Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-02-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant. Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson, and Where 1t May BE Found
A Learned and Concise Review of the
Same. Ja


A Learned and Concise Review OF the
Same.
beginning of the Hebrew Nation.
The lesson for Sunday, Feb. 4, may
be found in Gen. II: 10.
ffttff INTRODUCTORY. u
It is we'll for the Sunday schools Of
the world to unite in the study of Abra-
ham. He is the worlds representative
man of God. Not one faith alone rev.
erences him. He is hcnored alike by
Christian, Jew. ard Mob ammedan.
Two names designate him among the
children of God: The Friend of God,
and the Father OF the Faithful" The
one links him with. deity, the other
with humanity. though always remain
ing a nan. He is no. like other per-
sonages of world fane, ha'f-man, half
God. Abiding clearly and distinctly
in the flesh and sometimes with fe silly
error, he yet stands forth as one who
communed with God, and as such he
lifts the race Of men. He was man
with an ideal, man with whisper of
God in his soul. Such men bless the
world. May we all get help from him
again today.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Noah-Abi aham. Alike in their ac-
ceptance with God, they stand in
marked contrast as respects Gods mes
sage to them. To Noah: Come thou
and all thy house," to Abraham: Get
thee out from thy fathers house..
United for service, separated for SER
vice-the come" and the "gO" of re-
| ligious worship.
Unto land that l will shew thee"
The showing was future, but the get
ting-out, that was present duty. 1t
is Gods clan of salvation. First, obey.
then see and feel and enjoy Some OF
us are saying, After he has shown me
then wi go out" But we must 60
out to be shown. We must get en- Cal
vary to see Olivet. There is no other
way.
Thou shalt be blessing" Blessed
Abraham. Five times here the word
"bless" occurs: seven times in success
sion blessing is promised. 1t pays to
serve God. blessed are the undefled
| (single-hearted in the wav." Says the
third Psalm in its grand conclusion.
salvation belongeth unto the Lo d."
That is Gods part 10 save. to bless.
Thy blessing is upon thy people" That
is my part-to be blessed. Why net
take what belongs to us, through grace.
I'm thee shall all TIE families of the
| earth be bless ed" Certainly, as the
apostle says: They which are of faith
ale bless. d with faithful Abraham"
But also the whole world. Eve@y liv-
ing man to day is reaping undeserved
fruits from Abraham planting.
Through him the Bible. the Sabbath;
in due time the Gospel. ami its Christ.
Indeed. America itself is one of far
| Abraham's gifts to the world.
1 L. H.. t.,f h 1ata
He is still in the land hence large
room for her ole faith. Then builded
he an altar unto the Lord" Abraham
ic presumption. Lord give us more of
| it.-"And Abraham journeyed going on
On STILL" Same word again as get you
out" He kept on going. he kept on
obsying. o for the gift Of continuance
Here is the perseverance, OF the saints.
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
Revival times with the last lesson,
revival times still. Why not go en-
thus. The lesson OF Noah gave special
opportunity for an appeal in tehalf of
the unconverted of our classes and
households. ("Come thou and all thy
house into the ark. y This first lesson
from Abraham's life prompts us to
speak of the opposite duty of separa-
ton for Jesus sake, and tho appeal
may be to just single one from a
Whole family or community, Get thee
out from thy country and from thy kim
dred." Let the voice go forth.
Undoubtedly it is an exnortation
that needs to he made in this age of
sinful conformity. Just now a young
man has been saying to the writer, 20
/ can't live q Christian life. There are
too many swearing men about me in
my business. AS il Christian were
to expect. aid from those who walk
after the fesh.qt,jis.
ais this vile world friend to grace.
To help me on to God?"
Non-ccnformity is the watchword.
And what an opportunity some of us
have for its effective utterance. Paul
gives us a very clear note at tn is point.
BE not confOrmed to the word, but
be We transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that We may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect
will of Cod" Transformed souls are
Gods finger points of light, and the
| greater the surrounding darkness the
more brightly shines the light.
allow far your little candle casts its light.
| So shines good deed in a naughty world.
| Abraham's coming cut was very like
| that orde a. with us all. He had some
thing to leave; he had something bet
ter to find as led by the Spirit of God.
Geikie gives us some legends from the
Abrahamic literature. The ", Abra-
ham,. says the stofy, cane out and
gazed at the earth and sky. Who
made it," he asked. Locking up at
the heavens, he saw the sun ,nl pros
trated himself before it. But at even
| the sun said: This was not the Lord"
Then the MON and stars came cut.
Surely" said he, "the moon is the
Lord of all, ard the stars are the host
of his servants" Presently these also
sank and faded from view and he lis
tened to still small voice that told of
the gro at unseen, Creator and Ruler OF
all. To him he gave instant fealty.
Then came the conflict with the idol
airy about him. It was splendid, it
was proud. To one coming to by enc
of the idol gods manufactured by his
father, Terah, Abraham. the lad said,
Your are older than your God: you
are 20 and this God was made yester-
day." That was plain speech.
| Abraham resolved to make stand.
| A woman, according to the legend,