The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-20
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR SEPTEMBER %.
Subjects The Duty OF watchfuIness
Luke Kill, 35-40- Golden Text; Matt
XVI, Al - Memory Verses, 4s, a. =
Comm entary ON the Days I,esaon.


Luke Kill, 35-A0- Golden Text; Matt
XVI, Al - Memory Verses, az. "a
Commentary ON the Days L,esaon.
30, Let your loins be girded about
ms ls am allusion to the long robes OF
up before they engage in any active EN-
ployment: Jesus had Just admonished
them against undue anxiety about tempor
al affairs Tvs. 22-32), and now He gives an
ndmonition to. watchfuness And your
hght burning. The master was likely TO
return at any hour of the night. and in or.
der TO he ready to receive him their lights
must be burning.
80. When he will return from the wed.
ding The Jewish weddings were con.
Quoted with great pomp. The ceremony
was usually performed in the night The
iestlvitles !.sL lasted from three to seven days.
ants waited. with girded loins and burning
lights, all ready to meet their master and
run at his bidding as soon as he ap.
preached; so we are to wait for the com.
ing OF our Master. Wait ~ with eager
longing and (2) with joyous expectation
May open--immediately Few will thus
open Immediately" They will have some
thing to do first-wil have to get ready.
81. Blessed" Those who are ready are
blessed and are highly honored by THEN
master. When He cometh' Christ re.
turns to all from the heavenly wedding at
the end Of the world, when lie has taken
TO himself His bride the church; TO each
individual He comes when He stands sud.
denly before n man at the hour of death.
Shall find watching" We are to watch
against temptations from within and with.
out; against pervading iniquities which fill
the air with moral malaria, and even chill
the piety OF the church; against failure in
duty; against the loss Of the warmth of
love; against the day of death and OF
Judgment, 30 as to be prepared for them
when they come. We are also to watch fot
the coming of the Lord; watch for il with
hope and JOY; watch for the signs of His
special presence and power; watch for
openings to serve Him by helping His poor
children. watch for opportunities of com.
iorting the sad, upholding the weak. re.
claiming the erring, teaching the ignorant,
leading men to Jesus, aiding His cause.
'Gird himself-serve them" Whatever
we do for God He will do in return for
us IL is unusual for masters to wait upon
their servants, but Jesus Christ was among
His disciples as one that served See John
49, 4. 8. This also signifies the JOY with
which they shall be received into the other
world by the Lord Jesus, who has gone be.
fore to prepare for them. and has told
them that His Father will honor them
John u: 26
49, "The second-or-t watch" The
Jews had adopted the Roman custom OF
dividing the night into four watches. The
first watch was from six to nine. the sec
ond from nine to twelve, the third from
twelve to three, the fourth from three tc
six.
80 "iTad known what hour The house.
holders ignorance of the time when the
thief would come is the reason why he
does not watch. He cannot always keer
awake, SO he has to go to sleep and l.
robbed. But our Ignorance is the reason
for wakefuness, because we can keep spir
itualy awake all through life. The house
holder watches to prevent, but we &c
share in that for which the watch is kept
But with all the obscurty thus intention.
ally thrown around the day and the houI
of Christ's coming, let us not forget that
no obscurity, no uncertainty hangs around
the great event itself In the East the
State Furnishes, but leaves the prevention
and detection of theft and robbery to the
individual interested. Hence the watch
man is necessary and important every
where.
40. BE ye therefore ready Always
ready 80 we will never be taken unawares
Watchfulness insurcs readiness; readiness
insurcs safety. Indifference marks the
way to sin and despair. a scriptnral
preparation includes repentance and con.
version. "Cometh--when We think not.
See Thess. 5: 2; Pet. 3; 10. We should
resist the temptation to spiritual drowsl'
ness. NOlnlllp IL InuCll NOlsS Alhu a. SlNNI9
religion. Rev. 3: l6.
IL. Peter said unto him" This apos
tie was the one who afterward most need
ed the admoniton Matt %: 7i), and in
so sad a manner forgot It. Those who
stand in most danger are often slowest tc
profit by words of warning. Unto us, OF
even to all" Is il meant for us as Thine
apostles, or for all meny Our Lord in His
answer in speaking of steward, irtl
mates that the parable has its highest ref
erenCe to the ministers and rulers of His
church, but shows at the close w. 4S) that
it applies to every one according To the
measure of his knowledge and of the du
ties laid upon him.
~. Faithful and wise steward The
steward was Il middle person between the
master and slave, and had the care OF the
whole household. 1t was post of conf
dence in which faithfulness was required
As the steward to the rest of the sery
crence to other believers. shall make
ruler" That one would be made rulel
who had previously proven himself faith
full and wise. who attended to his duties
during his masters absence with the same
fidelity that he did when he was present
"To give-meat." As Gods stewards we
should be ready to give out to Others what
lie places at our disposal.
43. blessed" He is blessed in his deed;
he rejoices because he is found in the faith
full performance of his duties by his Lord
and he is blessed with high promotion
''Shall find so DOING We see here what
Christ means by watching: mot gazing ur
into the heavens for signs, but the faith
full performance Of duty
"A. "IIe will set him over all that he
hath" (R. W So each saint owns all OF
Gods possessions, even now. | Cor. 3: 81
%. The reward is both outward and in
ward; more glories and blessings and joys
and larger capacities for usefulness and en-
ioyment. To him that hath shall be given,
as. "Say in his heart" If, instead o!
being faithful the servant begins to par
wickedness and to actually enter into sin
different portion" will be appointed
him upon his Lords return. "Delayeth hii
coming" The fact that Christ's coming
is DELAYED causes the love of many to wal
cold. 2 Pet. 3: 3, 4. "To eat and drink.
be drunken" This was not only com
mon and terribly destructive sin in Christi
time, but it is the same to-day. The Ii
censed saloon is the direct road to "degra
dation, vice, the gambling hell, the broth
ell. poverty, wretchedness, want, robbery
prison, the gallows, the drunkard's grave
hell
i8. "When he looketh not" The LORD
will come suddenly and call every one e
an account "Will cut him in sunder.'
This was a most terrible method of exc
cutting criminals anciently. with the un
believers" Read Rev. 81: 8.
How Soldier Feels in Battle.