The National tribune., 1893-12-07
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study of the international Sunday
School LesseSolAppointed for Dec.
IL 1902 II adj

School LesseSOlAppointed for Dec.
| II, 1893. q sdj
Subject: The GIorified Savior. rev., 1920.
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated above.l fs' ~
IssffRobtcrroN.
| Christ said. Search the Scriptures The
| world has found the advantage of needing
| Christ's communicative need just the knowl-
edge we get from the Bible, not only for religi-
Gus usc but for all the practical affairs of life.
After referring on a time, eloquently to the
| Holy Bible, the famous orator, Wendell Phil
| ipps continued: 81 will abide by the precepts,
| admire the beauty, revere the mysteries, and,
| as far as in me lies, practice the mandates of
! this sacred volume; and should the ridicule of
| earth and the blasphemy of hell assail me.
| shall console myself by the contemplation of
| those blessed spirits who In the same holy
cause have toiled and shone, and suffered. In
| the tgoodly fellowship of the saints i'm the
| noble army of the martyrs'-in the society OF
the great. and good, and wise of every nation
| if my sinfulness be not cleansed, and my dark
| ness Illuminated, at least my pretentionless
| submission may be excused. If err with the
| luminaries have chosen for my guides con-
fess myself captvated by the loveliness of their
| alterations. If they err, it Is in a heavenly
| region; If they wander, it is in the fields OF
| light; if they aspire, it is, at all events,
| glorious daring; and rather than sink with in
| fidelity into the dust, / am content to cheat
myself with their vision of eternity. 1t may.
| indeed, be nothing but delusion; but then err
| with the disciples of philosophy and Of virtue;
| with men who have drunk deep at the fountain
| of human knowledge, but who dissolved not the
| pearl of their salvation In the draft. / err
| with Bacon, the great confidant of nature,
rv;y |, all thol af hn nd
| almost president OF the future; yet toe wise not
| to know his weakness, and too phiosophic not
| to feel his ignorancs. l err with Milton, ris-
| ing on an angels wing to heaven, and, like the
bird of morn, soaring out Of sight amid the
music of his grateful piety. err with Locke,
adore its source; whose warm love of genuine
liberty was never chilled into rebellion with
its author. / err with Newton, whose star
like spirit shot atbwart the darkness Of the
sphere too soon to reascend to the home OF its
nativity"
ST. JOHN, author of the Revelations.
He was sou of Zebedes and Sslome, brother
of st. James tho Greater. Originally he WAS
fisherman, living on the northwest side of the
Sea of Galilee, in vicinity Of Capernaum. He
was author of the Gospel known as that of st.
John the Evangelist of three Epistles, and Of
the Book Of the Revelations. At about 30
years of age he became q minister Of Christ
and thereafter devoted himself to that calling.
We are informed that about l2 years after
the ascension of Christ the II Apostles sepa-
rated and went into different parts of the world
to preach the Gospel and to establish the
Church. We are told st. John did his main
work in Asia Minor. He established the
churches at Smyrna, Thyatra, Philadelphia,
Laodicea, Sards and Psrgamos. He lived prin-
cipally at Ephesus az Metropolitan, st. Timothy
being the Bishop. He there consecrated Poly
carp.
ST. John died q natural death at Ephesus
about A. d. 100, aged nearly century. No one
knows anything of the present location of the
remains of the deceased Apostle.
The Book of the Revelations.
There are 22 chapters. No book has been
subjected to such severe and extended criticism.
We would regret its absence, for there are some
most beautiful chapters and many very prac-
ticai instructions in it. As stimulus to study,
no book can match it.
Different views have been held as to the con-
tents. What is known IS the historical view 10
the most generally accepted. Canon Farrar
adopts it, 1t is held the Book is prophecy OF
the entire history OF the Church some has al
ready been fulfilled; the rest will be. The
difficulty of explanations lies in some degree in
the fact the events WHICH are to occur are to be
the fttest commentary, but a commentary for
which We must wait.
We may say the Book was written about
A. d. 81, on the Island of Patmos. Some think
the data by visions gotten on that island
aud written up after st. John was released and
again at Ephesus. in Asia Minor.
Patmos is an island in the southeastern part
of the Egean Sea. We still shown there
the cave in which tradition says st. John wrote
his revelations. There was no city on the
island. 1t is now called Patmo. Patino. or
Pamosa There are several churches and con-
vents. The principal church is named after
st. John.
We may look for better day in biblical crit
icism. We do not approach the Book of Reve-
lations with that utter despair felt some years
ago by mentators. Indeed, Prof. Adolf Har
mach says: "The Book of Revelation so long
passed for the most obscure and difficult docu-
ment of early Christianity that scholars hesi-
tated to apply to it tho historicocriticai method
of investigation. Since this hesitation has been
overcome. it appears that the matter of the
book is neither obscure nor mysterious, al
though many special points remain to be
cleared up. Without being paradoxical we
may affirm that the Apocalyp se is the most in
telligble book in the New Testament"
ST. JOHN. 1: 800.
1. Summary.
Verses eli relate principally to st. John.
The author of Revelation was one of u.s. brother
and companion. The visit of the Angel to |
st. John was on Sunday. ". 10.)
Verses 1918 relate to Christ describing his
appearance when he shall return. The Voice |
". 12) means Christ himself. Each Of the |
seven churches of Asia Minor is represented as
golden candlestick-golden, precious; candle |
stick because each church should be light. |
Christ is always with his people, always aiding |
his ministers He is clothed in a style becom- |
ing our King and Priest White hair points to |
wisdom and purity. His eyes make men pass |
judgments On themselves. His feet could tread |
down his enemies His voice was resonOus, |
oratoric. positive, authoritative. His face be- |
tokened justice and holiness. His very tongue |
was a weapon Of vengeance to the evil. What |
u Protector he to the seven stars. meaning |
the clergy of Asia Minor. Most of ST. Johns |
early friends were in Paradise (hell. V. Ii. |
The now translation is "hades") He was to |
die rs xll had or would. But never mind. |
Christ has power (the keys) over the place of |
departed spirits, and even over death.
2. Geography.
a. By Asia, V. IL. we understand Asia Minor. |
b. Patmos. Island in Egean Is miles in cir |
conference one of the Sporades; also called |
Pactino, Patinol inhabitants about 5000; |
seven to eight miles long, and about one mile |
wide; used considerably for banishment; no |
trees rivers, but many flowers.
c. Epbesus. About so miles south of Smyrna |
railroad connects the two. Noted for its |
Temple of Diana. St. Paul preached there