The true northerner., 1894-11-02
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.


Lesson for November 4.
GOLDEN TExr-@The Son OF man is Lord
also of IN Sabbath. mark 2: IS
This lesson is found in Mark 2: 1929;
3: 1-5. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
This is day in which there is much
OF Sabbath controversy, and we have
in our lesson the solution, for the most
of US, of the whole matter. 1t Is
voiced for u, In the golden text We
are not enslaved by days. We are not
bound. Ours is .piritual religion,
and the Master OF our souls Is also
Master OF all the souls exercises.
Christ is greater than any altar that
ems shrines him, or any day that wor-
ships him. He is above the day, as he
is above the altar. And as II to prove
and wit, ess to his supremacy, he comes
and takes the old ceremonial day and
by the ample o. the early churches,
filled with his spirit, sets it aside for
the sake of new day, which shall
carry all that wa, truly holy in the
hrst institution and much that was
not known as acred, beside-the day
of his resurrection, the Christians
holy day. Every Sunday repeats the
golden text.
ne went through the cornfelds on
the Sabbath day" IT was not to, but
through, :" the cornfelds. He was
doubtless on his way to some Sabbath
appointment, and the eds we're neces-
sarily passed through on the way.
That is quite different from making
the Ids, as with some of us, often,
the place of quest on the Lord s day.
But In Sc n e, 100, he passed right
through the sabbath n his errands of
love. he was go ng about doing good,
ard this ear h with all it possessed of
ground and gift but gave him passage
way to hearts. He had something
better than the keeping of days in
mind. He was after souls.
The disciples tegan as they went
to pluck the ears OF corn" In the
Gre k it reads that tley began to
make their way, pucking the ears of
corn. Just as they pass ed along they
put out their hands and broke off the
aodding wheat heads that bent across
the narrow path. They broke no law
of Mo ses. They were, indeed, treading
out the corn for old Israel, and they
went unmuzzled in their work. So abb
sorbed were they that they took little
thought OF ordinary matters, such as en-
gage and often monopo ize other mems
minds. Perhaps they scarcely stopped to
were those who did take note of it.
The Pharisees were there with their
narrow-visioned, close-spectacled eyes
to SEE this little departule from ira
ditionalism. In1eed, so much did they
see this one trifing thing that they
lost sight wholly of the great and noble
ends. the purposes that were driving
these blessed feet through cornfields,
and streets, and eserts, seeking to
save. Hence their complaint here.
May the Lord save us from such mar
rowness; may he give us b Dad glimpses
of his service and truth!
Then follow two rebukes from our
Savior. One is the appeal to Scrip
ture, tn other is the appeal to life,
his own life.
HINTS and Illustrations.
How to keeo the Lords day-this is
the practical question. Lo not be
drawn aside to fl uitless and needless
discussion Of the Sabbath or sunday.
Come to this very pertineAt query:
How would the LORI have Us keep his
day: Rules thore must be, of co lrse,
for everything sacred needs to be
guarded But one does not spend his
time at the hedges and fences. He be-
takes himself to the amenities and de-
lights, the uses and privileges Of the
inclosed garden. The Lord wants his
day employed for good purposes. What
better way for Us than 10 take, in this
case as elsewhere, the distinct foot
steps of the Master? How were the
Jews keeping God holy day? Slav-
ishly, fruitle sly, hurtfully. The
Pharisees enunciated thirt mine ma or
enactm snts for the keeping of the day,
and multitude of minor regulations.
1t was kind OF carnival OF rules.
Cne could scarcely move without run
ming up against stake, driven, mind,
not by Moses, but by Moses so-called
interpreters. The safest Ian was to
sit still with folded hands; and evel in
this there was ha ard, for tie hands
might not be folded properly or there
might be needle about the clothing,
or a nail in the shoe. All this and
countless other things we forbidden.
How are you keeping Gods day? Is
it formal and perfunctory worship, Cr
is it real service, sacri ce. communion
with God, study OF his Word such as
puts Sabbath spirit into III the week
days fits the soul for gra ping
with the tasks o the week? Christ
b ought In day of service and BEN
efaction. Everything of old said,
"Thou shalt not" there was very little
of doirg and he ping. The Sabbath
was self conferred, selfish. CHI ist
came to make it anyth ng e'se re-
ligion positive rather than negative,
helpful rather than hurtful Let this
good Sabbath-keeping splrit be m re
pronounced.