The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-05-13
WATChFuLNESS.
ynssvuauonaI Sunday School Lessoo
for May . $685.

re know not what hour your Lore doth
come-Nat-- A12
TIME--Tuesday afternoon. April g. Ap.
D.. M same dap as our last lessor oet
after Jesus had LEFT the temple
PLACE-The Mount q olives. overlook
ing Jerusalem. on the way 10 Bethany
LESSON EXPOSITION.
l. The Duty Of the Hour-to Watch
v. ~. Watch therefore. In view OF
the things which Jesus had JUS, been
telling them. as lie SAL with them on the
brow OF Olivet. overlooking the Deauu-
full city SO soon 20 be destroyed. As n
a panorama the future sweeps before
their yision-the destruction OF the
city and It's temple, wars. famines. pes
licences, earthquakes. hatred. betray-
ais. tribulations, death; the sun aud
the moon darkcned. the stars falling
from heaven. false prophets arising. de-
ceiving almost the very elect Men
fainting for fear and for expectation
of the things which are coming on the
world" Luke 2i:26)- Then comes .
wider sweep of the prophetic vision.
and they see the end of the world. and
the day of Judgment. of which the de-
struction of Jerusalem and of the jew
ish nation and the end Of the old dis
pensation were symbols and types
III. Reasons for Watching. AParable.
VS.. 4a-i4. The coming of the Lord re-
fers not only TO the great day of His
coming 20 Judgment and in final tri-
umph, but TO His coming at Pentecost.
and at the destruction of Jerusalem
(which coming some of them were to
witness. Matt. 24:30-3i; Mark 9:1); and
applies TO every crisis of our lives. every
parting OF the ways, and especially the
hour of death.
The Things Which Tend to Put Us to
Sleep: The delay of the coming; cold
ness and worlGliness in the community:
our sinful hearts and desires; unbelief.
insiiious temptations which gradually
lead nstray before we are aware We
are beset by perpetual temptations &c
sleep. to spiritual drowsiness and tor
por. IAN opium sky rains down sopo-
rifles" The last thing we shoul have
Is a sleepy religion.
The reasons for watching are:
First. The great value of the thiDgU
we should watch for
Second. The greatness of the dangers
we are TO watch against
Third. The hour of His coming is un-
known. There is no doubt about the
! fact of His corning. I'm all that future
which lies before US. these are the only
two events of which we are absolutely
+ certain: Our own approaching death.
! our Lords approaching ad~vent."-Han-
ma. We also know that many oppor-
- - - arfun ~ ~
lives. many temptations. are certain tn
come. but what ones we do not know
Fourth. Not TO be ready when He
does come is certain loss and disaster.
Illustration. Sleeping on guard is
I ever punished with death. because on
N the carefulness Of the watch may de
pend the safety OF the army and the ma
ton. "In the temple. during the night
< the captain of the temple made hi
rounds. and the guards had TO rise a
~ his approach and salute him in a par
"A ticular manner. Any guard found
= asleep on duty was beaten or his gar
ments were set on fire. Compare Rev
IN l6:15)"-M. II. Vincent.
n III. How to Watch: and the Reward
In VS.. 4J-4-. Our Lord here puts homo
as upon those who serve Him by compar
as ing them. not TO n mental or ordinar.
slave. but to the intelligent. faithful
and trusted head slave of the house
I'd hold. like Joseph in Potiphar's house.
I'd Broadus.
THAT promotion shall not be lik
IT, earthly promotion. wherein the eml
a. hence of ono excludes that OF another
no but rather like the diffusion Of love. !
which the more each has thu NOR
there is for all."--Alford. S. each sain
I'D owns all Gods possessions, even no
he q Cor. 3:21-22).-Abbot'-
of The reward is both outward ard IN
ward. more giorics. and blessings. NJ.
JOYS. and larger capacities for usefa
re ness and enjoyment. Larger fields an
es wider spheres are given. greater oppo'
n ~,unitles for doing good and n clears
st perception of God. n fuller reception
m NIL that makes Heaven what tits
ms. ". Failure TO Watch: and Its Coz
ON seuurnccs.-vs. 1851. The unfaithf'
IDS minister or Christian takes the vel
lin means God has put in his hands for u
EN- mid of His cause and the blessing OF ms
BILE and rn~isappropriates them to seihi
uses. The two forms of sin most cor
he mon 20 those in high places are oppre
~. sion and self-indulgcnce. - Abbo'
CT Tyranny over others goes hand in haI
with laxty toward ourselves Fers
in cution ~ Others IT. plies n wrong in !
p. TIE great historical contrast Z
be tween the Inquisition and lndulgenc
will easily occur 70 the readcr--Lanf
Dante's Inferno. In the eighth G
Gle. and fifth pit. Dante saw the hyF
the critics. "vy~ found q painted people
1t .They had hoods lowered before IN
evrs made Of the same cut as those
E OF the monks In Cluny. Outwardly IN
TIL: are rilded 50 that il dazzles. but witt
der all lad. and so heavy that Frederi
lere nut them on OF straw" (~alluding TO :
to leader cloaks which Emperor Freder'
tic ". caused 20 be put on criminals. W
OF. were then burned TO death; which W.
! all HIGHT rs straw In comparison W