The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-19
Sunday School Lesson for August 20.
The River of Salvation.
EEK. XLVI1:1-E2.
BY J. e. GILBERT, D. D., Ii. D.,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education.

INTRODUCTION. - The book of
Ezekiel was designed to prepare the
Jewish captivcs for return to their
homes. 1t consists Of series of bold
and impressive visions, much like
those granted TO John. Their dcllv-
cry began b. c., sos, and continued
during the space OF twenty-one years.
The vision of the dry bones, studied
last week, predicted the restoration
and sought TO revive the national hope
Seventeen years after the prophet was
made TO know the glory that would
come when the exiles were gathered in
their own land. He saw the new tenn
pie which should be built at Jerusalem,
the well appointed ordinances OF the al
tar. the ministrations of the priests,
and learned the rules for public wor-
snip. After these pictorial representa-
tons came a figurative and vivid por-
trayal Of the religious benefits, proceed
ing from the temple. as the center of
the religious life of the nation, de-
scr!bed in today's lesson.
WATERS. - (Verses and 2).
Brought to the door OF the temple,
Ezekiel found waters issuing from the
Threshold. the fountain of which ap-
reared to te on The south side of the
altar. There is no mistakng the sig
nificance of this. Water is mentioned
| many times in Scripture as an emblem
| of salvation. See the great invitation
| tIsaiah, lv, y and the beautiful allu-
sion of the weeping prophet Jeremiah.
| H. 1S). The son of Pethuel, in the
| eighth century, predicted the great
good (Joel, iii, 1S), and Jesus used the
| same term in the same way John, iv,
| l0), possibly recalling a familiar pro-
| phetic utteranCe (Zachariah, xiii, y.
| Ezekiel saw these waters emerging
| from the temple. indicative OF the well
| known fact that the church is the me-
| dium of divine grace, and he saw them
| flowing northward and eastward, from
| which direction had come the Assyrian
| and Chaldean armies, bringing all the
| woes upon Israel and Judah. Here is
a counter religious influence to over
come the national misfortunes.
| INCREASE.-(Verses 3, and 5.
The vision was panoramic. and various
changes were introduced. Flowing
forth from the sanctuary the waters
| constantly increased. The angel at
tending the prophet took four measure
ments a thousand cubits apart find
ing that what was at first but ankla q
| oeep became at last a river in which
d man might swim. This was directly
opposed to what might have been ex-
pected. A liquid diffuses itself and
ultimately disappears. This increase is
a figurative representation of the king
dom of grace, small and insignificant
at its beginning, but growing in its
progress. Other Old Testament writ
ers (Habakuk, ii, 1D set forth che same
idea but in different terms. Usaiah
XII, 81. This was the intent of Jesus ir
the parable of the mustard seed Matt
xi. 81, S2), all of which has been real
lied in the marvellous spread of Chris
tianity. On the day of Pentecost the
church numbered one hundred an6
twenty souls (Acts, /, 15, all in Jeru'
salem, while now five hundred million:
in all lands confess Christ.