The true northerner., 1893-01-04
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.
WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
a Pleasant, Interesting. and Instructive
Lesson and Where 1t May He found-A
Learned and Concise Review or the
Same.
Rebuilding the Church.

engaged in re-erecting the walls and
affairs that were fallen down. Fifty
thou and exiles, under the leal of Ze-
rubbabel, take the long journey of five
hundred miles, across the sands, from
Babylon to Jerusalem, and here at last
they are in the midst of lions desola-
tion. The spiritual leader Is Joshua, or
Joshua, who sets to work at once-a
good place to begin-to building the al
tar OF the God OF Israel. The people
fall to, fear helping them on, all giving
OF their means, and presently rejoic-
ing company are thronging about the
foundations Of a new temple. 1t is q
stirring scene, and full OF helpful inti-
nations for good living in the days that
now are.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Then stood up Joshua"-he could not
help 1t! If you have a man by that
name among you, Joshua, deliverer,
YOU cannot keep him down. Nor can
devils, thank God!
The great high priest, the Joshua
who goes before for the lifting up of
demolished temple and dismantled
altar, is esus. 1t is of him that James
is speaking at Acts ID: Is: After this L
will return, and will build again the
tabernacle of David which is fallen
down. and l will build again the ruins
thereof, and l will set it up" Jesus is
the great temple and wherever
there is soul awry he stands ready to
do his gracious work. May he do it
more than once or twice in these classes
to-day.
Keep the feasts. In their spiritual
intent they never were abrogated.
Tabernacle means mingled thanksgiv-
ing and devotion. Why should it ever
be intermitted or sighted? Observe
the set feasts, or, as the Hebrew
says, the feasts appointed. Gods or
dinances. Gods Sabbath of rest, can
it be discarded with impunity? The as
sembling Of ourselves together Who
has ever persistently neglected such
things without suffering and spiritual
loss, and temporal as well? Guard,
also, the ordinances of baptism and the
Lords Supper. We shall never find
better way to secure growth and prog
ress in the kingdom than Gods own
appointed way. But, above all things,
keep the continual burnt Offering"
following more closely the burnt offer
ing of continuance, the gift most needed
In the church to-day. Every day piety,
unintermittent devotion, the free-will
offering of life-this, Paul calls our
reasonable service.
Then come songs. And what better
definition of the inner import of sacred
song or OF congregational music than
this where the people could not dis
cern the noise of the shout of Joy from
the noise of the weeping OF the people.
When the great congregation lifts its
voice, like the sound of many waters,
who can distinguish the heart cries,
and behind and within the volume of
sound how many a breaking heart wells
forth in the midst of the Civilizations?
Indeed, all music is sweet sorrow,
and no true melody but has its tears.
And here, too, is the genesis Of real
music, a lesson in Christian psalmody.
Strive and sing, work and worship.
They praised the Iord because the
foundation of the house of the Lord was
laid. II you want a spur to song, do
something; to love God, obey him; to
know how to praise him, learn how to
do his bidding SO shall we come into
his presence with song.
Set it up at once, this some time neg
lected altar of God. Wait no longer.
The wood and stone are here-and the
Lamb. You are here, and God is here;
that is enough. Wherever there is a
sinner and a Savior, ,.there is an oppor-
tunity for altar worship, and right there
may be the beginning of house "ex-
ceeding magiflcal" And let it all be
"as it is written in the law of Moses,
the man of God;' according to the pat
essential pattern? Simply ths-self-
What lnnG thn b,,,.
Offering mean for us? Thine affairs, o
Lord of hosts!
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
1t is remarkable what an aid to the
incuc tion of Bible lessons is to be
found in Christian song. 1t helped out
these early builders OF the temple amaz-
ingly, and it will assist, in no small de-
gree, modern temple builders. Make
much OF it. 1t is a very poor song book
that has not "a number of suggestive
hymns upon the spiritual theme OF this
lesson, L. e., Christian edlflcation. Sing
two or three songs at the outset like
ITO the work, to the work, We're
to Zion" And what better
hymn To close with than good, old How
firm foundation!"
Song seems TO lift itself naturally to
GOd. Inc sermon may De unSOund, Dut
the song is ususlly orthodox. 1t praises
God, not man. 1t lays everything where
il beloh gs-at Jesus feet. They tell OF
a Christian woman dying, who, beckon-
ing and family articulating. seemed to
be ask ng the attendants 10 bring her
They brought food and drink
ana other things, but she was evidently
not satisfied. At last they put tablet
in her hand, and then with pencil size
traced the words, which, however faint,
read always large and strong:
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown him Lord OF all
Back of all was prayer. Daniels
in his wonderful ninth
chapter is not to be left out of the ac-
count The thames of old England de-
man led that the son OF Lady Alice
should give them the lands of his father.
Said they: I'VE can fight the Kings
foes, but what can that little boy do?"
The lad rejoined: Il can pray 10 God
in Heaven.
.More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams Of Wherefore let
thy voice
Rise like fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or
Th AZ pourish n Hind life within tho hrain