The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-14
SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON FOR TOMORROW.
BY J. E. GILBERT, IL. D., Secretary American Society Religious Education

to leave in haste on the journey to the promised land.
 Token Verses F and 1S)--what did all this signify? Why this lamb? Why was the blom sprinkled? Why the feast af- terwardf The Almighty explained to Moses, who in turn explained to the
 people. It was token of something
 which would occur Gen. ix. 12-1D. On
 that very night after the institution of the first Passover, the angel of death would sm!te all the t1rst-born of Egypt,
 of man and of beast. and execute juds-
 ment upon the gods. of the land. But | not a house marked by the blood should
 be disturbed. The first observance of the
 ordinance was, therefore, an act of faith
 curity against impending judgment. The ] people employed what had been designat- ed as the condition of their own saliva | tion. They had no reason to expect safe tv in any other way-they did expect 1t in this way. If they compiled with an appointed token, they should ftve--if they neglected that token, they would be
 Memorial (Verses I, 15, 17.)-But the Passover was not for a single night-it was appointed as a perpetual observance throughout subsequent generations. Cen tury after century there should be the unleavened bread, the slain lamb, the sprinkled blood, the paschal feast. But those who instituted 1t, what did it sig nifty to posterity? It was intended as memorial of Gods gracious dealing and of the merveous deliverance of the peo- pie from bondage and death. The fourth day of July is the anniversary of Ameri- can Independence intended to keep alive the spirited of 16 when these colonies took up arms against Great Britain This feast in like manner, the beginning of the Hebrew year, repeated to the Hebrew youth the story of the nations birth and strengthened loyalty to God.
 Unity Verse 16)--A strong and pros porous nation is the product of many influences. If the people have one blood. one language, and one religion, they may | be more easily retained under one gov ernment. But even then they must have | common interests, and in order to this | they must have frequent intercourse. If | separated, they became distrustful and 1 jealous. As means of promoting ma | tional unity an ordinance afterward de- l nVered required all males to appear be-
 fore the Lord three times in the year l (Exod. xxi, ID. In connection with the | Passover, two reunions were required,
 one at the beginning and one at the end
 of the feast of unleavened bread. These
 were not festive occasions, when the
 people engaged in sports, but they were
 holy conversations, when with one heart
 they sought the Lord
 | Rehections.-1. As in Israel every year began with a celebration of Gods deliv-
 erance from Egypt so the Christian | should begin every year, every month. | every day with a remembrance of Di- l vine mercies. In recalling the past hope ] and gratitude are awakened. 2. In all re- | ligious devouOns, it is well to unite the | whole family, thereby cultivating those
 nobler affections which most adorn hu-
 man nature. Domestic piety is the high | est type of the spiritual life. 3. No man | ought to neglect those common and uni
 versal observances by which great events
 are commemorated and by which one
 spirit and one purpose find place in the public heart and produce concord, f. | Under the old covenant. the lamb was
 offered every year. but under the new | covenant Christ was sacrificed once for all CHeb. ix, 2S). Through His blood all
 may find deliverance, and by one or
 dinance that deliverance is celebrated | duke xxi 19).