Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-11-29
THE sunday SCHOOL.
SERIOUS sULEcTs CAREFULLY
coNSoERED.
A Scholarly Expositio -. A..
Thoughts Worthy of NJ, y.
Half IN Hours Study of .-,-
Timo Well Spent.
Lesson for Dec. e.

Lesson for Dec. 2.
Golden Text: Behold, send :
lsenger before thy face."-Luke Z: mes
! "Christ's Testimony to John" h.,
subject of this lesson, which is founpc
Luke z: 24-35. Next to Christ there
no more interesting figure in the New
Testament group than that of John the
Baptist. What shall we say of him?
Certainly nothing else than Christ here
spake when he called John ''much more
than a prophet" and up to his time the
greatest of those born of woman. There
Is way of reading or expounding this
narrative such as would degrade John to
a weakling. Doubtless he was tried to
the verge of disheartenment, and Christ
himself says that ours is privilege and
purchase of power which by the aid Of
the Spirit makes the least of us greater
than the Baptist, but our Savior's strong
language on this occasion sets aside the
imputation that John was either in the
pit of despair or on the deserts Of vacilla-
ton. He was no shaken reed, he was no
petted child of luxury. He was n hero,
every inch of him, and the present que
ries are not to be interpreted as in any
sense a renunciation of the faith. Rather
may we not esteem them as coming from
deep devotion rather than dark despair.
John is in dismal confinement Doubt
less it tries his soul and the souls of his
immediate disciples. He had perhaps an
ticipated another denouement, but now
he sees the end is drawing nigh. He also
hears of the wonderful works of the
Nazarene. Is his own work finished? Is
he to bear no larger part in the new
kingdom, and is the Lamb of GOD fairly
and fully entered upon his great mission
and career? This for his own sake and
for his disciples sake and for the worlds
sake John wants to be assured of, and,
being so assured, he silently retires, his
work being ended
Points in the Lesson,
"The messengers of John" 1t is the
last appeal of the Old to the Nfw. The
law salutes the gospel, the LAD of the
prophets salutes the author and finisher
of faith. 1t Is the final declarhtiop df
prophecy's fulflment and of The be-
ginning of the gospel of Jesps Christ.
The messengers have depart b." but
not empty-handed. Itwould eintAresting
to follow them as they bears back to
John the precious messages of jesus that
these signs are worthy to be believed.
The blind seeing, the lame walking, etc.,
these are the sure tokens that the king
dom has begun and the Christ has come
to establish his reign. We can imagine
the worn and weary John turning aside
now, not with grief, but with deep joy,
to await Gods call. He has fulfilled his
course, he is ready for translation.
What went ye out into the wilderness
for to see?" And NOW let us get Christ's
own estimate of John the Baptist. Some
men may just now be"thinking him a
reed that bends with the wind. Circum-
stances seem to help out such reports.
This very embassage of Johns disciples
might possibly suggest it. Or did any at
the outset go out expecting to find a
yielding, easy-going or ease-loving soul?
Such could not have spoken as John
spoke, or have endured as John endured.
Christ but mentions them to indicate by
the very mention their absurdity. What
John was at the Jordan, he is still, ]. e.,
in this mission of his life. A man
he is, and subject to like sorrows
and discomforts as others, under some
thing Of grief and burden just now, but
there stands his life, let it speak for him.
''Wisdom is justified of her children"
1t is the life that vindicates and estab-
fishes. The world stands or sits like un-
natural and stubborn children in the
market place spending the time in fruit
less complaint and criticism, instead Of
in the enjoyment which might be theirs.
Some see too much austerity in religion,
others too little. But here in the midst
all the time stands Christ preached by
prophets and apostles, hands full of ben
efits and pleadingly saying, "Ye will not
come unto me that ye might have life"
Let mother wisdom drive us home to
God and his salvation in Christ.
Hints and Illustrations.
Do with John the Baptist as Christ did
with him. honor his noble character.
Prove by him how God uses man for high
and divine ends; show how great he was,
and yet how much greater the privilege
of the humblest chilfsof the kingdom. The
traits of character in John that are wor-
thy of emulation are self-devotion, loyal
ty and humility. Greatest among the
prophets and them of the old dispensa-
ton, he bows reverently and joyfully a
the feet of the Man of Nazareth. His
life is n specimen life under the great
plan of God, and the glory which is now
his and the grace which is now ours
make up but part of the rich fruitage
of that life.
When John was born II was prophesied
that he should go before Sin the spirit
and power of Elias" The effects of that
power were further declared to be ITO
turn the hearts of the fathers to che chill
dren and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the just; to make ready q people pre-
pared for the Lord" Is there anyshing
more needed to-day? We might well
pray for the coming of some one armed
with the spirit and power of Elias. Aus
tria Is solicitous because there Is no
royal son to take the crown. Kingdoms
are full of acclamations when an heir is
born in the princely halls. But of how
little moment are these compared with
the birth of a Whitefield, Wesley, a
Spurgeon, in whom is the spirit and
power of Elijah? Is there such an one
somewhere for the generation before us?
'As bright as the promises of God"
said Judson regarding his prospects
abroad. The career of John the Baptist
demonstrates that one may be accounted
strong without the show of success. that
the shut-in life is providential life, and
that real steadfastness and straightfor-
wardness may go along with seeming de-
feat and failure. Mr.. Moody Is reported
to have said that God has no use for n
discouraged man. The expression Is
strong. Many discouraged man, dis
heartened over results, dismayed at his
own conscious weakness, has, even In the
midst of his grief and dependency, held
on to God, and has brought the project
through the cloudy day. Trust God and
keep on, spite of all. Keep on, brother,
aiafar He tuowa