Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-06-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX. SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATioNAL SERIES, JUNE 2.

LESSON TX. SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATioNkL SERIES, JUNE 2.
rcxt of the Lesson. Mark xvi. Is Mem
ory Verses. 6. ! Golden Text. Luke
xiv, - Commentary by the Rev. u. VI.
Stcarns.
l. And when the sabbath was past,
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother Of
James. and Salome, had bought sweet
spices that they might come and anoint
Him" In Lev. xxiii 10, II, we read that a
sheaf Of the first fruits OF the harvest was
to be presented to the Lord and by Him ac-
repted for the people, ION the morrow after
the Sabbath" In / Cor XIV, %, we find
that the resurrection of Christ was the full
fillment of that type. The women men
toned in this first verse of our lesson were
some of those who followed Him and min
lstered unto Him They loved Him de
votedly, but they were lacking in faith. for
had they believed His words that lie would
rise again the third day chapters viii, 81;
| TX, 81 they would not have thought to
pnoint His dead body ON the third day.
Without faith it is impossible to please
Him.
2 And very early in the morning. the
first day of the week, they came unto the
sepulcher at the rising of the sun" How
sad they must have feltl Who can tell their
thoughtss After all His wonderful works
and teaching concerning the Kingdom, TO
have it end this way was disappointment
indescribable. Oh. IL they had only believed
lisa. lii and the words of His own lips,
what sorrow and darkness they might have
been spared, Mary of Bethany believed
His words and anointed Him beforehand,
and evidently expecting His resurrection.
as lie had said, was not found with the
others at the tomb What darkness would
be dispelled from sorrowing hearts If those
whose friends have died in Christ would
only believe (phil. !, 81. %; Thess iv. IL
1S), and what sums Of money might be
saved for better usc which are vainy spent
for the dead bodyl
3. And they said among themselves,
Who shalt roll us away the stone from the
door Of the sepulcher:" 1t was u real diff
Guilty from their standpoint. yet they moved
on as if il would some way be removed
Love is not hindered from acting by ap-
parent difficulties When it is a work of
/ faith rs well n Il labor of love Il Thess /, -,
]
lest love perform unnecessary labor, and
there can he no faith apart from the word
Of God Rom. y, Ia.
! 1. And when they looked they saw that
the stone was rolled away. for it was very
great" Difficulties vanish as we 20 for
ward. How often we have found it sol In
Math xviii, ., We find that the angel of the
Lord descended from heaven and came and
rolled back the stone from the door and sat
upon II, for seals and soldiers were nothing
10 him. The angels who excel in strength,
that do His commandments, hearkening
unto he voice of His word (Ps. CHI. 20, know
no difficulties. and nothing is hard To them.
Read the angel stories in Acts xii and Isa.
xxXvii, 36. and rejoice that they are still
ministering spirits who minister unto the
heirs of salvation (Ilcb. i, 40.
. And entering into the sepulcher they
saw young man sitting ON the right side
clothed in long white garment, and they
were aifrighted' II we believed in the
ministry Of angels. and that they are ever
with us serving unseen and unthanked.
perhaps we would not bc afraid if some day
one or more should appear to Us. Ii is true
that most Of the people in the Bible record
to whom they appeared seem TO have been
afraid. but we do not read that either
Abram or Elisha were afraid. and Elijah
was not afraid To have them come for him
with a carriage that day that he went home.
Notice that this angel. who must have been
several thousand years old. is called
young man-oh. the joys Of eternal youthi
II spared to the day on which this lesson
shall be- taught, will be 81 years old. but
/ am sure feel more like Is than 81, and
am perfectly sure that shall feel younger
still 10000 years hence.
q. And lie saith unto them BE not af-
frighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which
was cruciiied. He is risen He is not here.
Behold the place where they laid Him."
The angels always say. Fear not Gen xxi,
Il; Luke j, H. 20; H. l0), and does the
Lord Himself from Gen. Ky, !, to Rev j. Il.
His thoughts 10 all His people are peace
and not evil (Jer. XXiX, IL. Therefore let
our hearts say, Il will trust and not be
afraid lisa. XII. q. In Math. xviii, &. the
angel said, lie is risen, as He said, as if
they might also have said. why did you
not believe Him" Let MS have n simple,
chidlike, unwavering faith in every word
of God. and thus He will bc gloriiied in us
Z. But go your way. tell His disciples
and Peter t1at He goeth before you into
Galilce. There shall ye see Him as He said
unto you" Oh, how Christlike to have a
special message for poor Peter, who must
have felt. because of his awful conduct
that he was no longer worthy 10 be one OF
them. But the Lord loved this erring one
and he alone of all the disciples is mentioned
by name in the resurrection message. He
is risen, Go. tell!' may well he called the
watchwords Of Christianity. II lie he not
risen, our faith is in vain, we are yet in our
sins. and all who have trusted in Him and
1. 4 q 4 Gt
If He he not risen from the dead, then His
spotless life and His death on the cross all
20 for nothing, a far as the work OF re-
dcmption is concerned. But lie is risen,
God hath raised Him from the dead and
given Him seat at His own right hand,
and, As lie said To John in Patmos, He is
alive forevermorc and has the keys of hades
and death (Rev. j, lS). The present bust
ness of every believer is TO tell out the fact
to all the world, as far as each individual
, may. that through the risen Christ is pro
claimed the forgiveness of sins, and all who
believe are justified from all things (Acts
xiii, -. So.
s. And they went out quickly and fed
from the sepulcher. for they trembled and
were amazed; neither said they anything
To any man, for they were afraid" Mat
thew says that they departed quickly with
fear and great joy and did run TO bring
Ills disciples word (Math. xviii. s.. They
would speak tn no one by the way, but
filled with joy because Jesus was alive and
awed by the facts the angels message and
their own now manifest unbelief, they
hastencd 10 tell the disciples. There is
nothing inconsistent between this kind of
joy aud fear. See Phil. ii. II and similar
passages. We may have great joy in the
Lord. and wi,hal a fear Of erieying Him.
How tn Please an Author.
Mark Twain tclle rs that there are thrce
"infalliblc ways of pleasing AN author: l..
! To tell him you have read one Of his
books. .. To tell him you have read all os
his books 3. To ask him To let you read
the manuscripts Of his forthcoming book.
No. admits you to his respect. No.
ndmits You To his admiration No car.