The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-30
Sunday-SchOoT Lesson for October. l.
Joy i'm Gods House.
PSALM CXX1l 1-0.
BY j. e. GILBERT, d. D., L. D.,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education.

Jerusalem was bulded like city, not
like the small villages that were to be
found i'm all parts of the land. II was
compactly built, one part bound close
ly to another part not separated from
each other with intervening spaces.
The walls were Joined together, and
the houses were united one to another,
expressive of neighborliness and
friendship The ground occupied by
Jerusalem could never be large, as it
was surrounded by valleys, and
hemmed in with hills, so that from the
necessity of the case IL was den sciy
crowded with people. All these facts
awakened admiration in the hearts of
those who came from distant parts TO
see the security, the life, the activity
and the social converse everywhere
apparent.
CONGREGATION. - ". ~ 49, But,
great and attractive as was the city,
the Psalmist was more in crested in
the people who would assemble there
on these feast occasions. They would
come from the north, the south, the
east and the west, from all the tribes,
the people of the Io.i, ona household,
made such by common descent ald
| common faith. They would go up un-
| der the promptings of one high and
| holy purpose. not for curiosity, or
| pleasure. or money making, but for
Worship. They gathered at Jerusalem
| because there the testimony. or coven-
ant. kept in the ark CEx. vxi: 34.j was
to be found, the central and abiding
thing in their national history. by
which they were distinguished from all
! other peoples Of the earth. Uom. iii:
| % They gathered. moreover. to eive
| united expression of praise to the COW
| enant keeping God, from whom had
! come their blessings. People of SINH
| lar interests AMI tastes desire fellow
| ship. 1t was this spirit tina; made the
Jewish nation glad in these Convoca-
tions at their national capital.
| JUDGMENT ". 5)-There was
another, quite different, perhaps infer
Tor, but nevertheless valid reason for
| holding Jerusalem in high esteem II
was the seat Of judgment or justice,
! the center of civil as we'll as religious
! interests. Lesser causes were heard
I'm the gates of the small towns by the
| elders CDeut. NXi.19). but the more diff
| fcult cases were carried up to the
| supreme court at Jerusalem. Therr
thrones or seats were established be-
for which a hearing might be had
| and decisions rendered by the MEM
bers of the house of David. who were
esteemed to be superior in wisdom
more disposed to equity. So that these
times of gathering the tribes Were oc-
! casions for the settlement of disputed
claims, the adjustment of disturbed
relations. The contestants. having
submitted their matters might &c
home, believing that all possible hat
been done to secure the right So tnt
land might rejoice feeling that neigh.
bors were made friends. OLE distur,
tances removed, and that the way
was open for the exchange of those or.
dirary courtcsies that belong to so,
Ciety in peace.
| TRANQUILITI.- 6 and ~
Having thus expressed tkeir affection
and delight it was natural that the
people should desire the welfare of thf
city. and that desire might we'll H.
uttered in their song. This was beau