Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-05-09


jected of men."-Isa. SO: 3.
This lesson is found in Mark IA: 1894,
and has for its subject "Iesus Before the
High Priest" 1t Is a pertinent topic.
There Christ stands to-day, saying.
"What will you do with meT How are
our churches giving answer? What shall
be the response of our Sunday schools at
this time? Surely here are questions not
far removed from us. IL 1t possible that
some of us are following Jesus, like Peter,
afar off? IL there high priest, in high
authority to stand and think of IT'D chal-
lenge Christ, the Lord of the church?
Yes, but are there not also those, hid from
view just now, who are ready, il need be,
to die for him? The aim of this lesson
is to bring these true witnesses to the
front.
SINNERS in derision crowned him,
Mocking thus the Saviour's claim;
Saints and angels crowd around him,
Own his title, praise'his name!
"They led Jesus away to the high
priest" Marvel of meekness. Christ,
the Lord of glory, suffering himself to be
led of men to ignominy and death. Here
is the fulfllmcnt of the Scripture: He
Is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and
as O sheep before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth this mouth" Why does
Judah not behold it? .'All the chief priests
and elders and scribes." All against
Jesus none for him. How unfair the
trial! Do men give Christ a more rea-
sonable tribunal to-day? 1t is always
the enemies of the Holy One who are
let in as a flood. His friends are intrud-
ers. Yet there stands the Christ; he
speaks for himself. Hear ,ye him.
And Peter "afar Off" Oh, where now
Is the boldness that cried out Though
all men forsake thee, yet will not ~ Still
Peter followed Christ, and herein there
was something of the old courage, yet
courage unguarded and unsustained. The
next moment Peter had denied his Master.
To keep from denial hold close to the
Christ. Do not follow "afar off," Peter
was warming himself where good many
Christians are, at the worlds fire. 1t
was not a very comfortable position. The
Lord never intended that it should be. AS
Peters hands grew warm his heart grew
cold. Presently he did not so much as
know Jesus of Nazareth. We have seen
II in this wise since.
"Witness against Jesus was not TO be
found. Witness against Jesus, genuine
witness is scarce article still. If it
could have been discovered 1t would have
been brought out at that crucial day.
But of such witnesses the jealous Scribes
and Pharisees "found none" They are
not yet found. But "many bear false
Witness OF this sort there is a plenty.
Yet few are deceived by it. AS with Pr
late it can plainly be seen that 'for envy"
he has been delivered.
"The high priest stood up" thus sig
nifying that matters had come to an issue.
Thus also will God some day arise. San
swerest thou nothingY' What is it that
these witness against thee" Oh, more
literally, following Tischendorfs Greek:
"Answerest thou nothing to what these
witness against thee| And then the
high priest goes right on as was antici-
pated, to answer for him, guilty" But
not until Christ has distinctly acknowl-
edged his divinity. 81 am (the Christi
and yet shall see the Son of Man sitting
on the right hand of power and coming
in the clouds of heaven" In the face of
that plain declaration he was rejected
and because of il. was condemned. That
was what man could do. What next?
What God can do in fulfillment of the dec
laration of his Son. The word is out and
...sII NJ