The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-01-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant, Interesting. and Instructive
Lesson and Where 1t May he found-A
Learned and Concise Revicw Of the
Same.
A Song of Salvation.

singing religion. The angels who chant
ed their hymns at Bethlehem tell us of
the spirit OF that rart of the triumphant
host OF God who are above Why should
not we who are below, yet more greatly
blessed than these "ministering spirits"
lift our voices in 10 Gus chorus? 1t is an
Cd s3ng, but always new, new w tn the
continuing mercies Of an ever watchful
God. If as teachers in the Sunday
school we can get some new barps strung
| to day to these sweet measures, happy
are we, happier than angels.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
In that day. The day OF Gods venge-
ance on his enemies and deliverance Of
his people prophesied in the chapter
preceding.-A strong city. Hebrew,
a city OF strength for us-Salvation.
! See the peculiar translation Of the
! Douay here. 1t Is In large part direct
trans iteration of the Hebrew. The
/ King James version, however, seems on
the whole preferable.
Righteous nation Literally, nation Of
/ righteousness or justce.--The truth.
| Plural In the Hebrew Truths, l. @ f., the
! principles of truth; in other words,
! practicing truth in all the life.
In perfect peace. Hebrew, peace, peace
! A difficult passage. The margin is more
d
it is: frame sustained, thou framest
peace, peace, 1. e., the mind that leans
on God grows in God ace
/ Forever A peculiar Hebrew idiom,
duration and duration. Like our ever
and ever. On and on accurately and
graphically renders it--Lord Jeho-
! yah. Hebrew, Jah Jehovah, the keep
ing God. This word comes from the
verb for being, living; CT Supreme Be-
! ing .-Everlasting strength. Literal
! ly, rock Of eternities. from this the
expression, 70 k of ages.
Bringeth down. Literally, retRroeth,
| reduceih, t. O., to their native dust, all
! are by nature To the dust Earth's
destination apart from God.
! Will he deal uniustly? Reminding Of
the solemn declaration at Rev. %: IL.
will not behold. The Douay uses
it as a threat: lie shall not see the
glory OF the Lord.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Salvation will God appoint for walls
and bulwarks That is what the ser.
want Of the prophet saw when TIE Lord
opened his eyes and let him behold the
mountain around about "ful of horses
and of charto;s. Salvation for a wall.
| How blessed the encompassment! 1t is
what David Is thinking of when he says
in lordly boldness: 81 will not be afraid of
ten thousands OF people that have set
themse YES against me round about"
| Why? Because of the defense that Is
his; for he has just said: But thou,
Lord, art a shield about me-" Margin
Salvation for a bulwark. Why should
he be afraid? Beset behind and before,
rearward and foreward; God every
where. Gas the mountains are around
about Jerusalem so tn, Lord is rou d
about his people from henceforth even
forever "
Open we the gates. Penteco. t, At last
the gates are open! And even then it
was not Israel that threw the door wide
open to the world; it was the Spirit, and
yet other overwhe ming visitations must
he make before even the apostles of our
| Lord have learned to open them wide
and leave them open for Gentle as well
as Jew. They were long while coming
| to the truth of free salvation. SO are
| we. But you say the gates are all wide
| open. No; there are shut gates all
about US to-day. Bars and hindrances
there are that keep the world back
social bars, ecclesiastical bars, creedal
bars. Why not try Gods way and make
his the only condition # entrance?
"Open we the gates that the righteous
nat on which keepeth % truth may en-
ter in"
Perfect peace. What is perfect
peace?" 1t is just peace. "reace.
peace" says the record, as IL nothing
better could be said. 1t reminds me OF
that bit Of meaningful tauto;ogy at the
opening of Psalm 81: ale that dwell
eth in the secret place Of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow Of tho Al
mighty" AS much as to say, he that
would abide must-just abide That is
al, and that Is much Tow shall rest
when / lay me down upon the couch?
by struggling for 1t, thinking about it,
tossing about seeking for it? No, by
simply resting There the child ceased
fretting anJ turning, the eyes have
closed, the limbs lie unconstra ned, the
spirit resigned, the child is at last
asleep. know Of no other way to tet
peace, Gods peace. There. pillow your
head, your poor tired heart, on Cod.
Now whatever is Gods is yours-his
peace.
When thy judgments are In the earth
the inhabitants OF the world will learn
righteousness have just been reading
over again that beautiful prophecy of
Isaiah at the forty second chapter: "Be-
hold my servant whom i uphold" l
have always been so del gifted with the
first part Of the passage, with its &C.
cents Of gentleness and forbearance, that
1 could get no further. This: "IIe shall
not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice
to be heard In the street A bruised
reed shall he not break" etc. So beau
tiful, so true. But read on: al have
been sill and refrained MYSELF now
will cry like q Travelling woman: will
destroy and devour at once" So fearful,
so true. / be ieve it-if people per-
sistently scorn Coils goodness and mer-
cy they pres ntly bring down upon them
selves the wrath of Cod against sin.
And then indeed there are schooling
days for men. There may be such times
ahead for this scoffing nation: and for
many blasphemous community, many
! a careless soul within the bord RS.
Next Lesson. -"Overcome with Wine +"
| Isa 25: lila.
pksr-nArr olova hoe haov inyoo,o1