Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-08-15

view OF the same.
Lesson for August ~.
Golden Text-Thvu shalt bless the Lord
thy God for the good land which he
hath~given thee.--Deut. 3: 10.
The lesson this week Is found In Deut.
O: Bib, and has for it's subject The New
Home In Canaan. Deuteronomy Is an old
mans legacy to PROSPERITY. In 1t Moses
renders the beaten oil of his divinely
wrought life, the fruits of his nurture un-
der God. And when he speaks 1t Is not
for Israels sake alone. 1t il for all man
kind. These parting discourscs from
Moses lips are like Socrates last words,
the philosophy of living. But better than
Socrates he speaks as the close friend, we
might almost say, the familiar of God.
Therefore the lines of the book point the
way of the undefled in all ages. Keep
faith with God, and God will keep faith
with you. Or rather trace out the faith
full, truthful ways of the Lord Jehovah
and walk in them. To keep therein Is
life and peace, to depart is loss, infinite
loss, both here and there.
The new home i'm Canaan suggests
the old home among the hills with its
open Bible and its family altar. Cherish
the recollection. Hear, therefore, o
Israel" There is everything in that word
therefore. Duty, obligation, aspiration,
right ambition, love. The man who has
any regard for self, neighbor or God, will
hear.
Observe to do" In our study Bible
we have marked this as the key phase of
Deuteronomy. 1t occurs more than once,
and it sums up the burden of Moses last
appeal to his people and to us. THAT ii
may be well with thee" Experience cor
roborates the word. Obey and live, neglect
and die. The things that made for sue
cess with Israel make for success and hap
piness with us. They are general and uni
versal principles of life that are here
enunciated. 1.-THE land that fioweth with
milk and honey" There lay the land of
Canaan before Israel fair in its possibili-
ties and promise. Here lies life before
the young. How will you enter upon 1t,
how will you adjust yourself to it? Learn
wisdom.
1.-THE Lord our God is one Lord" There
fore it pays to serve him and keep faith
with him. Therefore it does not pay to
prove this. Gods laws are not arbitrary.
They are just and true, part of the very
constitution of things and given for an
eternal and infinite betterment. TO serve
God is to best serve self. I'm thine
heart" The words were to be found on
the outside, but they were to be found
also on the inside. If this lesson shall
lead us back. to something like the old
memorization of Scripture in the Sunday
school, it will be well, unspeakably so.
unto thy children" Nothing is more
beautiful than the sight of a household
gathered at the family altar, with the
Book in the midst and the little ones lis
tening to it's beauties and mysteries from
the lips of father and mother. 1t is what
makes angels rejoice, and it's absence is
enough to make angels weep. Write
them upon the posts of thy house." They
are written upon the door-posts of our
government, and men cannot obliterate
the mark. And in these days of pros
perity, when we love houses full of good
things" days which Moses prophesied
would be fraught with danger, it will &c
i'll with us If we forget the truth, tenn
perance and righteousness of the days OF
the fathers, when the foundations were
laid.
Hints ond Illustrations.
Here is a good counsel for parents
Family government is not so jealousy
guarded as once ii was. Our children
need to be taught both by precept and
example that Gods way is the best way,
and that the only course for true, lasting
happiness and prosperity is in observing
Gods laws. When the child is grown he
will thank the parent for such instruction;
|. e., If he has obeyed it. There be those
who in a mean, shameless way are &C
customcd to say that they stay away from
church or 20 in certain unworthy ways
because their parents were $50 strict
with them when they were young. We
have little patience with such unfilial talk
1t usually comes from those who are en-.
deavoring in weak and heartless way,
to excuse themselves and cover up mis-
doings. 1t is what ysu may expect from
the disobedient, and they get, in due TIVE
their reward. But the youth that las
walked in the footsteps of the parent, as
he has followed after God, is ready and
glad to acknowledge his indebtedness fol
the holy walk and conversation. Call
forth testimonies on this point. Are you
sorry for the Zine upon line" of home
discipline and training. Sorry or glad?
Keep the account straight with God
the financial account. "Observe to do
it, make study of the system of 1t. 1t il
surprising and exceedingly sad how loose
ly we reckon with the Lord in money
affairs. There are men about us with
hundreds and thousands who are dealing
in pennies with the Lord. And they are
called Christians. DIR. Lodge speaks none
too strongly when he says: "The man
who loosens his collar to sing,
Were the whole realms of nature mine,
That were present far too small,
and then slips a contemplate nickel into
the poor fund collection, is liar and
everybody knows it." There Is too much
of sounding brass" when the contribu-
ton goes around.
Next Lesson-"Crossing the Jordan
Josh. 3: 5-17.
Christianity In IaDau.