Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE,
LESSON.
Reflections or an Elevating CharacterI
'c.-wholesome Food Tor Thought
Studying the scriptural Lesson In
teiiigentIy and Probably.

l.A F34f % f19fgl
Lesson for Dec. 10.
Golden Text-''There is a friend that,
sticketh closer than a brother."--Prov..
1924. ..A ~ i. M
The. lesson for next Sunday is found
In /. Sam, 20: 32-42. The subject Of the
lesson is given as sDavid and Jonathan"
1t might more properly have been named
Jonathan and David For Jonathan AZ
yet has the pre-eminence and is the chief
actor. 1t is his love that startles and
surprises us, and the quality of his con-
descension and steadfastness give us
here the major suggestions, we have in
this lesson of the grace that was I'm Christ
Jesus. If there is any approach to a
messianic type here-picture and hint at
least there is--it is Jonathan who partic-
ularly affords il. -
But in his own way David also is an
intimation of the Son of Man. Only in
this case It Is the sufferings and Attic
tons of the Christ, the anointed, of God
that are typified or illustrated for MS.
Coming with the manifest token of Gods
approval, both from the Bethlehem
sheepfold and the battlefield at Shochoh,
David is rejected and maligned and per-
secuted by Saul. He has need to resort
to the fields and woods, and waiting for
his promised crown, he has, indeed, like
the Man of Nazareth, no place to lay his
head.
1t Is to be noted that in these efforts
to escape from the malice of Saul, David
Is providentially thrown in with Samuel,
who has passed from the sphere of active
participation in civil affairs, but at Ra-
nah seems to be still exercising his
prophetic functions. 1t is kind of
school of the prophets, and here, doubt
less, David is given some of that sort of
tutelage and training in the high themes
of divinity as may nobly fit him to speak
to the people, as he afterwards does in
his matchless Psalms. 1t was not vast
ed time. God uses affiiction for the bet
terment of his saints and the advance
ment of his lofty purposes.
But the pith of the lesson is the con-
stancy of Jonathan through it all. He
proves it by interceding more than once
with his father and, as in the opening of
this lesson, by pleading for his friend.
From the first they have loved each
other, the two stalwart youths, and their
affection is in all points touching and
beautiful. If any one had earthwise
reason to be jealous and envious, it was
Jonathan, who was the heir-apparent Of
the throne. But he cheerfully and unset
fishly relinquished all for David, whom
he recognized as the approved of God,
and his very kingliness he employed in
the interest of making David king. For
David's sake he called down maledic-
tons upon his own head; for David's
sake he ate no meat and left his place Mt
the royal table empty. In fact, he made
himself, as it were, 'of no reputation for
the love he had toward David.
The circumstance of the archery in the
field was but an item of this devotion.
Jonathan's pastime had a serious pur-
pose in it, and his thought was of David.
His pleasure was with this one of the
the sons of men dishonored and disown-
ed at the misled court Of Saul. His con-
versation with the lad was very truly
over his head. 1t was directed to David,
hiding there. He spoke indeed in para
bles, that hearing, the boy might hear
and might not understand. But David,
the man of his heart, understood, and
even before they revealed themselves full
ly to each other, these two heart COM
rades were holding happy converse in the
field. Changing slightly the figure, there
is language of the heart which affection
interprets, and in the life of earth and
the swift speech of the mart we have
opportunities to send messages heaven
ward. Yea, all words and arrows are for
the bringing in of his kingdom in all
hearts. But speech is not always to be
thus in parallels nor intercourse at dis
lance. Presently David and Jonathan
are together and their love over1Ows.
Well, sometime this sweet prophecy, too.
shall be fulfilled for us and in us, and
we shall Joy together as kings and priests
unto God in fields elysian.
illustrations.
Love is the uppermost and prevailing
thought in any suggestion of David and
Jonathan, love and loyalty. A love that
constrains us and holds us true. 1t is
beautiful to see Jonathan continuing on
in his love for David, although he knew
that David's exaltation meant, in a sense,
his own abaseineht. It. was unselfsh,
selfforgctting love, constant love- 1t has
it's highest illustration and it's crown in
the character of Christ, who for our
sakes become poor that we through his
poverty might be made rich, and who
loved men still even when they were
putting him upon the cross. That is a
wonderful expression ut John 10: L:
.Haying, loved his owp,e he loved them
unto the end" We have written back of
it in our own Bible ring or circle. 1t
was love to the end, not so much i'm the
sense of termination as of completion.
Yes, and love to the finish, the 1T is fin
ished" of Cavalry, and so we have put
beside the circlet the sign of the cross.
He knew that his hour was come that
he should depart out of the world unto
the Father" to high celestial compan-
ionships. yet he remained true to his
earthly loves. He knew that the Faith
er had given all things into his hands,
and he could do as he would with men.
Then, said he. 1 will just go on loving
them. He knew "who should betray
him." who should forsake him, who
should lead him to the tree, yet he loved
them still. Wonderful love of Jesus.
Christ had compassion on the multitude,
the tickle sometimes needless multitude,
as sheep without shepherd. Because"
it says, ''they famished and were scat
tered abroad as sheep having no shep-
herd" Matt. o: 36) That was the
way shepherdless sheep might be ex-
pected to act. They were tired and lay
down." as the margin says. Well, they
were shepherdless and had lost their
way, had worn themselves out with vain
seeking for pasture. He had compassion
on them. And they were scattered
about" How like shepherdlcss sheep,
the unchurched, unfolded masses. What
shall we do with them, for them? Do
what Jesus did. Love them, love them