The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-03-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Review-Scripture Lesson-Isa. 1l;1, 2,
o; 1858, 4; 1884, 3; 55:1, O, ]; der. 31;33
"a; Eek. 36:25-21.

htNteW-SCfiptuTt LtsSOn-ibAa lisIt
o; 1858. 4; 53;4. 3; 55:1, o, !; der. 31;33,
"a; Eek. 36:25-21.
Especially Arranged from S. S. QUARTERLY
LESSON FOR MARCH 90 1892.
GOLDEN TEXT Seek ye the Lord while He
may be found. call ye upon Him while He is
neGr.-Isa. IS %.
CENTRAL TRUTH-God uses every means
10 save men from sin.
THE review is one OF the most dificult and
yet, when well DONE one OF the most important
and interesting lessons in the quarter II is
not a mere going over the separate lessons as
so many distinct subjects, with few remarks
on each. 1t is necessary to look at the section
OF history we have been studying, as whole,
TO obtain "a clear idea of its facts, its tenden-
cies and its teachings. To study rocks and
water ana trees and flowers is one thing. 1t
is another to see them together as landscape.
1t is not possible to get all there is for US to
learn unless we study in both ways]
ISAIAH prophesied from 700 to 697.
JEREMIAH prophesied from 623 to 5s6
EZEKIEL prophesied from 500 ST..
THE CENTRAL EVENT was the destruction Of
Jerusalem, BIC. 5S5, and the seventy years
captivity 605,530
THE CAUSE of the event vas the idolatry and
wickedness of the people.
WARNINGS and entreates were sent by the
prophets. They saw Samaria fall for its SINS
and the sister kingdom blotted out (722). They
were besciged by Sennacherib and brought to
the verge of destruction COD, and then were
delivered in q marvellous manner The final
destruction came by degrees There were three
sieges by Nebuchadnezzar 1905, 5SS-586). God
gave great promises through the prophets.
THE END OF THE WAY was reached, Jeru.
salem and the temple destroyed, the kingdom
depopulated. 1t was the only way in which
there could be a spiritual temple and true
people of God The tree was cut down to en-
able fresh shoot to spring up.
PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.
THE DOWNWARD WAY. In each of
the three prophets we have studied are
statements of the people, and a clear
showing that sin would end in destruc-
ton.
THE METHODS GOD USED TO SAVE THE
PEOPLE. Warnings by the three proph-
cts. The effect of sin on others, Lesson
I'LL; foretastes of the fruits of sin, Les
son w., VIII; gratitude for signal de-
liverance, Lesson l., w.; promises and
hopes, Lesson L., H., VI, VII, XI.;
great Redeemer, Lesson l., "; pressing
invitations, Lesson VI; the slow on
coming of the punishment, giving time
for repentance.
THE THREE PROPHETS. Isaiah, Jere-
miah, Ezekiel, and the work that each
of them did. The cost to themselves.
Their apparent failure, but real sue
cess. Still preaching. How much
worse their people and the world would
have been without them.
The END OF THE WAY. The destruc-
ton of Jerusalem, Lesson X. The ex-
lie of Gods people. Because in no
other way could the spiritual Jerusa-
lem, all that the walled city and tenn
Pile stood for, be preserved; in no other
way could the people of God in name
become the people of God in spirit and
in life. The tree was cut down, that a
new shoot might grow.
VISIONS OF Hope. The most wonder
full thing about the prophets is that
even in the worst times they did not de-
spair, but from the deepest darkness
they had visions of hope and glory. AL
most every lesson contains these bright
CLEANS. Note how large and broad the
view is. 1t touched the immediate times,
but looked far beyond. One fulfllment
was the type and promise of larger
fulfllment. The fact of what has been
is the assurance of what will be.
Mr.. Ruskin, in his Modern Painters,
/ tells us that the black mud or slime
from foot-path in the outskirts of q
manufacturing town-the absolute type
of impurity-is composed of four ele-
ments-clay, mixed with SCOT, little
sand and water. These four may be
separated each from the other The
clay particles, left to follow their own
instinct of unity, become clear, hard
substance, so set that it can deal with
light in wonderful way, and gather
out of it the loveliest blue rays only,
refusing the rest. We call it then a
sapphire. The sand arranges itself in
mysterious, infinitely parallel lines,
which reflect the blue, green, purple
and red rays in the greatest beauty.
| We call it then an opal. The SCOT be-
comes the hardest thing in the world,
and for the blackness it had obtains the
power of rejecting all the rays of the
sun at once in the widest blaze that
any solid thing can shoot. We call it
then diamond. Last of all, the water
/ becomes a dewdrop, and a crystalline
star of snow. Thus God can, and does,
reform the vilest sinners into pure and
shining jewels tit for his home in
Heaven. Thus can he change the
earthly, the frail and the decaying, in
to the heavenly, the immortal, the glo-
rious. Thus that which is sown in
weakness may be raised in power; that
which is sown in dishonor may be
raised in glory; that which is sown a
natural body may be raised spiritual
body, bearing the likeness and the
! glory of the Divine Redeemer. Let
those who wander in a desert land re.
joice in hope of the kingdom and the
glory that awaits them in the ages to
come.-H. L, Hastings, in The Chris.
/ tian.
LESSONS FROM THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAH.
/. Sin is the sure road to ruin.
.. There is no escaping from the ruin
without forsaking the sin.
8. The end comes slowly to give mo-
tive and opportunity for repentance,