The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-07-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.


International Lessor for July Is. $780,
Visit Of the Wise Men Matthew 3:l.
n.
Especially Arranged from Peloubets Notes]
GOLDEN TExE-Ihey saw the young child
with Mary. His mother. and fell down and
Worshiped Hrm--Matt Pill
TH SECTION includes simply the lesson
This story is recorded only il Matthew.
PLACE IN THE SroRY-The visit Of the wise
men was made soon after the Presentation in
the Temple and was quickly followed b. the
hight into Egypt Both this and tho next icS-
son, the whole of Matthew 2. belong in the mid
die Of verse 90 Of Luke 2
TNK-February b. c. 4. when Jesus Was six
or eight weeks old
PLAck-Bethlehem Of Judea, q village I'VE
or six miles south OF Jerusalem. Bethlehem
means House Of Bread very fitting name
for the place where was born Him who was the
Bread Of Life
tivities-Assyria Babylonia and Persia. where
Ezekiel prophesied and Daniel ruled and
Esther was queen.
LESSON NOTES.
Wise Men from the East Search for
Him.-Vs. 1, 9. There came wise
men" Greek, Magi, sages). Original
~ a class of priests among the Persians
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. Herodotus
speaks of them as 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
old civilizations of the world.-Sadler.
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"
Bede, indeed, is able to tell us that
Melcher was an old man. with long
white hair and sweeping beard, and
that he gave the gold as to king: that
Caspar was beardless youth, with
rudy face, and that he presented the
frankincense as gift worthy of God;
while Balthasar was swarthy. strong
bearded man, and gave the myrrh for
the burial From the east" Here in
the plural. referring to the eastern re-
gions, probably Persia. since the Magi
were the priestly caste of the ZOroas-
trian religion. the religion of Persia,
and hence were not idolaters, but wor-
shippers of the one God under the en-
blem 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 enlighten
mems ignorance in person and redeem
them from their sins. We are informed
by Tacitus, by Suetonius and by Jose
phus, 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 Judea and gain
dominion over the world. Virgil, who
lived little before this, owns fourth
Eclogue) that . child from Heaven was
looked for, who should restore the
golden age, and take away sim Con-
fucius, in China. at least B. c. 500, had
prophesied the appearance of such de-
liyerer, and deputation of his follow
ers, going forth in search of him,
were the mems of Introducing Bud
dhism into China But the clear
est of all these prophecies was
one by Zoroaster before 3. C. 500.
The HISTORIANS say that Zoroaster
was disciple of jeremiah, from whom
he learned about the Messiah.
'.Zoroaster taught the Persians con-
corning Christ. He declared that in
the latter days a pure virgin should
conceive, and that, as soou as the
child was born, star would appear,
blazing, even at MONDAY, with undi-
minished luster. You, my sons,' ex-
claimed the venerable seer, will per-
ceive its rising before any other
nation. As soon as you see the star.
follow it wheresoever it leads you. and
adore the mysterious child, Offering
your gifts to Him with the profoundest
humility. He is the Almighty Word
which created the heavens Memoir
of Mrs. Judith S. Grant, missionary to
Persia
Whence arose this expectation:
Without doubt from the Jews, who
were scattered everywhere, with their
Scriptures and their hopes, since the
Babylonish captivity. Daniel himself
was prince, and chief among this
very class of wise men. His prophe'
cies were made known to them; and
the calculations by which he pointed
to the very time when Christ should be
born became, through the Book OF
Daniel, part Of their ancient litera
ture.
The Guiding Star.-V. 2.-"for we
have seen His star in the east" Seer
by them in the eastern countries, Oh
seen in the eastern sky. The first was
certainly the fact, but the second is the
probable meaning here. This mus
I~uo hoo,, a ynira onions star for II