The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-06-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for june 1S, 1893
Messiah's Kingdom-Mal. 3:1-1a.

Especially Arranged from Peloubets Notes.l
MISSIONARY LESSON.
GOLDEN TEXT.-They shall be Mine, saith
the Lord OF Hosts, in that day when l make
up Ny iewcls.-Mal 3;l7.
JEWISH CONTEMPORARIES Malachi belongs
10 the restoration after the return from the ox-
lie, and evidently during the efforts OF Nehe-
miah 10 reform the nation. See lessons VII
X. Of the first quarter, especially lesson y,
which belongs TO the same time as Malachi
PLACE.-Jcrusalem and vicinity,
PLACE IN BIBLE HISTORY. Malachi CORE
spends with the last chapter Of Nehemiah.
The last chapter Of the Bible history ana the
last chapter of Bible prophecy belong to the
same period Of time
LESSON NOTES.
The Great Need of n Saviour.-After
Nehemiah had carried on his reforms
for twelve years, he returned to Persia.
But no sooner had he left than it was
seen that reformation enforced by
the civil power, rather than the fruit
of individual conviction, had no per-
manent vitality, The tithes due to the
temple, the Levites and the priests
were not delivered, and the greatest
distress was thus caused to all who de-
pended on them for maintenance. Pub
lie worship was thus interrupted, and
the temple, forsaken by its ministers,
was neglected by the people. The Sab
bath was profaned, both in town and
country; wine presses were busy in its
sacred hours. and the roads and fields
dotted with the workers taking sheaves
to the barn on their heavily laden
asses. Jerusalem itself was disturbed
by Sabbath fair, to which loads of
wine, grapes. figs, and much else were
carried in during the sacred hours.
Ph9nician fishermen exposed for sale
their catch off the coasts, and traders
from Tyre displayed their countless
waves After all the professed zeal to
put an end to mixed marriages, things
were rapidly drifting to almost a worse
condition than of old. Not few hus-
bands had deserted their Jewish wives
for Philistine, Ammonite, or Moabite
women.
Thus we realize the deep and per-
vasive moral need of Redeemer from
sin for the Jews. We see their need of
king, great ruler whose laws should
be righteous and should be obeyed,
and who would deliver them from the
power of their enemies, who We're
many and powerful and oppressive on
every side. They did not need tenn
poral king, for even in the Old Tesla
ment the ideal government was re-
public, with God in Heaven as the SUI
preme ruler, and His commandments
for their constitution and laws. But
they needed exactly such a king as
Jesus, the Messiah, and such king
dom as He came to establish.
Missionary Alphabetically the
church needs, and the world needs,
just such King, Saviour, Teacher as
the Jews needed then, and in large
measure for the same reasons.
The Messenger Preparing the Way.
The most ample proof of Gods
fulfllment of His promise to send a
messenger is John the Baptist, OF
whom our Lord bore witness luke
7:2O. Messengers sent before the
eastern kings prepared the way for the
chariots and armies of their monarchs.
A kings highway" had to be carried
through the open land of the wilder
ness, valleys filed up and hills leveled
(the words used are, of course, poetica,
in their greatness), winding by-paths
Strengthened, for the march of the
great army. Interpreted in its spir
itual application, the wilderness was
the world lying in evil.
Missionary Application.--John the
Baptist still goes before the coming
Saviour not only in the experience o
the individual, but also in the expert
ence of the church, preparing the wa.
for Christ's coming in the fullness o
His kingdom. There is ever process
of preparation, in which ~ The val
leys are filled up, the sins of omission
defects of prayer, of love, of work
(2) The mountains of pride. sin, sci
! fshness, unbelief, worldliness ar
levcled. (3) The crooked places
crooked ways of sin, worldly and sci
fish living, the sending of rum, idol
and firearms to the heather, the wick
ed actions of many travellers. the OF
pressions by stronger governments
are made straight az The rougI
places are made plain-the friction
between Christian people, and differ
ent denominations, all temper o
harshness that mar the beauty of holi
ness All the fruits of Christianity
the prosperity and development it pre-
duces in Christian nations, are prepal
ing the way; but most of all tn
Christian graces, the love, and earnest
ness, and devotion.
Coming of the Saviour. Like tn
priest whose duty it was to superb
tend the temple arrangements, an
who might at any moment knock an
demand admittance, He came sudder
" and unexpectedly, no one kne1
, when. The rabbis say: Sometime
He came at the cock-crowing, somt
, times little earlier, sometimes a Ii
tie later. He came and knocked, an
they opened to Him. Then said II
unto them: All We who have washed
come and cast lots, i. G., for the priv
+ ilege of ministering in the daily ser'
, ice. The actual coming of the Messia
, was unexpected to the Jews; they di
i, not recognize Him when He came. II
was with them before they knew i
: He came to His temple because II
:, came to the Jews, of whom the tempt
. was the central thought and powe
. He came to fulfill the religion whic
:, was tvpifed by the temple and i