The Indianapolis journal., 1895-06-29

ligious Education.
These lessons constitute the Sunday
school extension department of the above
named society. All who study them are
requested TO send their names, postoffice
address and denomination, mentioning
this paper. 10 the author at Washington,
D. c.. for enrollment)
PERSON.-Many iIlustrious men have ap-
peared in the coarse of the ages. They
have been Of all nations and languages.
They have pursued various vocations. And
the names of these have been written on
the long roll of fame by their fellow-men
who would not suffer them to die. But one
name there is above all others. A peculiar
charm is in it-a lustre gathers about it.
More than any other it has entered into
history and literature, and gone round
the globe. 1t is the name of Jesus Christ
Without exception He is set apart and
above the rest of manhood. A few have
professed to call Him man, the best and
greatest of men. A smaller number have
believed that He was some pure and lofty
spirit, for time incarnated. But, by far
the greater part of men, beholding Him
through the vista of the Centuries, and
judging Him by the brief records of His
followers, have confessed with heart 10y
atty like the fisherman apostle, Thou art
the Christ, the son of the living God"
Nineteen centuries after His departure ten
millions of people have delighted TO study
Him week by week. and the progressive
American newspaper has admitted notes to
guide such studies.
PERIOD.-Of the whole life of Jesus the
time covered in the past quarter is by far
the most important and interesting. lit
tie space, indeed. 1T was, less than two
calendar months, but into 1t were crowded
events that concern the whole human fam
lily. We speak Of turning points in the
worlds history; we refer to battlefields
where many died for great cause; we turn
to conventions in which debates and ac-
tions were noted involving the rights of
men; we gaze with profoundest concern
into the scenes of a hoary past when vast
issues were involved; but, it is no lack of
appreciation of any of these which prompts
the assertion that more important than all
is the story of Jesus from Palm Sunday
to Ascension In the occurrences of those
days forty centuries and all preceding civ
ilizations found their significance and COM
pletion. In them were realized most Of
those high purposes for which the weary
generations contended and hoped. During
that time were set in motion influences
destined to untangle the snarl in the web
of human affairs and effect the regenera-
tion of society.
MEMORITER.-As an aid to the men,
ory the salient points of the twelve les
sons in the quarter may be given, each
under suggestive word thus: /. '"Tri-
umph'-The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem,
greeted by the loud hosannas of the peo-
pie, was His offer to the nation as it's right
fr inc a-,s
Paul, concerning the resurrection, was
doctrinal defense for the early church. 3.
''Watchfulness." The discourse Of Jesus on
tolic faithfulness after His departure. 4.
supper = The institution after the
Pasehal Feast of new ordinance as
of his death. s. Garden THE agony in
Gethsemane exhibited the Saviors lonely
The examination before Annas and Gaia
phas showed the enmity of the Jewish
rulers T. "Pilate,"-The mock trial be-
nocent of any crime deserving death. g.
Cross The awful scenes of Calvary set
new. heathenism with Christianity. 8.
victor. 10. Walk. .'-on the way to EN- m
maus .so doubt sui turned to faith H. Peter
apostles. II. .Parting."-At the ascension
the apostles were made worshipng and 10y
al servants. Look along these steps of the
ITINERARY.-The first nine lessons de-
scribed scenes in Jerusalem or in its imme-
olives and Golgotha were the only other
places visited by Christ. Thither He led
His little company of followers for private
communion and returned to the great city
for intercourse with the people until bound
as prisoner. He was taken to execution.
sacrifice. After the ninth lesson He made
two excursions. The first was To
the little village of Emmaus and re-
turn, perhaps sixteen miles for the trip.
The second journey was into Galilee. by
| what route is not known it's most distant
point being the fishing grounds of the sea
| of Galilee. perhaps eighty miles in a direct
| line. or 16O miles going and coming. 1t is
| probable that Jesus travelled more than two
our lessons. unless we suppose that His
| passage from point to point after the res
direction was a mysterious spiritual flight
the two portions of the country, the north
ern and the southern. representing the
whole of the Promised Land and both Sec
| MISUNDERSTANDING the time there were
| not so many displays of His power as in
| by any means presented all those which did
occur. The foreknowledge concerning the
colt, the reading of Judahs thoughts, the
cure of the servants ear. the draught ol
| fishes, the ten commandments in the flesh
| these were all plainly miraculous; that is
nature. BY what law. if any law. these
things occurred, or whether, by suspension
| OF law, no one can say. Assuming two
realms, a spiritual and a material, the lat
ter subject to the former, there needs only
10 be established the fact of departure
J from uniformity to prove that the Master
| of the spiritual world has stepped in TO ex-
erciSe authority and accomplish His pur-
| poses. The whole period of fifty days, with
| Jesus as the central figure, was phenomenal
He himself being the supreme miracle, His
| self. Who ever sees Him, as He was In
| the city, in the country, by the sea. on the
| mountain, in the garden, in the palace, or
| the cross, in the sepulchre. must see unless
blind to nobler things; the potentiality OF
| cause for any physical result
| TEACHINGS.-The words of Jesus bore
deeper meaning in this period than in for
| mer time. 1t would be profitable to trace
| the progress of His thought through Hi.
whole career. to show how His life worl
| lay in His own mind, tor there was an or
| der in His mission. Here is something
| which scholarship has not thus far attempt
ed. except in part. The little volume 'Th,
/ Self-Consciousness of Jesus touches th'
/ rim of the subject. But some one ought tt
i classify His utterances. which are the bes
| index of Him, and then analyze and ex
plain, and so show what He was attempt
ing from the baptism TO the ascension. This
| is impossible in the space of this review
But, certainly, the teachings of this perioS
are intensely interesting and form the eli
max Of three years of marvellous instruction
| There was not only wisdom ip what H'
| said, and more than human wisdom also
! but there was an. evident purpose to be
| friend His disciples, TO prepare them TO
ture and for their subsequent duties an,
| TO instruct all others according TO thei
| needs Most of all that He said finds 1T
best explanation In our time when He an