The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-08

jupWn 10 JOppa. Ful the eIllpuHSlB OF
clown" Then read along and you FIND
! that he not only went down to Joppa,
! but down into the ship" and "dowr
: Unto the innermost part of the ship,
This was the way of the Prodigal, ant
it is the way of every one who disobeys
God. 1t is down. down, down. After
going down he went to sleep. The Ole
Ship of Zion Is to-day full of people
who, like Jonah, have paid their fare
and gone to sleep. And some have not
even paid their fare. The working
force of most churches can be counted
on ones fingers.
The third result OF Jonahs disobedi-
ence was that it brought disaster on
the innocent. The ship was caught in
a storm. Conscience-stricken Jonah
confessea, "For I know that for my
sake this great tempest has come upon
you Every man who disobeys God is
a Jonah and brings suffering and dis
aster upon the innocent, For none Of
us liveth to himself and none dieth TO
himself"
A further result. Jonah was recalled
to duty by the heathen. 1t Is cad
comment on Jonah's life that the very
people he was sent to preach repentance
to should call him to repentance. 1T
often happens to-day that the uncon-
verified call the protesting Christians to
account, and justly. There is another
thought here. The heather sailors in
danger called upon God. That is true
of humanity, Men and women in dam
ger, ATHEIST and int1del call upon God
3. Gods Use of Jonah's Disobedi-
| al
| Jonah refused to call to repentance,
turned to God before his eyes. But this
was not because Of Jonahs disobedi-
ence, but in spite of 1t. Thus God is
ever causing the wrath of man to praise
Him. Let us look at the scene. Jonah
thought he had left God on the dry
land but the breath of God threw the
sea into commotion. The frightened
| sailors, turning from their idols and
throwing overheard their wares to
| Tighten the ship, hold a council on deck.
The lots are cast. Jonah confesses his
guilt. In the manhood Jonah now dis
plays, and the touching Difference of
| the rough sailors to him and their ap
| peal to God, we forget the fury of the
storm. The brave Jonah, the truth Jo-
nah, the real Jonah, is now seen, and
when the sailors are most frightened
he is most collected. Jonah is now
ready to lay down his life for the truth
from which he fled. As Jonah looks out
upon the storm the Gentle dogs about
him become suddenly his fellow men.
They are equal in the fury of the blast
they are going down together; but no,
Jonah speaks: "Take me up now and
cast me into the sea: so shall the sea
be calm unto you, for I know that for
my sake this great tempest is upon
you" He meets with a Difference he
could not have expected The ship
master answers. mo, we will not cast
the Hebrew into the sea, but row the
harder for the land" But the storm
was too much for them and at last they
accept Jonah's sacrifice, and, calling on
God not to lay upon them innocent
blood, they cast him overheard. THE |
sea ceased from her raging and the
men offered a sacrifice unto the Lord |
and made vows Not merely the sal
walton of the heather sailors or the |
punishment of Jonah Is the lesson, but |
rather the salvation of Jonah himself, |
1t sometimes takes a great crisis to |
bring out a great soul. No wonder |
Jesus refers to Jonah as a type of Him /
self. Jonah laying down his life for the
Gentle sailors is type of that greater
sacrifice the Son of Mon later made for
the whole world
And in Jonah's conversion we see the
great truth of this book, speaking with
all it's force. the Fatherhood Of God.
Jonah turned to flee from the presence
of God He thought he had left God
behind and behold he ran right into
Gods arms. God has not created man
and then left him alone, He stood
acros Jonah's path and He stands II
across the path of every man who DISC
beys Him. When Adam sinned he |,
found God confronting him calling,
adam, where art thou?" When Cain
sinned he found God standing across
his path and calling, Gain, where is
thy brother?" When David sinned
across his path stood the prophet OF
God, with the accusation, Thou are
he mani" And when Paul was breath
ing out threatenings and slaughter I;
Jesus stood in his pathway calling,
Paul! Paul! why persecutest thou
Me?" In your hour of disobedience you
nave found God has not left you alone!
IN, the WOHUerluI love bl tFOu!
IT know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care"
Have you turned from being in the Z
presence of God?" Come back tonight. | :
fake the manly course of Jonah and
make confession Repent and return.
Remember this--if God Is the Father /
# all, and all men are brothers, then
III must give an account to the Father
al are responsible to God. Jonah's
nearly cost him his life
he dIsobedience of Adam and Eve cost
hem Paradise. Cain had TO wear the
rand of his sin, and every disobedi-
nee brings its sacrifice. Come to the =
father and find Him what Jonah de-
Jared Him to be, gracious and mer-
iful, slow to anger and of great kind T
ess," but remember also that will by
o means clear the guilty"