meaning OF en- Ii word and
following out, by side read ny and COM
parison of Scripture with Scripture, the
historical illusions. At this point take
a pencil and set down the essential
facts ascertained. Then, forming a
mental IMAGE of the whole, state the
one central lesson of the Scripture in a
single proposition. Finally, and this
will always prove the most interesting
and perhaps most profitable part OF the
class exercise, call up the subsidiary
lessons, text by text and point by point.
Next Lesson" Rebuilding the Tenn
pie. Ezra 3: 1-13.
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