The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-07-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for July 10. 1870
visit III the Wise Men = Matthew ssi.

Especially Arranged from Pclouhcts So'csl
CONES TEXT They saw The young child
with Mary. Ills mother and fell down and
worshipci linn Matt eli
TuE Sr,riuN includes simply the lesson.
This story : recorded only IA Matthew.
PLACE IN TnE STORY The visit 81 the wise
men was mAlc soon after the Presentation IN
the Temple and was quickly followed b. the
flight into Egypt Both this aud the next les
son, the whole OF Matthew ?. belong Ia the mid
die Of verse 10 of Luke ;
TINE February - G. T. when Jesus was six
or eight weeks old.
PLACE bethlehem o. Judca, village Ave
or six miles south OF Jerusalem Bethlehem
means House OF Bread "a very ntting name
for the place where was bora Him who was the
Bread oi Lifc
THE FAR EAST included the lands Of the cap
Invites ASsyra. fiabylon.a and Persia where
Ezckiel prophcsicd and Daniel ruled and
Esther was queen.
LEssoN NOTES.
Wise Men from the East Search for
Him vs.. /. :. There came wise
men" Greek, Magi. >agcs) Original
Iva class Of priests among the pcrsians
and Modes. who formed the kings
privy council and who cultivated as
trology. medicine and occult natural
science. They are frequently referred
to by ancient authors. IIcrodotus
speaks Of them rs IA priestly caste of
the Modes. and as Interpreters Of
dreams. Afterwards the term was APP
piled to all eastern philosophers
Schaff. They are men of rank and
wealth and learning from the far east,
representatives of all that is best in the
- -. Al. II
Daniel became president Of such an or
der in Babylon Dan. 2:4s). The Cos
pei does not tell how many in number
these wise men were. but tradition has
made them three. from the number of
their gifts. and represents them as
kings three kings of the Orient"
Bcdc indeed. is able To tell us that
Mclcher was an old man. with long
white hair and sweeping beard. and
that he gave the gold as to a king: that
Caspar was bcardless youth. with
ruddy face. and that he presented the
frankinccnse as a gift worthy Of God:
while Ralthasar was swarthy. strong
bearded man. and gave the myrrh for
the burial. From the east Here in
the plural. referring 10 the eastern re-
gions. probably Persia. since the Magi
were the pricstly caste Of the Ioroas-
TRAN religion. the religion of Persia.
and hence were not idolatcr-s. but wor-
shippers of the one God under the en-
blcm OF fire.
The Expectation of the Messiah in
the World. In the far east the Chinese,
the Japanese and other kindred ma
tions have cherished an immemorial
tradition that God was TO descend upon
earth in visible form. to enlightcn
mems ignorance in person and redeem
them from their sins. We are informed
by Tacitus. by >ue.onius and by Jose
plus. that there prevailed throughout
the entire east. at this time. an intense
conviction. derived from ancient proph
ecies. that ere long "A powerful mon
arch would arise in .Judca and gain
dominion over the world. Virgil. who
lived little before this. owns fourth
Eclogne) that a child from Heaven was
looked for. who should restore the
golden age. and take away sin. Con-
fucius, in China. at least Ii. G. 500. had
prophesicd the appearance Of such de-
ers, going forth in search of him,
were the means of introducing Bud
dhism into China. But the clear
est of all these prophecies was
one by Zoroaster before II. e.. 500.
The HISTORIANS say that Zoroastcr
was disciple Of Jeremiah. from whom
he learned about the Messiah.
"Zoroaster taught the Persians con-
corning Christ. lie declared that in
the latter days pure virgin should
conceive. and that. as soon as the
child was born. a star would appear,
blazing. even at MONDAY. with undi-
minished luster. You. my sons, ex-
claimed the venerable seer. will per-
ccive its rising before any other
nation. As soon as you see the star,
follow il wheresoever il leads you. and
adore the mysterious child. offering
yonr gifts to Him with the profoundes,
humility. lie is the Almighty Word
which created the heavens. - Memoir
OF Mrs. Judith s. Grant, missionary t.
Persia.
Whence arose this expectation.
Without doubt from the Jews, who
were scattered everywhere. with theil
Scriptures and their hopes. since the
Babylonish captivity. Daniel himself
was prince. and chief among this
very class of wise men. His prophe
cics were made known TO them ane
the calculations by which he pointed
10 the very time when Christ should b.
born became. Through the Book o
Daniel. a part Of their ancient litera
ture.
The Guiding Star.-V. 2.-"For W.
have seen His star in the east" Seer
by them in the eastern countries. d
seen in the eastern sky. The first wa
certainly the fact, but the second is thu
probable meaning here. This mus
have been miraculous star, for !
went before them. and stood over tn
exact place where Jesus was with Iii
mother. But, at the same time. tn
remarkable conjunction Of planets a
this time may have had something t
do with il. 1t is natural that mirac
ulous being should be heralded by
miraculous star. His birth was mir
aclc; the angels sang at His birth. mir