Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-02-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
SERIOUS SUBJECTS CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED.
A Scholarly Expedition Of the Lesson
Thoughts Worthy Of Calm ReAec-
tion-Half an Honr's Study of tho
scriptures-Time Well Spent.
Lesson for February @.

Lesson for February q.
Golden Textile careth for you."-1
Peter 8: Z.
This lesson, entitled "Our Fathers
Care" Is found in Matt. O: 24-34. The
first verse of this lesson belongs to the pre-
ceding paragraph, 1924. The thought Of
those verses is that the heavenly riches
are the best riches to seek because they
last; and that the search for heavenly
riches and that for earthly riches are, very
difficult to carry on together. "Mammon"
a word common to the Syriac, Aramaic
and Phocnician languages, meaning
riches"
"Take no thought: Everybody knows
that this does not mean what 1t seems
to mean; but some people suppose that
this is what Jesus said, but that he did
not mean it literally. The fact Is, that
what Jesus said was, 'be not anxious for
your life,' and, according to good au-
thorities, this was what take no thought
meant in 1911; so that the translators
were correct according to the usage of
their time.
'"The fowls of the air" conveys to many
minds the rather homely figure Of the den
iLtHS VI tHt uIu,
they spend but little time in the air. Here
again is an old English expression, mean
ing simply birds in general.
Worry will not make man taller, or
make him live longer. The Greek word
here may mean either of these. If it re-
fers to bodily stature, there is probably
reference, according to the commenta-
tor Lutteroth, to ''the growth of the hui
man body from infancy to maturity. BY
that insensible process, accomplished
through the aid of food, God adds to ev-
cry human body more than one cubit. How
impossible for you to do what God has
done without your thinking of it! And
If he fed you during the period of growth,
can you not trust him now, when you have
ceased to grow?"
Solomon in all his glory is proverbial
expression for the greatest conceivable
magniicence. 1t was true, even from
Jesus point Of view, and that of his hear
ers, that the beauty of these brilliant
flowers was something finer than the
pomp of royal court. But how the force
of the comparison is increased when we
remember the revelations of the micro
scope. The tissue of these petals and pis-
tils and stamens, the infnitesimal cells,
each perfect with its nucleus and provis-
ion for growth, far surpass any work
manship of human hands.
'"rhe grass of the field, which to-day is,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven: to
western readers this expression is not al
ways plain. Dried grass, weeds, stubble,
etc, are, however, used as fuel in Pales-
tine, on account Of the scarcity of wood.
ha ssOrnnv ie IN ha thnttuhf % q
part of a stove. 1t was "a round pot Of
earthenware, narrow at top, heated by a
fire within. dough spread on the Sides"
These questions. What shall we eat?'
and "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?'
take up vast amount of time and atten-
ton in most of our lives, and if we add
How shall we be amused?" the sum total
Of many life will be described.
To seek the kingdom of God is not to
hunt for hidden thing that is difficult
to find and can only be found after long
and disappointing effort. 1t is true that
the kingdom of heaven is compared to a
hidden treasure in another passage Matt.
13: Al, but the idea there illustrated is
the value of the treasure. We are not to
picture the ideal Christian as n man who
starts forth upon quest like that of the
Round Table knights for the Holy Grail
The search here spoken of is for king
dom that is to be found by all earnest
seekers, and to be found just as COM
pletely as it is sought; for the kingdom
lies within the heart that seeks, and
grows by the very act of seeking. To re-
ly, however, upon the promise that ''all
these things shall be added unto you to
the extent of neglecting prudent provision
for material necessities for oneself and
ones dependents would show that one
was not truly seeking the kingdom of
God.
1.-THE morrow shall take thought for the
things of itself" The revised version has,
"The morrow shall be anxious for itself"
Jesus forbids worry. Worry Is not mere
ly foolish, but wrong. 1t cripples activity,
prevents clear thinking, wise acting, tenn
perate speech. 1t implies a doubt of our
Fathers care.
Teaching Hints.
The essence of this passage about wor-
ry may be summed up in two sentences.
Stop and think; is it worth while to wor-
ry? Stop and think: is it not wrong to
worry. if we believe in the Father?
If there were not more important things
to teach, it might be well to consider the
first of these questions at length.
1t is satisfying to turn from the ques-
ton about worry considered merely on
practical utilltarian basis, and the truth
presented by Jesus, that God the Father
has q personal interest in ali his needy
children. and will certainly care for them
ms well as for the lilies and the birds. He
counsels unfaltering trust in the Father,
and confidence that the best things will
be given to the faithful believer.