The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1893-01-11
The SUNDAY SCHOOL
AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUC.
TIVE LESSON.
Reflections OF an Elevating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought = Study
Ing the scriptural Lesson Intelligent
and ProntabIy.
Encouraging the People.

0Lo xIoutaDiys
Encouraging the People.
The lesson fos Sunday, Jan. 10, ma.
be found in Hag. 2: 10.
INTRODUCTORY.
The first thing TO do in the study
this, and. indeed, where ct'cable, o
any lesson, is to sit down and read tn
entire book, from which the passage i
taken, straight through. Only thus d'
we get q @ full and correct impression
that it was desired should be conveye,
by this particular verse. in the presen
case 1t Is easy enough, inasmuch al
there are but two ,hapteIs in the who'll
prophecy; and one, even the busiest
may very readily experiment on tina
plan, which is coming happily to b.
more and more the approved plan O
study of taxing our notion OF the con
text of the Scripture from the Scripture
itself, open and free to all. In tn,
lesson before US, Haggai, one OF the
prophets of the Return exhorts the PEG
pie TO push on in Gods name IL an
with you, saith the Lord.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Seven-twenty: month and day OF the
month. Haggai could never forget it
Nor can you, the day when God visited
you and talked with you. personally anC
alone.
Haggai is his name-festive: and
festive, joy-bringlng messenger he is.
Every prophet who calls the people
back to God leads glad festival pro-
cession (such is the meaning of the
root. How beautiful upon the noun
tains are the feet OF him that bringeth
good tidings, that pubiisheth peace!"
For ii is God that is speaking; it is
the word of the Lord" With all our
study of the man and the circumstances
Of his time, let US not forget that. And
when God. who is the same yesterday.
to-day and forever, utters himself he
speaks the truth for all time. 1t is not
to be hedged about and limited solely TO
the day OF old Jerusalem. We may I'M
derstand its meaning best by studying
the particular personages and events of
that elder day, but when God speaks to
Zerubbabel he sends a stirring note to
every leader in Israel for all time.
And it is voice to all the people, not
for the priest nor the prophet alone.
Sreak it out Alas for the people when
a usurping priesthood holds back Gods
message. Not thus did Paul read "the
dispensation stewardship Of the mys
tery." II is ours that we may give ii
forth. Why, indeed, have we been
Withholding it so long from the world:
slave you had IA kindness shown?
Pass 1t on.
Twas not given for thee alone,
Pass IL on.
Let IL travel down tho years
Let IL wine anOther'S tears;
ill in Heaven the deed appears,
Pass il on. Pass IL on
"Have you found the heavenly light:
Pass ii tn,
Souls are cropping i'm the night.
Daylight gone.
Hold your lighted lamp on high,
BE Il star in some ones sky.
lie NAV live who else would die,
Pas, it on. Ia IL on"
God promises greater glory for this
latter house than we have vet realized,
great as is our blessing. Christ has
come. and he indeed is the desire of
all nations" but that desire has not
yet come to its full apprehension, for
not yet are the riches in Christ Jesus
fully fathomed and made known. In
him and in his kingdom are hid for us
what eye hath not yet seen nor heard,
forsooth, conceived. The desire Of the
nations shall yet be met and satisfied.
Yea, angels attend and heaven is hence
forth expectant until his enemies be
ma ie his footstool. Marvellous declara-
ton of Paul to the Ephesians that now
unto the TrinciI alities and powers in
heavenly places might be (ma1e) known
by the church the manifold wisdom OF
God. Here on earth it is to be demon.
strated, here Gods greatest glory dis
Played! Angels wait, Christ waits.
Thou that dwellest between the cher
ubims, shine forth"
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
A deserted sanctuary invites destruc-
ton and decay. We have numerous in
stanc es of it in mission and church ex-
tension work. l well recall, during a
season Of missionary itineracy, coming
one day in my rounds upon an empty
meeting house which had seen better
days. / had known it in those day 6
and rejOil cd with others in its services.
But now all was changed and the sud
dennesS OF the ch.nge startled me
With the closing of its doors, God $
curse seemed TO settle upon it, The
instant the front was boarded up. the
oys, Gods modern Apalekites and
messengers of Satan to buffet, began to
pitch stones through the windows, and
looking up i counted as many as fifty
seven holes in the stained glass of tho
large front piece. The snow was sft-
ing in through the apertures, and, much
as with David's forsaken sanctuary i'm
the woods, the birds of the air had found
house and nest for their young,
Even thine affairs, o Lord of hosts.
Heaven has no place, on earth or else
where. for a neglected temple.
But the sequel is TO less striking. l
visited that same house OF worship not
long sine. Could il be the same place!
1t was n gala occasion and the house
was thronged with happy company, a
busy, watchful pastor in the midst. The
walls were bright, the windows aglow
with light, the floors clean, neatly car
peted and everywhere the appearance
of life and prosperity There were one
or two there who had seen the turn of
the tide. Slow il was at first; il re-
quired faith and fortitude to keep on.
One window sufllced 10 patch another
until the winter could be shut out The
rusty stove began TO drive out the damp
ness, and one or two smiling faces cane
To lcbuie the long abiding chill SER