Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-04-23
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
& LESSON.

Reflections of an Elevating Character
.-wholesome Food for Thought
Studying the scriptural Lesson I'm
telIigentIy and Probably.
| Lesson for April 20.
| Golden Text.-Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.-Luke 10: Is.
| The Rich Man and Lazarus Is the les
SON subject this week, and is found In
| Luke 10: 1881. sei = Il w.
Great and grave truths are these, re-
vealed in Gods word. 1t is high time our
pupils, and indeed all Of Us, were consid-
ering them. For 1t is very much an age
of frivolity and indiferentisn,. There Is
needed the proclamation Of some of the
more startling and arresting doctrines OF
the divine word. Death and hell and an
endless eternity should be laid with heavy
stress upon the hearts and consciences OF
| the men and women, the young also, OF
| this generation, lest we lose all sense of
reverence and all thought Of the world to
come. But along with it always speak as
did Christ and his apostles, of God and
| his wondrous grace, the full salvation
| extended to lost and helpless sinners,
| doomed to endless woe. Where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound.
Some one has well said: 'His feet may
occasionally slip whose hand Is placed in
Gods hand, but he never quite falls"
Trust God.
Lesson Hints.
'There was q certain rich man."
veritable case it would seem. 1t Is per-
haps rightly insisted that this Is not
parable, but an historical instance. But
| by the same reasoning neither Is the story
of the prodigal son a parable.
| Dives we often call him. 1t was not his
real name, but the Latin for "rich man."
a translation Of the two words. Whoever
the original may have been, he has had
many fac SMILES since his day. Dives
is still with us, and Lazarus, too. ~
Lazarus twas laid' at the rich mans
gate. The word is literally cast or thrown
as burden is deposited-a significant Sc
lection Of language. The action Of the
verb is frequentive. They were accus-
toned to drop the man at the rich mans
gate, to get his living the best he could.
The desire to be fed that is spoken Of
here is intense or unsatisfed desire. He
was looking and longing, often doubtless
having to satisfy himself with the sight
and the wish. Same word as is used of
the prodigal (15: 1G, would fain have
filed"
1.-THE crumbs alluded to here are not
necessarily Of bread, as the term signifies
in our English usage, but of meat or any
other edible. Fragments would better
render the Greek, the word being simply
the participle falling, j. e., the things that
fell: CT. windfall.
Moreover the dogs came" More literal
ly and graphically, "But only the dogs
came"
Death, in sense, associated these two,
apart in life; and in sense death more
widely separated them. Both died. Death
smites us all alike. But one fell into the
arms Of angels, to be carried to Abra-
hams bosom; the other fell into the grave,
to fall presently deeper still into the lake
of fire. The funeral of Dives was doubt
less, to the eyes of earth, more splendid
than that of Lazarus, but picture in i'm
agination that angelic train.
HELP is here represented as both a
place and n state. AS place, it is 'far
off" from the paradise Of the just though
doubtless what is referred to here is that
intermediate state which lies between this
world and the next. Yet that even here
there is separation is clear from the
words of Christ on the cross, To-day
shalt thou be-with me--in paradise"
But it is also represented as state or
condition, and this has the larger empha-
SIS. I'm torments" Tor anguish) is suffi-
cient to indicate its wretchedness. What
nre is to the body, such is the morse Of
hell to the impenitent at the last.
That great gulf fxed'' should give us
pause. 1t settles the question of second
probation. 1t fxes, determines the duty
OF the hour and the limits Of acceptable
choice 1t is from the Greek word used
here that our English chasm directly
comes. This chasm is not to be bridged
by hopes or speculations or peradventures.
We are carried by Gods angels of grace.
The only thing that insures the passage
OF the gulf is faith in the blood of Christ.
Thank God, there is a chance for faith
to-day. Hear, from that far world, teach
er, the agonized appeal Of Dives. Speak
to his five brethren" or more, still on
earth. One or two Of these YOU may be
able to reach to-day in that class of yours.
If the scriptures will not warn and win
them, nothing will. Teach and trust.
Illustrations.
Get on right terms with God. It is
better to be on right relations with the
God Of eternity than on easy terms with
the god Of this world. He presently turns
60 rend; his wages Is death; but the. gift
Of God Is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Mr.. Aitken, who has recently
been conducting mission and revival SER
vices in New York and PHILADELPHIA. has
been laying solemn stress on Judas choice
of the thirty pieces Of silver. "What did
1t buy for him 2" he asks. "What did IL
buy for him at the last 2" And he answers
with truth truthfulness, "a grave in the
pauper's field" Death, death, 1t is all the
world can give. "He that sows to (unto)
his flesh shall OF tout of the flesh reap
corruption" Gal 6yS.) 1t is all that the
flesh can yield. Serve the flesh and take
your wages. Nay, rather, serve God and
receive the gift of God, which is eternal
life through Jesus Christ, his Son.
The rich man also died and was bur-
led. That was all. 1t is the pitiful ending of
many self-centered, self-satisfied life.
Riches could not alter it; the man died
and that was the whole of it, and the end
of ii.
Remember that thou in this life re-
ceivedst'' Gas full pay 'thy good things"
And is there no thought Of reward or Of
subsistence In the world to come? This
Ia not the part of wisdom.
A rich mans daughter going to thea
tiers, card parties and balls, was at last
led by a friend into a revival service.
There she heard truths which startled and
indeed. convicted her. Returning home.
Rhp fold har fokbor IL -