The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-05-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.

A Scholarly Exposition Of the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy OF Calm Reflection
Half an Hours Study of the Scripture
Time Well Spent.
Moses Sent as n Deliverer.
The lesson for Sunday, May q, may
be found in Exod. 3: 1920.
INTRODUCTORY.
Paul had his seminary training in
Arabia, where, seemingly, in silent
communion with God after his CONVEX
sion, he fitted his soul for his great
life wo X. Moses had similar discipline
amid the indian fortresses. Geikie
has we'll said: in this sanctuary of
the hills, awaiting the time when the
advancing purposes Of God had ripened
Israel for the great NOV ement of it's
deliverance, and, meanwhile, uncon-
sciously preparing for the mighty task
before him, Moses spent, as ST. Stephen
informs us, no fewer than forty years.
His wanderings would make him ac-
quainted with every valley, plain,
gorge, hill, and mountain of the whole
region; with its population, whether
native or that of the Egyptian mines,
with every spring AMI we'll, and with
all the resources of every kind offered
by any spot; an education of supreme
his race, when rescued from Egypt to
the safe shelter and holy sanctuaries
OF this pre- destined scene of their long
encampment Still more, in those
calm years every problem to be solved
in the rganization O pc pie would
rise successfully in his mind and find
its solution and, above all, his own
soul must have been disciplined and
purified by isolation from the world
and closer and more continual COM
munion with Cod"
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Come now, therefore" Now, lust
now! The hour had struck. In the
Hebrew, here, the time word is the
emphatic word.
But back of all, ever all and in al
was-God, the Il Am" Who am T."
Moses is presently all too meekly ask
81" Li:ten; Il will send" Lose sight
of poor, pitiful self; fix your eye upon
the great Jehocah-"I AM"
This shall be a KEN" or sign. The
word means mark, o. impression,
seal. Here wa; a chance for faith.
Moses was to look about upon that
empty mountain, empty save where
the sheep and cattle were browsing,
and he was to see it peopled with wor-
ship ing Israel. In due time this faith
was turned TO sight, and God gave him
the visib g, tangible token.
The vision of the burning bush must
have given emphasis TO this promise;
may, indeed have been a part of the
token" it elf. 1t was a meaningfui
symb OF Israel in the midst of tribu-
lation, kept by the power of God, burn
ing but not consumed; and also an OBJ
ject lesson of the ervant of God him
self, sustained amid fiery trials by the
indwelling and upholding spirit of God.
Il am that am" More LUMINOSITY,
Il am that which l am, or what | am,
GCd unchangeablenes5. Moses was
anticipating skepticism on the part of
the sluggish, down trodden people.
"Tney will doubt my credentials.
Whose name shall | urge in my behalf
f. this great appea?' And God gives
the adequate autho citation: Il am
hath sent me untJ YOU" Even so spake
Malachi afterward: Il am the. Lo d,
change not; therefore We sons of Jacob
are not consumed"
! 81 am sure Hebrew, | know that the
king of Egypt will not let you CO."
| Difficulty the second the hardening or
| Pharaoh's heart. But does mt this 1
know, Gods foreknowledge, throw a
little light upon the mystery? Diff
cuty the third Immediately follows
the lie son, "Eve y woman shall borrow
of her neighbor." But the wo d DO
row, strangely SO rendered here, is the
sau word as is rightly translated k
at rs. =: <, ASK of me and | shall give
the heathen FIR thine Inheritance"
| Borrow of me, shall we say?
HINTS AND ILLUS rRATIoN5.
The les on has to do with preparation
| for ervice; and surely it Is very
practical les son. God nds his servants
TO school, and fits them for the dis
| charge of great responsibilities. In
stance the mon who have been thus
developed, tried and proved in the
school.of experience. Christ himself
le rned oil edience by the things which
he suffered. What do you know of the
back side of the desert? Have you
| te IN to Horeb.
1t is int esting to to how God en-
ploys the natural talents and powers Of
men To his ultimate CORY. He takes
our youth vi energies, and chastens
and molds them to his will. 1t is sad
| that the first thing Carey did after re-
covering from broken arm, gotten by
! falling from the limb of tree, was 10
go out and climb that tree again.
Training counts for much in the az
| fairs of life. Good hab Is play great
er part than we think in bringing
alb W results, and the unconscious in
/ 1uence OF hon e-bred honesty and good
| behavior is worthy of large CO sdera-
| tx n. When iona han Sturges went to
New York, humble, renniless lad, he
found his way as was his custom, on
the first Lords day to church. He
was somewhat dismaye1 at the sump-
tuousness of the place TIL watchful
and kindly member # the church in
vited him to a seat in his pew. The
neyt morning young Sturges presented
| lis letter OF Introduction and besought
the credit be needed to engage in hi,
contemplated occupation. did | not
see you in Mr.. Len ks pew yesterday"
! said the Scotch merchant TO whom he
had applied. Il don't KIN wv" was the
rely, whose pew / sat in, sir, but a
kind gentleman gay G me seat. We'll
lad, that was Mr.. Lcnox, and it is no
CT mmon honor to be asked TO sit in his
rev. / will trust any with goods
who has that honor cnnferral nnon