Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-01-16


40 n .yLesson for Jan. 10.
Golden Toyt.-Bchold the Lamb OF God
that taketh away the sin OF the world
John l 20.
This lesson Il found in Luke 3: lo-222.
and has. for It's subject The Ministry or
John the Baptist. Grand, brave, John
the Baptist. Last of the prophets and
FIRST. q Last and hence nearest to the
Christ. Ready to point TO the Christ and
then pass out of sight. hunbly saying:
''He must increase. but must decrease.
In this he is model for the preacher in
all time. John peculiarly represents the
Baptist position. as occapicd from the
first, which says the man Is naught, the
Christ is all. The priest with his assump-
ton of absolvng grace calls attention to
himself; the preacher calls attention to
the Christ. The priest pretcnds by the
application of water 10 impart something
TO the candidate; the true successor of
John imparts nothing. he simply admins
tiers an ordinance. obeys command, and.
i'm SO doing. points to "the Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the world
Lesson Hints.
There il strange looking man standing
by the Jordan, motley throng before
him. He has just been telling them who
and what they are. There is no mistak-
ing his language. They are sinners need
ing repentcnces And now John, who art
thou! Art thou the Christ of whom we
have heard? Il. nay, am not the Christ,
/ am Just Il voice" Truth, truth, but
God give us another shcn voice!
Did this voice ever falter? There are
those that so interpret the language and
query at Luke Z: 10: art thou he that
should come? or look we for another!
TO us it is not so much suggestion or
doubt MS Il plea for divulgence. 8ohn
has been shut away from men in prison
darkness. He has not seen or heard what
others have seen and heard He feels that
the time is drawing nigh for his departure.
He wants an authoritative declaration as
from master that his work is done.
Christ gives it full and plain. To John
1t is n kind of nunc dmittis and with a
glad trust he stands ready when Herod's
headsman comes.
"he will thoroughly purge his floor.
God wants purgcd floors. If this earth be
considered his footstool. we may expect
to see that footstool cleansed and the
place of his feet also made in due time
glorious. IL encourages us all TO look
for better things here below--and to keep
on helping to make things better.
Wheat and chaif. The coming of Christ
Is to bring all things into revelation. Christ
by his first coming made il plain, in spirit
ual wise. what il the wheat and what is
the chaff in human life. When he comes
n second time il shall be to make all things
plain and to separate forever the wheat
from the chaff. The fire unquenchable
has already started To burning, but the
chaff is not yet burned up.
The Revision says, with many other
exhortations, therefore, preached the
good tidings unto the people" And the
rendition is literally correct. The word
means TO preach the gospel. Two things
may strike us rs strange: /, that such
words as those in the verse just preced
ing should be regarded as elaboration"
Qiterally, encouragement. ., that any
thing like this should be included in the
good tidings Of the gospel. The gospel is
evidently n very broad term and it may
be well for us 20 consider whether we
have been giving it full scope and sweep.
Thou art my beloved Son." was the
voice that broke through the vaulted skies
as the water was cleft at Christ's baptism.
soul since that day has the cleaving of
the waves been the signal for a new cleav-
ing of the heavens in spiritual discern
ment and divine reinforcement.
illustrations.
Just a voice and finger-that was all.
But the voice spoke for Jesus, and the
finger pointed TO the Christ. A voice and
a finger, humble Instruments. what more
are WEI A voice and a finger. honor past
telling. Rejoice, Christian, that you can
be as much! God permits us to go before
his divine Son as voices crying in the
wilderness of this world. He allows us
to stand in the way and point to the an
pointed One saying Behold the Lamb
OK God which taketh away the sin of the
world How noble an occupation! Sue
cessors to the apostles? Some may dis
pute it. But followers of John the Bap-
tist, that we may be and that we are.
We can lift the voice, we can point the
hnger, we can prepare the way for the
Lamb of God. Rejoice Christian, and let
this lesson stir us to new activity at our
lesser Jordans.
Why did Christ choose a man rather
than an angel TO go before him? 1t is
Gods way. His plan has always been
seen to be. as Acts 10: 5, to "send men,"
Angels would fain go forward with the
gracious work. but God halts them part
way. as at Bethlehem, and in Joseph's
garden, and puts all in the hands of men.
This lesson will do good according as
some man or woman, some teacher OF
scholar is sent out by it to prepare the way
for Jesus in hearts that need him.
Note the holy confidence Of John. zone
mightier than cometh" He said il with
perfect assurance, even before his eyes
had lighted upon the Christ. Indeed by
faith through spiritual communion Jesus
was with John already, though as yet the
spirit had not yet been given, openly and
declarativcly and with power, for that
Jesus had not yet been glorified. Chrys-
ostom used to say, II have pledge from
Christ, have his note of hand, which is
my support, my refuge and haven; and
though the world should rage, to this Sc.
curity cling, 10. am with you Away,
even unto the end of the world"
There were two names in Johns life:
Christ and God. John brought to men the
thought of God and of the dominance Of
the Kingdom of heaven.
Next Lesson-"Thc Early Ministry of
Jesus."-Lukc A. 14-22.
Keep the Brightest Trail.
A good minister, Bishop Baker, in the
days when railroads were few, was
once inquiring the route across the
plains from St Louis, that he might
keep an engagement for holding con-