Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-03-02

corded IN Luxe X IL, 10 AN4iai ~, anu also IN
John X, come between the last lesson and
this, and that Jesus is now On His way 70
Jerusalem. shortly before the last passover
While He was beyond jordan Lazarus
took sick, and the sisters sent Him word,
but instead Of fastening TO him He tar
ried two days in the same place, and not
till Lazarus was dead and buried did He
set forth TO awake him out OF sleep (yorsc
I'D. When Martha heard that He was
coming, she went forth out of the town 10
meet Him, and afterward calling Mary Sc
cretly she, too, went forth out Of the town,
Jesus tarrying where Martha had met
Him.
81. When the people in the house who
had come together To comfort Martha and
Mary saw Mary go forth hastily, not
knowing that her sister had called her,
they supposed she had gone TO the grave
to weep there. They must have been poor
comforters, for they knew not the comfort
of / Thess. iv, 1918. How few seem to
know it even now, for even at the funeral
of believer we have often heard por
ton of the context, but seldom these words
wherein the comfort lies, which assure rs
that any hour our departed loved ones in
Christ may join us, and together we meet
the Lord in the air.
30. Mary, coming where Jesus was, fell
down at His feet, uttering the very same
words which her sister had used (verse 2I)
Now if, as some teach US, the coming OF
the Lord means death, Martha and Mary
should have said, Lord, we are so glad you
came when our brother died, but they say
that If He had come Lazarus would not
have died
33. He would not he troubled without a
cause, and when we hear Him twice groan-
ing in spirit in this lesson (see verse $50
we may be sure the cause was very great.
What could IL Der His dear friends whom
He loved were in deep sorrow, and He felt
sorry for them.
"a. His inquiry, ''Where have We laid
himy' confirms us in the thought that it
was the work of death upon this dear
friend whom Jesus loved (verse 81, which
was in part at least the cause of the Sa-
viours groaning, and while He knew that
He would surely raise up and restore Lag
arus to his sisters, yet He felt deeply the
work of the enemy and saw it in all it's
terrors and horrors from Abel to the very
end.
49, Jesus wept." Shortest verse in the
Bible, but who can tell its breadth and
length and depth and height? On three
different occasions Jesus is said to have
wept See Luke xix, Al; Heb. V, z. In
the former text we see His sorrow for those
who, by their unbelief, were bringing I'M
told sufferings upon themselves, but into
the meaning of the latter we cannot pre-
tend to enter.
36. behold how He loved him" God
is love, and all the love of Jesus was the
manifestation of the love of God. "In
this was manifested the love of God to-
ward us, because that God sent His only
begotten Son into the world that we
might live through Him" q John iv, %.
81. They have not forgotten tho I'M
heard of wonder of the opened eyes of the
man who was born blind. Possibly they
had heard Of the two resurrections in the
north country, of the little girl and the
widows son. Like Martha and Mary, they
feel that, if Jesus had only been present,
He might have prevented Lazarus from
dying, but it is too late now, for he Is
dead and buried, and neither of the others
had been buried.
3S. They are now at the grave, or cave,
with stone upon it, and again He groans
within Himself. We are reminded Of the
words in Rom. viii, 23, yourselves, also,
which have the first fruits of the spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves
waiting for the adoption-to wit, the re
demption of our body"
80. The stone is between Him and the
dead body of His dear friend, and that
they can take away. 1t is ours to tako
away everything that may be between
Jesus and the soul that is dead in sims.
No matter who may object, because of tho
seeming impossibilities of the case, let us
get away all the obstacles and bring tho
sinner face to face with Jesus
40. The greatest of all hindrances is un-
belief. In one place He could because of
this do no mighty works, and it is unbc-
lief that both keeps sinners under con
domination and keeps saints from enter
ing into rest (John ILL is; Heb. Iii, 49,.
In spite of feelings or circumstances or all
that our eyes can see we must believe God.
To the man whose little girl had just died,
Jesus said, BE not afraid, only believe
Mark v, 36) In the storm at sea- when
it seemed as if the vessel must go down
with all on board, and there was nothing
to rest upon but the word OF the messen-
ger, Paul said, II believe God.
Al. The stone being taken away, Jesus
glorifies His Father by acknowledging
Him as the one who was about to work,
answer. Hear Him also thanking the Fa-
ther in Math. XII, 20; Luke K, 81. He ever
made it manifest that the words and works
were not His, but those of the Father who
sent Him. He would have us to believe
and make it manifest to all that it is
God who worketh in us both to will and
to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. ii, 49,.
AZ. He always pleased the Father; tho
Father always heard Him, because He
sought only the Fathers will and glory
John vi, 8S; viii, 90, 50). 1t is our priyi-
lege to be well pleasing in His sight, and
so to abide in Him that we may ask what
we will and receive it Heb. xiii, 21).
43. The same voice that said in the be-
ginning, ALet there be light" that spoke.
to Israel from out of the mist of the FIRE
on the mount; that spoke and it was DONE
commanded, and it stood fast; that same
voice now cries. " Lazarus, come forthl''
A. The mighty word gave life, and sud
denly he that had been dead stood at the
mouth of the cave alive and well. What
a word it was, what word it Isl There
Is nothing like it on earth God is ia it,
The Bible, the word Of God, not only
was inspired, but is inspired 1t is forev-
or settled in heaven, il is true from the
beginning, and it shall stand forever Cps
cxix, 80, 100; lisa. xl, So
As. Many will still believe on Jesus
when they see real life ana liberty in those
who bear the name of Jesus, but mere
mama IN live xxrhpra fhcra AZ NJ ,,ol If,