The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-05-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY 8.


Golden Text, Luke xiii, ~ - Memory
Verses, 1896 - Commentary on the
Days Lesson.
i. The duty of watchiuiness Tvs. 35.40).
80. .Girded about" This is an alluson
to the long robes of the East, which those
who wear must bind up before they en-.
gage in any active employment Jesus
had just admonished them against undue
anxiety about temporal affairs Tvs. 22-32l,
and now He gives an admonition to watch,
fuiness. Be active, diligent. determined,
ready; let all hndrances be taken out OF
the way. Lights burning" The Master
was likely to return at any hour OF the
night and in order to be ready to receive
Him their lights must be burning. SO
From the wedding" The Jewish wed.
dngs were conducted with great pomp.
The ceremony was usually performed in the
night The festivities lasted from three to
seven days. That when He comeih." AS
these servants waited, with grded loins
and burning lights, already to meet their
master and run at his bidding as soon as
he approached. so we are to wait for the
coming OF our Master. Wait tl) with ca
ger longing. and ~ with joyous expec.
tation. May open; immediately Few
will thus open Immediately. They will
have something to do tirst-will have to
get ready. They will need time to collect
themselves.
81 Blessed" Those who are ready are
blessed and are highly honored by their
Master. when He cometh." Christ will
return to all from the heavenly wedding
at the end of the world. when He has TAX
en- to Himself His bride, the church, to
each individual He comes when He stands
suddenly before man at the hour OF
death "Shal find watching" We are
to watch against temptations from within
and without. "Grd himself; serve them.
Whatever we do for God lie will do in
IA =. 4 tar ,,aa afaVs
to wait upon their servants, but Jesus
Christ was among His disciples as one that
served. See John Is: 4, 8. This also sig.
mites the JOY with which they shall be re.
ceived into the other world by the Lord
'Iesus, who has gone before to prepare for
will honor them tJohn y: 26). 3S he
second or third watch The jews had
adopted the Roman custom of dividing
| the night into four watches. The first
watch was from O to Q, the second from
| to -. the third from IL to 3. the fourth
from 3 to 6.
80. Had 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 keep
awake, so he has to go to sleep and Is
robbed. But our ignorance is the reason
| for waliefulness, because we. can keep spir-
| itually awake all through life. The house
| holder watches to prevent, but we to share
in that for which the watch IS kept
Would have watched" 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 we therefore ready Al
ways ready so he will never be taken un
awares. Watchfulness insure readiness;
readiness insures safety. Indifference
marks the way to sin and despair. A
scrptural preparation includes repentance
,nd conversion. "Cometh; when we think
not" See Thess. 8: 2; 2 Pet ): 10. We
should resist the temptation to spiritual
lrQwsiress. Nothing is much worse than
sleepy religion (Rev. 3: l6).
II. The faithful servant rewarded W.
HAD. Al. Peter said" This apostle
was the one who afterward most needed
the admonition Matt. 26: 7i), and in so
bad a manner forgot it. Those who stand
in most danger are often slowest to proht
by words of warning" Unto us, or even
% ALL Is meant for us as thine apostles,
,r for all men, ---sa''.~'-'.3., -
master and slave and had the care OF the
whole household. 1t was a post OF con
idence in which faithfulncss was required
As the steward to the rest of the servants
so should the apostles stand with refer
ance to other believers. Faithful comes
| OcfOre wise because lNe TRUE WlSuOln y. IIlt
heart comes from faihtulness. 'Shal
make ruler" That one would be ruler who
lad previously proven himself faithful and
wise, who attended to his duties during
MS masters absence with the same fidelity
that he did when he was present. "Ic
give; meat" AS Gods stewards we should
oe ready to give out to others what he
places at our disposal
a. blessed" He is blessed in hi:
Iced; he rejoices because he is found r
he faithful performance Of his duties by
1is lord, and he is blessed with q high
zee here what Christ means by watching
mot gazing up into the heavens for signs
out the faithful performance of duty "A
Over all So each saint owns all o
Gods possessions, even now Il Cor, 8; q
~. "The reward is both outward and in
ward; more glories and blessing and joys
md larger capacities for usefulness and
Enjoyment" To him that hath shall bt
.iven.
III, The proAigate, servant punished Tvs
,f being faithful, the servant begins t.
,lan wickedness and to actually, enter mt
lin. different portion will be appoint
ed him upon his Lords return. "De.ayetl
His coming" The fact that Christ's com
ng is delayed causes the love OF many t.
wax cold e Pet. 3; 3. a.. ITO eat ant
lrink," Self-indulgenee IS very common
| nm. TO be drunken. MS was not on,
I common and terribly destructive sin il
Jhrists time, but it is the same to-day
10. when he looketh not" The Lore
will come suddenly and call every one t
IN account. "In sunder." THIS was
most terrible method OF executing Grim
mails. anciently. with the uabelievers
Read Rev. 81: s. This verse shows tn
awful doom OF the ungodiy. The wors
iorms Of punishment are used to show tn
punishment that will come to the unr(
2entant sinner.
AZ. (which knew" Either actually
from received information, or, virtually
because the revelation was within reacf
God will hold us accountable not only TO
what we know, but for what we Nigh
have known by putting forth proper e
.ort. BE beaten" This is reference t
the Jewish custom of beating guilty pal
lies. "NIany stripes" Shall be severel
md Justly punished. Those who hav
many privileges, who are often warned
who have clear gospel light, and vet d
not repent. shall be far more severel
punished than others. Exceptional gui
ind punishment (Luke 10: l3; James
II; 9 Pet 2: 2l). As. "That knew not.
That knew not fully, for there is no sue
thing as absolute moral ignorance (Ron
|: 20; 2: IA, l5). The reference here is I
those who had comparatively little know