Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-05-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
LESSON.
Reflections Of an Eievsting Character
-wholesome Food for Thought
Studying the scriptural Lesson In
tclIixently and Probably.


stud ing the scriptursi Lesson In
tcliigentiy and Probably.
Lessou for May II.
Golden Textile that 10 faithful in
that which il least il faithful also In
much; and he that Is unjust in the LEAST
is unjust also In mnch."--Luke III: 10.
The lesson this week Is found in Luke
10: 1927, and has for its subject the
Parable of the Pounds. sstn srl
The key word 10 this parable is appre-
citation. You have talent; how do you
estimate 1t? What are you doing with 1t!
There were two brothers in the parable OF
the prodigal. We might almost say, two
prodigals One was wasteful OF his sub
stance In far country. The other was
negligent and, in n sense. wasteful OF his
opportunities Mt home. "Son, the faith,
err said, going out to the back door to meet
this elder prodigai, thou art ever with
me, and all that i have is thine. How
little he had appreciated 1t! spending
his time wholly in the field, when he might
have been enjoying the delights OF the
fathers house and sharing his fathers
vigils for the long-lost son. 1t Is picture
of many in the church, neglecting relig-
lOuS opportunity, uuiuB sphAt""' PO""ss
giving time and talent almost wholly to-
the things of this life and neglecting the
larger business of the fathers house This
lesson ought to call us to thought OF
our Christian stewardship. We are not
here for the comfort or, it may be the dis
comfort of existence; we are not here for
the mere getting of a living. large or
small, we are on this earth for the admin
satr nf n trno N most
out Of life for God Are we doing it!
Lesson Hints.
A hint, first Of all, for the teacher from
the great Teacher. ''As they heard
(hearkened toy these things he added and
spake parable" 1t is a good thing to
add5-an illustration. Sometimes our
Lord gave a parable to catch the atten-i
ton; here he gives it to hold the thought
and fasten it in the memory. lllustra-
tons serve a double purpose They are
like the feathers on the arrow. to carry
it straight; and like the barb, to make it
stick fast.
The parable was given because he was
"nigh to Jerusalem"-the place prompt
ing the parable. And would not this spot
always bring the story to mind!
The story and its lessons, too. For they
were thinking, as they approached the
city, that the kingdom of God should
Immediately appear And it did appear
with startling suddenness. But how diff
ferently from that which they expected!
A cross upon hill top; riven tomb in
the vale. Presently tongues Of fire in an
upper room. So comes the kingdom still
by the way Of the cross, and in spiritual
fashion. "Till he Gomez
Occupy till / come is the key phrase
to the parable. Faithfulness to duty.
Proving our regard for the things to come
by our appreciation of the things present.
Fastening the coming of the kingdom
by using the present gift and applying
ourselves to the present opportunity. The
word occupy" means, literally, to trade
or do business. Are we thus occupied?
Or are we preoccupied?
The secondary, if not the primary, en-
phasis is upon the Lords return. when
he was returned" is spoken with calm as
surance. He is coming again. and as is
said in the similar parable of the talents,
Matt. %: 19), he ''reckoneth'' with those
servants. The reckoning will be in the
brilliant light of kingdom already re-
ceived
Lord, thy pound" Accent the pro-
noun strongly. 1t was not the servants
property, save as a trust. Neither was the
gain the servants. 1t had all come from
the pound itself, properly used. All Gods
gifts rightly conditioned, mean more Civ
ing, but the giving is still of God.
Ten Cities" five cities" The scrip
lures clearly teach a difference Of estate
in heaven according to faithfulness here.
Someone has just been saying to us,
"Yes, but the canary bird and the camel
both go to the same fountain. and both
alike drank their fill" But who wants
to come, though it be all Of grace, to
heavens delights with the poor capacity
of a canary bird?
"Mine own with usury." The Lord
wants and expects more than the simple
talent first given. When the servant with
the one talent, in Matthew, dug it up out
of its hiding place in the earth and pre-
scented it to his master with the words.
'Lo, there thou hast that is thine" he
was, at the same time, speaking insulting
ly and untruthfully. Gods own is his
own with usury, ]. e., the fruit Of use.
Every branch in use," says Christ at
John 10: 2, that Dearest not fruit he
taketh away" and also, Herein is my
Father glorified that We bear much fruit;
so shall We be my disciples"
Even tnat Ee natn snail be taken
away" !. e., hath, in hiding. not in full
possession. There are three sins commit
ted by the man who hides his talent: 1,
against God; 2, against his fellows; 3,
against himself. And there is a twofold
punishment: 1, he misses the abundance
of the rest; 2, he loses what he had or
seemed to have. Churches and individu-
ais may learn grave lesson here.
'Those mine enemies, which would not
that i should reign over them" gives
local coloring to the parable. the refer
ence being probably to an incident well
known at the time But the lesson is an
abiding one. I'VE will not have this man
to reign over us" will not serve to Danish
the rightful king. "He must reignv Had
you thought it? Get you ready.
"Up with your hearts, was the old
call to devotion. Whatever our hands are
doing, keep the heart for God. occupying
till he come. Ours is valuable trust;
guard with prayer. Matthew Henry puts
it: "Let prayer be the key of the morning
and the bolt Of the evening" SO lock up
the pounds. Beware OF self-trust, pride
of possession. There was no counting of
gains here till the Master came. Trust
not self. Look only to God for the re-
ward.