Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION. w f4t
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instrucs'
i've Lesson, and Where IT May DO
Found-A Learned and Concise Ne
view of the Same.
Lesson for May 81.

Lesson TOT Way oA'
Golden Text.-"Heaven and earth shall
pass away; hut my words shall not pass
away."-Luke 21: 30.
The destruction Of Jerusalem Is foretold
in. this lesson, the subject matter being
found in Luke n: 2Ol36. -
When ships are in the fog a sailor Is
sometimes sent to the topmost mast, above
the mist and gloom. that he may make
out the bearings Of the vessel ana teil-ol
things not seen on the decks below. 80 In
the gathering darkness of that elder day,
when the near peril Of Jerusalem and the
nearer passion Of the cross was setting
down upon the little company Of disciples,
the Saviour takes a high, broad observa-
ton from the uplift and outlook that
were his in his divine nature. He fore
tells the coming destruction, but he casts
his eye far on to where other events are
thickening TO the conclusion, brighter,
happier issues than those of the nearer
foreground. And, though all these scenes
have not yet been enacted, so large and
momentous were they in their sweeping
vision of the Christ that they seemed to
loom up, overtop and well-nigh obliterate
all the rest. Be glad, o my SOUL, "For
yet little while, and he that shall come,
will come, and will not larry"
Lesson Hints.
Jerusalem compasscd with armies
SO have we seen It, MY soul is among
lions"
Does Christ attach the word ''desola-
ton" to lofty and beautiful Jerusalem?
Yes, and for that they slew him. But he
spake the truth; and blessed truth it
was, IL they had but known. A better
Jerusalem was coming. 60
These words of Christ were not vainly
spoken. In the fearful carnage that came
upon Jerusalem we hear of no Christians
perishng among the multitudes that wet
the sacred streets with their blood. They
had fled as hidden ito the mountains"
SO flee from the wrath to come.
Under every representation Of Jerusa-
lem to-day place the explanatory phrase
of our Lord, Jerusalem trodden down by
the Gentiles." And the treading is very
hard and merciless just now, throughout
all the land and it's environs. The trucu-
lent Turk is there.
But it shall not always be so. Until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" In
a very true sense sour times are in his
hands. When he wills and his great de-
shall come Israel's turn again. And who
can say that Jerusalem's history has all
been written? Written, perhaps, but not
fulfilled
"And there shall be signs" Leave 1t, as
written. in the future tense. 1t is yet to
be fulfilled, and the signs, as DR.. Schaff
says, Of "the sign of the Son of man in
heaven" (Matt. "A: 30), are not to be
1. III ay,Iu xo6 vxyh0
they appear.
There are those who continue to apply
the remainder Of the chapter to the de-
struction Of Jerusalem. Doubtless by an
ticipatiop and in proximate fulfllment
the words may have such reference.
But the more natural and reasonable ex-
egess is to apply the words from verse %
on in their fuller Interpretation to the
ultimate end of the dispensation and the
prophesied coming Of the Son Of man. the
phrase Christ has just let drop, "the times
of the Gentiles" prompting and indeed
necessitating such an explanation from
his lips.
"The Son of man coming in a cloud"
may have some partial fulfillment in the
Inauguration of the new work Of the king
dom in apostolic days, but manifestly
there must be a larger, fuller application,
or the words are strangely and sadly enig-
matte. Surely we have not yet seen "the
power and great glory" And just as
surely, we shall see it.
"This generation shall not pass away"
Here probably is the greatest point Of
difficulty. Some interpret this to mean
the passing of the Jewish race. The nat
ural import, however, is Of lifetime, and
it would be so understood by those about.
Why not refer it simply to the completion
of the type in the destruction Of Jerusa-
lem forty years later? The word "ful-
filed" here is the simple verb to be, and
we are to remember that these words
were written probably in advance Of all
the events limited at ST.
Watch We therefore" How? Two
ways: 1. Keep from the world, v. "a. 2
Keep with God, V. 36.
80 the changing bells Of time!
How their changes rise and fall!
But in undertone sublime,
Sounding clearly through them all,
Is a voice that must be heard,
As our moments onward fee;
| And it speaketh, aye, one word,
Eternity! eternityr'