Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-04-12

This time we stand by pits mouth.
Who would have thought that the way
to the worlds refreshing and deliver
ance was to be by so dismal. passage
way? Yea, and who wocld have thought
that by way of the tomb in the garden
In due time life and Immortality
should be brought to light? SO God
makes the wrath of man to praise him.
Jacob mourned for his son, and we'll he
might. Yet "joy cometh in the morn
ing" Said Jesus: "Ye shall weep and
! lament, but the world shall rejoice:
and We shall be sorrowful, but your sor-
row Shall be turned into joy" Have
faith in God.
POINTS IN THE LESSON:
It was a most unnatural deed-the
thrusting of Joseph into that pit. 1t
flew in the face OF all tenderness and
charity; it broke down all brotherly
regards. What could have led to 1t?
Sin. Sin only. With sin 1t was natu-
raj, legitimate.
The wages of sin is death. Here is
| lust taste of it. Sin puts everything
that is good out OF sight and into the
pit. When you see vile, unnatural
act, look behind-sin. That infidelity
| in the Kentucky statesman's home
sin in the heart. That atroclous MUIR
der of the Baker family in the North.
| SIM. The love of money, yes, and the
whisky bottle in the pocket OF the fiend
| who welded the axe. Sin means death,
murder always.
This deed was all the more wretch
eddy bad because it was premeditated.
"See, here comes this master OF
dreams,7, they said, and they watched
| him coming from "afar OFF," their fin.
| gers working the while to lay hold up
on him; ana they his brothers. No,
right there, they were brethren of the
prince of darkness.
"The pit was empty, no water in it.
"Pit" means grave, and grave they
meant it to be. No water, no food, in
an empty pit; in spite of his entreat-
| les, thore they, left him. Possibly they
might thus, have said that they had
not shed innocent blood. But the in.
\ tent to slay was there, and the 'condi.
| tions of death were imposed upon him
they were virtually murderers.
And then they sat down to eat
bread" O the inhumanity of it
| Their brother in the empty pit, they
out upoa the wealthy SOIL Their own
souls ref Q he'd, as for their brother,
mo water there. How could they eat
with the thought of their misdeed:
How can any man sin against God and
Gods Son, and calmly go on eating
| Gods bread?
The Ishmaelites had set out for
things precious; their camels were
bearing spic cry and balm and myrrh,
going to carry it down to Egypt. Here
| was something much more valuable.
| They do not know it, perhaps, but n
lading could compare with this out OF
| the pits mouth. Never did richer
gain go Egyptward than when these
bargainers of the desert paid their
petty twenty pieces of silver and
brought savior into the land of the
Nile.
But the brothers then they go back
| to their father, bereft of brother. d.
they realize what they have done? Do
they appreciate what they have bar
tered away! Perhaps some qualms OF
troubled conscience come to them, the
beginning of long years OF inward tor
ture. But just now it is lie they have
on their lips. Mischief in the hand,
evil in the heart, falsehood on the
tongue-they all go together. One sin
leads to another. So goes the dismal
way of the evil one. 1t was the broth
ers, not Joseph who had gone down
into the pit.
HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
Bring God into the story. Or rather
let the face Of God in all the affairs OF
Josephs marvellous life be brought
into view. Mans hand was here put.
ting the lad into the pit, selling the
brother into slavery. Gods hand was
here lifting up his servant out OF the
dungeon, raising him up to sit with
kings Which is stronger, earth or
heaven, Satan or God? Where sin
abounded, grace did much more
abound" Thank God.
Look out for the Josephs; they are
| the hope of the future. Perhaps you
have several in that class of yours.
When the Spartans were asked to send
fifty children for hostages they asked
the privilege instead of sending I'm.
dred of their prominent men. The
shrewd Spartans knew wherein their
strength lay. Do We!
DIR. Perren calls attention to our
two missionary Roberts, Robert
Morrison. of China, and Robert Moffat,
of Africa A Sunday school teacher at
New Castle-on-Tyne, England, met the
former as a poor lad OF the streets and
persuaded him to go with her to Sun
day school. She did not know that she
was laying her hand upon the servant
of God who should afterward become
our pioneer missionary to the yellow
race and should translate the gospel
for four hundred millions Of benign ted
people. Robert Mofrat, returning
home for season from his loved labors
in Africa, met Rev. Mr.. Caldwell, an
elder brother In the ministry. In
CURED of as to the place OF his birth,
the missionary responded, "Often away
among the heather l think of my
mother leading me, when little boy,
to the independent meeting at Falkirk,
to hear an excellent minister named
Caldwell" "Can il bs?" exclaimed the
aged man OF God, the tears running
down his cheeks. Are you little
Robbie Moffat, Is Moffat, the mis- sion
airy, the boy his mother used to lead to
my meeting house?" Guard the young.
reverence the young; in the breasts of
our youth are looked up all the discov-
cries and achievements of the half CEN
tury to come. erf ssnJCy
Jacob was somewhat to blame, His
own chicanery In the days when sup
planter" was his name had been in
herited by his sons. "The villainy
thou teachest will execute" The
seeds of the fathers evil example had
been planted, and as we sow we reap.
Be careful, fathers. You are under
sentry. Little eyes are watching, and
dispositions are being set. William
Ellery Charming took his evil tendency
toward liberalism q long way back. DIR.
Hopkins preached powerful and
truthful sermon on the Judgment.