Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-04-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
AID INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON.
Reflections Of an Eievating Character
Wholesome Food for Thought
Studying the scriptural Lesson In
telIigentIy and Proftably.
Lessnn for ApriI 2I.

kee0Om IOI ApTil Sls
Golden Text-''Take ye heed, watch and
ay."-Mark 13: 33.
The lesson this week is found in Matt.
"a: 42-51, and has for it's subject watch
fulness." The duty of watchfulness who
can gainsay?. We have gotten into such
a controversial mood. so separated into
hostile camps, or at least schools, on this
question of our Lords second coming,
that we have largely forgotten and ignor-
ed its personal import. Yet there starts
the command, "Watch." 1t comes from
our Saviour's own lips. Post-millennial-
ist, or premillennialist. Watch. We have
no right of ourselves to hasten the day,
by setting an early date; no more have
we right to defer the day by posting
remote date, and asserting that certain
things, according to our own interpreta-
ton, must first take place. He may come
at any time. We should never be in
else than watching mood. That such a
mind may be quickened in the church
through this lesson may well be our
prayer.
Points In the Lesson.
"Watch." A watching church is Christ's
witness, "till he come" He is coming!
He is coming! Let every one say it with
the life as well as the lip. 'Watch, there
fore" Why? "For We know not" 1t is
weak faith that only watches when we
know. The very fact that we do not
know the exact time, only the fact that he
is coming should keep us watching all the
more vigilantly.
But know this" Some things we do
know. One thing that Christ is surely
coming again. And also that the world
does not know it, refuses to know it. Look
about Is the world acting as If it ex-
pected the Lord? Is the church, indeed ?
Knowing this first, that there shall
come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts, and saying, Where
is the promise of his coming? for since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of the Gre
ation."
Does our Lord compare himself with a
thief" here? He is willing, forsooth, to
submit himself to any similitude in order
that he may awaken men. And yet how
like the coming of thief in its half
expectedness, half-unexpectedness, is the
coming of our Lord. He may come to-
night, he may come tomorrow night; the
only way to be ready is to be constantly
on the guard. 'In such an hour as ye
think not; literally, judge not. 1t is
totally unknown We cannot reckon or
judge the hour. Our Lord put it, in his
earthly pilgrimage, out of his own ken.
Is it wrong to preposit or predetermine
1t? 1t is as wrong to postpone it. When
the day arrives it will be over and above
our keenest judgment; it will surprise and
startle US all. There is only one way to
fit ourselves, in mind or soul, for it-be
always ready.
And what is the true watching spirit
Evidently it is the working spirit. "Bless-
ed is that servant whom his Lord when
he cometh shall find so doing. Doing
what? Giving his household ''meat in
due season." Certainly he is not to be
found "smiting his fellow servants" or
eating and drinking with the drunken"
BY these signs know watching church
1t keeps us hoping and trusting in the
promises, feeding on the meat Of the
word. BY these signs know also an un-
watching church: 1t is full of shifting and
quarreling, of wanton mingling with the
world What shall hold the church to the
first and away from the latter? That
blessed hope of our Lords appearing and
nothing short of it, Put more into our
Lords second coming and we will get
more out of his first coming. That is, live
more in the light of the throne and we
will reflect more the light of the cross. In
this aspect the homecoming of our Lord
in apostolic days was not a disappoint-
ment. Brother, have you realized it, Je-
sus is to-day on the throne at Gods right
hand. And the very next thing in the di-
a. M laI 10
in power. Preach, teach, live, pray i'm
the thought of it, the hope of it. Jesus is
coming.
A good practical suggestion at the close
of the lesson, familiar, perhaps, but not
too familiar. So many are staying out
of the church just now because, they say,
there are hypocrites in it. Where are the
hypocrites at the last? Appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites; there shall
be weeping and gnashing Of teeth"
Friend, do you assume to despise hypo-
critics, and yet appoint your portion with
them forever? Stay out of the church and
away from Christ on account Of hypo-
critics and be with them eternally? Doubt
less there are some hypocrites in the
church. There will be great multitude
of them in hell. Which do you prefer?
few days with them here or eternally
with them there? God help us to be rea.
sonable and save.
Hints and Illustrations.
II Ia impossible, except in a lukewarm
and Indifferent or Laodicean church to
keep down the question of our Lords Sec
Ond coming. 1t is the hope of the New
Testament and of the New Testament
church. Christ is coming again. He said
II over and over. The evangelist, the
epistolists iterate and reiterate it. The
last work of inspiration, "Surely, I come
quickly" and the prayer: "Amen, even
so, come, Lord Jesus" then the benedic-
tion. Christ's imminent coming, this is
clearly revealed in the Scriptures. Immi-
nence, as another has suggested, includes
two things; certainly of approach along
with uncertainty as to exact time of ap-
prevail. Therefore, watch" 1t is the
only reason ible mind. Discuss this doc
trine to-dat. Hold up the blessed hope.
Are we no saved by hope-this hope?"
Next Lesson-"The Lords Supper