The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-15
Sabbath Lessons.
Notable Days.

T.
to suppose that mere thirst for arbitrary
power has been the motive force which
has raised the various world rulers to
their places Of influence. Nebuchadnez-
gar, Rameses the Great, Alexander,
Caeser, Charlemagne and the modern
Napoleon each represents principle In
rulerShip which must Of necessity be
tested and it's adequacy shown or dis
been adequate to the demands upon it;
none has been broad based enough to
endure all shock ndschanges of de-
veloping and enlarging civilization. The
weak points as well as the strong ones
in each we can detect. No one, how
ever, has been skillful enough to correct
the evils and offer the perfect scheme.
The gospel of Jesus Christ furnishes
the basis for the union of all men In
peaceful cooperation such as the world
has never conceived outside the line of
Christian revelation. It is based on the
profoundest truths in human nature,
all inclusive and abiding. 1t. is ade
quate in scope, authoritative in utter
ance, convincing in appeal rational in
requirements. In the person of Jesus
it shows a personality perfect in purity
and power and persuasion.
Its basis is supreme love to God and
equal love to fellow men. On this is
now building the kingdom of Cod the
republic OF man which is destined to
endure eternally because the foundation
is firm.
THE GREATEST OF ALL EMPIRES.
The Epworth league topic for Dec Is
is found in Daniel. H., 44-45. The proph-
ecy Of Daniel, given in these two verses,
present In narrative ever charming a
view of four great world empires, each
of which fulfills its mission and passes.
, Lastly. the God of heaven erects a king
dom which does not pass. We are accus-
Christianity. Perhaps it has wider
| meaning than the organized church. A
more adequate idea would be what we
term the brotherhood of man.
Two things are essential to the perfec-
ton of human government-first, the es-
sential nature of man must be known
and the bonds of union must be adapted
to secure the highest welfare of each and
all in accordance with the requirements
of that nature.
Secondly, the personality of the ruler
must be such that he is the perfect eX-
ample and exponent of the principles of
his government and the attraction of
that personality must constitute the unit
ing force of the kingdom
Gods kingdom is to be an everlasting
kingdom. And in the days of these kings
shall the God of heaven set up a king
dom which shall never be destroyed. -
The kingdoms of this world are temporal.
They rise and fall. They wax and wane.
Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome, are names
of empires that, though once they We're
great and powerful. have long since lost
their glory and their power. Citizenship
[ IN them was once a coveted privilege,
but today it has no attractions. Not SO
| will it be with the kingdom of God.
Gods kingdom is eternal in character,
and the value of citizenship in it will
only increase with the passing of the
ages.
Gods kingdom is to be a worldwide
kingdom: It is to overcome all opposi--
ton to it by winning or destroying all
in pieces and consume all these king
doms," and It's head shall have domin-
ion from sea to sea and from from the
river to the ends of the earth" Citizen
] always been greatly priced and esteemed.
Roman citizenship was once most COW
eted prize, yet the Roman empire In
cluded but a small portion of the earth,
and the privileges it offered to its citi-
zens were as nothing compared to those
offered to the citizens of the kingdom Of
God. The desirability, therefore, of be-
longing to Gods kingdom should be ap-
parent to all, and we should allow moth
ship.
Dec. Is is the thlcf Sunday in Advent,
v hen the faithful of the church pay for
the ministry. 1t is the 949tn day Of the
year. The sun rises at a. m. and sets
at 4:30 p. m. This is also the anniver-
sary of the birth of Isaac Walton, in
1888.
Dec. 16 is the Anniversary of the Bos-
ton "Tea Party on a Thursday. IN 1773.
1t is also the anniversary Of the great
fire: in New York in 1885,. This is also the
anniversary of the birth in TIA of George
Whitefield, founder of the Calvinistic
MethodistS.
Dec. II is the anniversary of the birth
in ITO of Beethoven, the German com
poser; of Sir Humphrey Davy in IT'S,
the English chemist and author:aof j. G.
Whittier in 1903, American poet.
Dec. IS is festival day known in the
calendar of the Catholic church as ''ex-
pectation of the confinement of Our
Lady" This is also the anniversary Of
the birth ir 1908 of Charles Wesley the
| poet of Methodism; of George D. Prem
tice, in 1902, Americans poet and editor;
of Lyman Abbott in 1885, American di-
vine, editor and author.
Dec 10 is the anniversary of the birth,
in 1915. of Edwin M. Stanton London's
more, iii 1872, American author and lee
turer. Eez-
Dec. 20 is the anniversary of the birth,
in 1921. of James Hammond Tranquil,
American philologist and scholar
Dec q is the day of ST. Thomas, apos-
tie ard martyr, He was known in the
gospel as Thomas, fsurnamed Didymus.
After the death of Jesus he travelled and
| preached in various countries and finally
the patron saint of Portugal and of
Parma. This day is also the anniversary
Of the birth, in 1905, of Benjamin Dis
raeli the English statesman and author,