Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-06-10

I've Lesson and Where 1t May Bo
Found-A Learned and Concise Re-
view Of the Same.
Lesson for June Is.
Golden Text.-"From child thou hast
known the holy Scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation. I'll.
Tim, 8: Is.
ject of this lesson.-II. Tim, i: II;
3: 14-17. On his first missionary jour-
hey Paul spent some time at Lystra.
There lived young man named Timothy,
who became disciple early in life, and
when Paul came again on his second jour-
ney, some five years later "a. ID. 51) he
took Timothy with him. From that time
on their lives were closely connected.
With the first lesson of the next quarter
We begin the study of the second mis-
sionary journey. Hence this lesson, ia
ken from letter written to Timothy by
Paul some sixteen years later, is inserted
at this point. The reason for thus con-
fusing the order of events in the minds
of the average pupils is not clear. The
lesson should have found place at the
very. close of Pauls life, in December.
However, since it is here instead, the
teacher must explain that Paul wrote
these words when he was an old man in
his second Imprisonment at Rome, prob
ably about A. ID. 81, just before his
death, when Timothy was separated from
him and was in Ephesus. The passage in
Acts 49, 10 should be read, which makes
the connection with the history; and the
whole of the epistle from which the les
son rs taken.
Explanatory.
1t is especially desirable to use the
revised version in this lesson, as it i'm
proves the rendering of several verses, and
modifes ones Interpretation of the ia
nous proof text, III. Tim, 3: 1G.
The letter is one Of fatherly advice and
warning to Paul's younger brother in the
ministry. Because of their directions as
to the duties of pastor and evangelist,
this epistle, the other to limo
thy and that to Titus. are called
the pastoral epistles." While portions
of them are especially appropriate to pas
tors and leaders in Christian work, other
portions contain much that is helpful to
the Christian life of all disciples.
Pauls introduction to his letters forms
an interesting subject of special study.
They vary, but all contain some desig-
nation of his official position, some de-
scription of the person or church ad-
dressed, or an ascription of praise to God.
IAN apostle of Jesus Christ" was the
title which Paul regarded as his highest
honor. He was an apostle not merely
because of his discipleship. but because
of his special personal call to missionary
service TO Christ. Having "seen the
Lord" he possessed the indispensable
condition of an apostle in the full sense
of that word.-"According to the promise
of life which is in Christ Jesus" the will
of God has operated in accordance with
his promise to give the life that is in
Christ to every believer; that is, Paul has
been called both to discipleship and to
apostleship.
MY dearly beloved SON." he was Paul's
"son in the gospel" having been led to
Christ under his preaching when but
boy. From that time he had been much
associated with Paul: was with him dur
ing the first Roman Imprisonment "a. ID.
61-63) but at this time was in charge
of the church at Ephesus.
II thank God, whom l serve from my
forefathers:" The mind of an old man
turns naturally to his ancestry, physical
and spiritual. Hence Paul, in strong
figure of speech, says "whom l serve from
my forefathers. Without ceasing /
have remembrance of thee in my pray
ers;" the friendship between these men
had been very. close, and consecrated by
their common Christian faith.
How powerful an argument to the
young man Timothy, now in position of
great responsibility, to remind him Of
his early home and his mother! Since so
much has been given him. of him much
will be demanded. Paul admonishes Tim
othy to 'stir up" the gift of God, which
is compared to a smoldering fire that
needs poking. The gift of God" the
special endowment of grace for Timothy's
ministerial work.
For God hath not given us the spirit
of fear:" revised version. "a spirit of
fearfulness." Instead of Sound mind"
the revised has discipline" The connec-
ton seems to be. that Timothy should cul-
tivate the gift that was in him in conf
dence, not fearing the dangers by the
way. because it is ordained that the Chris
tian's development shall proceed accord
ing to definite principles, that make for
power and love and the training of char
acter.
Continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned" sound advice for any
body, young or old. Paul would not have
said that Timothy must not under any
circumstances change his early views of
truth; what he urges is, that the funda-
mentals, the things he learned Mt his
mothers knee and from the sacred writ |
ings of prophets and historians, should |
not be surrendered.
1.-THE holy Scriptures" he refers of
course to the Old Testament. The books |
of the New already written-that is, the |
other epistles Of Paul, that of James, the |
books of Acts, ETC., were not constantly |
referred TO as ''holy Scriptures" So early |
in the century, though l. Pet. B: 16 is an
exception. THAT the man of God may ne |
perfect" That is, well equipped in char |
acter as well as in knowledge for his |
work.
Teaching Hints.
Gratitude for a Christian home This |
seems a rather tame subject to the aver |
age boy or girl, simply because they know |
little about the other kind of home. As /
they grow older, and begin to feel the |
need of every resource in the engrossihg |
and taxing business of life, and see others |
failing about them, something of the /
due gratitude comes to them for the un- |
conscious discipline of early life and for |
inherited Puritanism. Moral battles |
which others are fighting and losing to-
day were fought out for some of us by |
r.