Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-03-24

made clear. The application to our o6vn
times can then come with greater force.
For every reason why the disciples should
watch IS intensified in our own times. The
application to temperance is very clear,
and the emphasis can be laid upon this APP
pltcation according to the needs of each
class. The Section includes verses S6-4S,
together with the similar teachings about
watchfulness on the Tuesday before the
crucifXion, four months later. See Light
from Other Scriptures
The full lesson for to-day is as follows:
81. Blessed are those servants, whom the
LORD when he cometh shall find watch
!nS: verify l say unto you that he shall
sird himself, and make them to sit down
10 meat, and will come forth and serve
them.
50. And If he shall come in the second
Watch, or come in the third watch, and
find them so, blessed are those servants.
81. And this know, that if the good
man OF the house had known what hour
the thief would come, ne would have
watched, and not have suffered his house
to be broken through.
~. Be We therefore ready also: for the
Son or man cometh at an hour when ye
think not.
Al. Then Peter said unto him, Lord,
'peakest thou this parable unto us. or
even to all?
AZ. And the Lord said, Who then is that
~dAtH4 vi anu wise steward, WnOm MS lOru
shall make ruler over his household, to
give them their portion of meat IL due
season?
AZ. Blessed is that servant, whom his
lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
A. or truth l say unto you, that he
will make him ruler over all that he hath.
40. But and If that servant say in his
heart My lord de,ayeth his coming; and
shall begin to beat the menservants and
maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be
drunken;
46. The lord Of that servant will come
in day when he looketh not for him,
and at an hour when he is not aware, and
Will cut him in sunder. and will appoint
him his portion with the unbelievers
A.. And that servant, which knew his
lords Will, and prepared not himself.
neither did according to his will, shall be
beaten with many stripes.
A. But he that knew not. and did COM
nit things worthy of stripes, shall be
beaten with few stripes. For unto whom
soever much is given. of him shall be
much required; and to whom men have
committed much, Of him they will ask the
more.
Some explanations to to-day's lesson
are as follows:
VS.. 1879. 81. "Shall find watching"
The word watching" expresses not
mere act, but state of wakefulness and
not curiosity straining to be the first to
see the returning master, but the wakeful-
ness and diligence that overlooks no
duty, INDUCES no Incidence. The last
thing that would please a master
would be the idle curiosity which would
make the servants neglect their work to
stand outside the door gazing to catch
glimpse Of his return. What the master
desires is wakeful work."-R Glover We
watch by serving the Lord as faithf lilly
as If he were ever looking upon us. We
watch by being on our guard aga INST
every temptation and danger. Watchtul-
ness is the opposite of careless security;
it is state of readiness.
Against What to Watch. We are to
watch against temptations from wit hin
and without; against pervading iniquiiies
which fill the air with moral malaria, or
chill the piety of even the church; against
failure in duty; against the loss of the
warmth Of first love; against the day Of
death and of judgment so as to be pre-
pared for them when they come.
SS. Second or third watch" Always
watching, whether 1t be early or laHe
1.-The watch was a military division of the
night, covering the hours occupied by
each of the four relays of guards sta
toned from D. m. to 6 a. American
Commentary
A Reason for Watching 80. IF the
goodman" the master or head, ''of the
house, had known what hour" A rob-
Der always tries to come Unexpectedly.
Whsl house has not been robbed for a
long time men are apt to relax their
vigilance.
40. THE son of man cometh in an hour
when We think not" Not only his final
coming, but all his comings are sudden.
at unexpected times, and in unexpected
ways. There is only one way to be safe
against temptation, only one way to be
ready to enter open doors of usefulness,
or new work, to be prepared for death
and the judgment, and that Is to be al
ways on guard. always watching, always
ready. If we are unprepared the oppor-
tunitieS pass US forver.
VS.. 41-4. Al. Peter said" Peter recog-
nized that the apostles were referred to.
and would of course reap the great re-
ward promised but how about other peo-
ple7 Was there room for them?
AZ THE Lord said" He now implies
by a parable what ne at another time
directly said Mark 1880. what say
unto you l say unto all, Watch" who
then Is that faithful and wise steward"
49, Blessed" He possesses all the
beatitudes. Shall find so doing" We see
by this illustration of Christ what he
means by watching; not gazing up into
the heaven for signs, but faithful perform
ance of duty, as II God himself were ever
present, with hope and joy in the thought
OF his coming. In many cases watching
is Joined with prayer, because he that
means 10 watch will seek all the helps
possible, especially the guardianship OF
God
H. will make him ruler Tor set him)
over all that he hath" over all his prop
erty OF every kind, and not simply over his
body OF domestics. Compare %: q; Luke
-: Il. 26)