The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-06-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL


International Lesson for june ~. 1905
McssiAh's Kin. dom Nal 3,i-is-
Especially Arranged from Pcloube,'s Noteal
A MISSIONARY LESSON
GOLDEN TRxT-They shall DC Mine. ssi,h
the Lord OF Hosts. In that day when I make
up NY lcwels.-Mal 3;i'.
JEWISH CONTEMPORARIES Malachi belongs
20 tho restoration after the rcturn from the ex-
lie. and evidently during Me efforts of Sehe-
miAh 20 reform the nation Sec lessons VII
X 81 the mrs: quarter, especially lesson x.
which belongs 10 the same time as Malachi
PLAcE-Jcrusalcm and vicinity
PACE IN BiBLk HISTORY Malachi zorro
spends with the last chapter Of Nehemiah
The last chapter OF the Bible history and the
last chapter OF Bible prophecy belong TO toe
rAme period Of time
LESSON SorEs-
The Great Need Of a Saviour After
Nehemiah had carried on his reforms
for twelve years. he returned To Persia.
But no sooner had he left than il was
seen that u reformation enforced by
the civil power. rather than the fruit
Of individual conviction. had no per-
manent vitality. The tithcs due to the
temple. the Levitcs 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
Phnnician fishermen exposed for sale
their catch of the coasts. and traders
from Tyre displayed their countless
wares. After all the professed zeal to
put an end 10 mixed marriages. things
were rapidly drifting to almost worse
condition than of old. Not few hus-
bands had deserted their Jewish wives
for Philistine, Ammonitc- or Moabite
women.
Thus we realize the deep and per-
vasive moral need of Eedeemer from
sin for the Jews. We see their need of
q king. a great ruler whose laws should
be righteous and should be ohcyed.
and who would deliver them from the
power If their enemies. who were
many and powerful and oppressive on
every side. They did not need a -aln-
poral king. for even in the Old Tesla
ment fhe IDEAL government was re-
public. with God in Heaven "a the ~
preme ruler and His commandments
for their constitution and laws Bur
they needed exactly such king as
Jesus. the Messiah. and such king
dom as He came to establish.
Missionary Alphabetically the
church needs. and the wcrld needs.
Just such King. Saviour. Teacher as
the Jews needed then. and in large
measure for the same reasons
The Messages Preparing the Way.
The most ample proof OF God 5
fulfillment Of His promise a send
messenger is Jshn the Baptist. of
whom our Lord bore witness luke
7r2.). Messages sent beSure the
eastern kings prepared the way for the
chsriots and armies Of their rnonarchs-
A ..king's highw ay" had to he carried
through the open land of ths wilder
ness. valleys filed up and hills levcled
t<he words used s.gr, Of course Epetical
( n their greatness winding ny-paths
ssraightened. for the march. of the
great army Interpreted in iss spir-
itual application. the wilderness was
the world lying ireevil.
Missionary Application.-J'snn the
Baptist still goes before the coming
Saviour not only n the experience OF
tire individual. busalso in the expert
epee of the church. preparing tie way
fcv- Christ's coming in the fu mess OF
HIS kingdom. There is ever process
of preparation. in which u) The val
lers are filed up. The sins OF emission
defects of prayer. Of love. of work
(2t The mountains Of pride. -sn- sci
fisnness. unbeli.f. worldlinsSs are
le-eied. (3) Ths crooked claces-
crooked ways of sin. worldly End SCI
fish living. the sending Of rsrn- idols
ami firearms to tie heather. tac wick
ed actions of many travellers the op-
p-e>sions by stronger governments
ar made straight ca The rough
places are made plain-the frfctions
between Christisr1 people, AMI differ
eat denominations. all temper ol
harshness that mar the beauty IF holi
ness All the fruits of On -stianity
the prosperity md devslopm mt II pro
slncrs in Christian nations. ere prepar
ing the way: bnt most Il all thu
Christian graces. the love. AMI earnest
ness and devotion
Coming of he Saviour. - Like thu
priest whose duty il was to superin
tend the temple arrangsments. ans
who might a. any moment knock an'
demand adnnttancc. He came sudden
" and une p~esesily. NO enc knew
n when. The rabbis say: Sometime
He came at the cock-crvwing. som.
I. times a little earlier. soustimes lii
: sle later lie came ami Knocked. arr
;. shey opcnasl 10 Him Then said u
I unto them, All We who, have washed
, come and cast lots. !. a.. for the pGiv
ilegc Of ninistcring in the daily ssr'
ice. The actual coming of the Messia
. was unexpected to the Jews: they di
not recognize Him when lie came. II