Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-10-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESION ", FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATloNA. SERIES, OCT. 60.

1. "And again He entered into Caper
naum after some days, and it was noised
that He was i'm the house" The leper who
had been healed blazed the fact abroad so
much that Jesus could no more dwell in
the city, but had to find n resting place
without (chapter 1, 45) but wherever He
went the crowds 6ocked to Him. Does
not that leper and the lepers of ii Kings
vii, 8, put us to shame for surely we have
good tidings, and yet how many hold their
peaceP When Jesus came into Capernaum,
1t soon became known. In chapter vii,
81 it says, "He could not be hid" How
Is it that many who bear the name of
Christian can so hide Him that no one
would know from their conduct or CONVEX
sation that Christ is in themY
2. And straightway many were gath
cred together insOmuch that there was no
room to receive thcm-no, not so much ms
about the door-and He preached the word
unto them" One would think from the
many devices rcsOrtod to nowadays to draw
the people to church that there was no
longer power in Jesus nor in His gospel.
Were it not for Heb xiii, 8, one might
think He had greatly changed But know
ing that with Him is 10 varablcness, nci
ther shadow of turning, we are compelled
to conclude that many preachers do not
preach the word; hence the need of such
celebrations as Jonah iii, ?; II Tim. iv,
2, Preach the preaching l bid thee, "
preach the word.
3. And they come unto Him bringing
one sick of the palsy, which was borne of
four" When those who know Jesus thus
earnestly labor to bring their friends TO
Him, it is good evidence of their faith in
Him, but what shall we say or think of
those who profess to know Him, yet never
put forth an effort or say a word to bring
another soul to 1imY Can it be that they
have name to live, but are dead or luke
warm and ready to be spewed out of His
mouth (Rev. Iii, 1, lG).
4. And when they could not come nigh
unto Him for the press they uncovered
the roof where He was, and when they
had broken it up they let down the bed
wherein the sick of the palsy lay" In
Luke V, 10, it says, Into the midst before
Jesus" Like the poor woman whom no
physician could help, they felt if they
could only get to Him He would surely
do it for them. What blessed confidence
in Jesus! Such trust is never put to shame.
We must ask without wavering. Have
faith and doubt not GAS. i, 6, Z; Mark xi,
90, Pa.
3 when Jesus saw their faith, He
said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy
sins be forgiven thee" How such faith
does please Him Hear Him concerning
the centurian, II have not found so great
faith-no, not in Israel" And to tho
woman of Tyre and Sidon o woman,
great is thy faith. BE it unto thee even as
thou wilt" (Math. viii, 10; XIV, 2S). See
how the great physician goes right to the
root of the matter and attends to the soul
before the body A sick body is often,
but not always, the result of a sick soul
OH John, p.
Is. But there were certain of the scribes
sitting there and reasoning in their
hearts" This mode of treating His words
or His doings will never bring light or
peace. All roasonings must be cast down
| III Cor. X, 81 1t is only the entrance Of
us words that giveth light. His word
must be received with meckness and re
ccivcd, as it IS indeed, as the word of God
| ops cxix, 1870; Jas. i, 21 l Thess. ii, 13).
Z. why doth this man thus speak bias
phemies? Who can forgive sins but God
only" If they had not been so hardened
against Him, they might have said to His
| glory and to their souls good This must
be God, for only God can forgive sins. -
They might have thought of Isa xiii, %,
and said, This must be the Lord God Of
| the holy prophets. even our Messiah"
g. And Immediately, when Jesus per-
ceivcd in His Spirit that they so reasoned
within themselves, He said unto them,
Why reason We these things in your
hearts?' The fact that He could read their
thoughts and tell them what was passing
in their minds should have convinced them
that He was none other than the one who
said long before, 80 know the things thar
come into your mind, every one Of them
(Ezek. Xi, 81, even the great searcher OF
reins and hearts Il Chron xviii, 9; Jer.
xvii, 100.
8. Whether is it easier to say to the sick
of the palsy, Thy sins he forgiven thee, or To
say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk "
The last would seem to many to be the
greatest, for bodily infrmity is to many a
more griovous thing than unforgiven sin.
What numbers there are who would give
all they have for health of body who are
not at all concerned about the forgiveness,
of sinsl They are blind and dead to spir-
itual things and to the unseen and eter-
nal realities of heaven and hell.
10. " But that We may know that the
Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins (He saith to the sick of the palsy. u
Here is the truth to be proclaimed around
the world, THE Son of man hath power
on earth TO forgive sins" He receiveth
sinners; He casts out none who come tC
Him. He blots out all sin and will re
member it no more. The blood of Jesu.
Christ cleanseth from all hin duke XIV, q
John vi, 81; Isa. xiii, %; John /, ~
Many in China have reject 5ed the glad it'd
ings the first time they heard them, and
multitudes in all countries are vainly
seeking rest of soul concerning this be
cause they know not of Him. Where i,
the faith and seal Of these four friendsY
IL. Il say unto thee, Arise and take
up thy bed and go thy way into thine
house." This is the word that has al
power in it, the word that at creation spak,
and it was done, commanded and it stood
fast ops. xXxiii, 81, the word that said
Let there be light, and there was light
1t is the thus saith the Lord" Of the
Old Testament. The same voice is say
ing to many today, Awake, thou thai
sleepest, and arise from the dead, ant
Christ shall give thee light" (Eph V, ~
and will ere long say to Israel, ARISE
shine, for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is risen upon thee" lisa. TX, y
~. And Immediately he arose, took VI
/ the bed and went forth before them all