Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-12-16

Found-A Learned and Concise Re.
view Of the Same.
Lesson for December 10.
Golden Text.-"If we confess our sins,
he Is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins."-1 John ] o.
The subject for study this week Is
Johns Message About Sin and Saliva.
ton," found In 1 John l.; 8; q: 6.
Introductory.
These are the last times of the APOSTLES.
their last words, the final echo of that
great generation which had witnessed the
Lords coming and departure. Paul's spirit
had assembled to his Master in the fierce
storm OF Nero's closing days, and Peter
mad also borne good interest in death as
In life. Many years after those mighty
voices were stilled, John fingered on, an
ancient and pathetic figure, but clothed in
gentle dignity quite inimitable and beau
tifui. AS the years wore on, Jerusalem
lay in ruins the other apostles dropped
from the paths OF the living, the voices
grew fewer Of those who had known the
| Lord.
John, living as tradition says, in Ephe-
sus, though travelling at times through
the East, began to wonder
How will it be when no one saith,
saw?
He had already written a Revelation of
Christ, but something more was needed.
The gospels Of Mark, Matthew and Luke
were by this time go or SO A. d. in cir
culation, and had been for some years;
nut there were inner mysteries of the
truth which John had perceived during
those three wonderful years Of his youth,
which had not yet been told. So he wrote
his gospel and sent it forth to all who
could read its simple and sublime truths.
Still the years hurried on, sin and error
Fought desperately against the truth, but
the old man stood apart like one whose life
was already in the heavenly city, looking
on without fear or anxiety, warning his
little children" against the dangers, not
of persecution, but of self-deceit and sin.
In these three epistes we have his last
words to the world (some suppose that
his gospel was written after instead of
before them, however). They show
strong resemblance in style to the gospel,
Johns favorite words, light" ''love,"
truth" "life," darkness" being freely
used.
Explanatory.
The message which we have heard
from him.: there is something intensely
personal in Johns announcement of his
message. He feels with increasing con-
viction in his latest years the supreme
value of personal testimony.
TO walk in darkness, in Johns sense,
is not to have tho soul clouded temporarily
by doubt or encouragement. SO to inter-
pref the verse takes all the meaning from
1t. John is not speaking Of what we call |
christian assurance" He is speaking |
OF conduct. We walk in darkness when |
we turn wilfully away from the light.
but IL we walk in the light" If, that |
is, we share his love for things good and |
hatred for things evil striving towards |
the one and against the other.
How is this to be reconciled with 3: G,
"Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not;
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, |
neither known him." T.ere is ce.tainly |
a verbal contradiction here. But IL we
take each verse in its context, and remem-
Der that Johns mind was of that type
which saw complementary truths as a
paradox, most OF the difficulty will disap-
pear. In our lesson, John is warning
against self-deceit. We all sin, and we
should recognize that fact, that we may
be always watchful. But in the third
chapter he is speaking of the future time
when the sons of God shall become entire
~ like him, and Of The need that the self
begin now and here.
Confession, forgiveness, cleansing. How
plainly the promise comes to those of
Chrst's own disciples who find them
selves constantly falling into sin.
An advocate with the Father" IL John
we're giving us dogmatic theology, we
should charge him with confusing the per-
sons of the Trinity; for the word trans
ated advocate" is the regular term for
he Holy Spirit" or Comforter" Here
t is applied to Christ in heaven.
THE Precipitation for our sins" The |
criptural conception is not that Of appeas-
ng one who is angry, with personal feel
ng against the offender; but of altering
he character Of that which, from with
'ut, occasions a necessary alienation, and
nterposes an inevitable obstacle to fell
owship. Such phrases as ''propitiating
Tod" and God being reconciled" are for
ign to the language of the New Tesla
nent.
Teaching Hints. :
The childlike simplicity of Johns epis-
les, like the crystal purity Of deep
pring, makes truth itself seem the most
atural and easy thing in the world. His
lords are appropriate to every age. They
re loved by little children, they are read J
nth eagerness by old men. 1t should be
he most helpful lesson Of the whole
ears lessons which it closes. How nat
raj is the association with the Christ
las season-childhood md age coming to- I
ether here, in the words of John to Z
Dung men, as they did when the child !
esus was adored by the wise men and l
in the temple. The four great !
acts Of human life are here brought to- 7
the human will, goodness,
n. Here are the elements of all gospel \
.aching. How they shall be clothed In =
rder to frame the browning lesson Of the ?
ear for waiting minds and hearts the J.
,acher alone can decide.
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