The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-08-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON *, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 20.
Text of the Lesson, Kings xix, LIS.
Memory Verses, 3, 4-Golden Text,
rs. cxx, documentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. VI. Stenrns.


by Rev. ID. VI. stenrns.
copyright. 1904. by American Press Association
The adversary is always on the alert
and wonderfully well Informed. How
much the great adversary, who goeth
about as a roaring lion, seeking whom
he may devour. knows of the affairs
of God and His people one cannot say,
but his knowledge is not TO be made
light of, and we must not only have
on the whole armor provided for us,
but we must diligently watch and pray
that we may resist him and not be
overcome by him. He is neither ON
nipotent nor Omniscient, but our Great
Delverer is both; therefore we may al.
ways be victorious. So weak are we
i'm ourselves. however, that the moment
we take our eyes off our Lord we will
be sure to fail, as Simon Peter did
when he saw the winds and waves and
at once began to sink instead of walk
ing triumphantly on the water, as he
might have continued TO do had he con
tinued to see Jesus only Matt. xiv, 2S-
81.
Elijah had done nobly, wonderfully,
and a mighty victory had been granted
him, but now he is seen fleeing for his
life from a wicked woman. lie could
trust God TO care for him by the lone
ly brook and in the poor widows home
and securely TO hide him from the
wrath of Ahab he could stand fear
lessly on Carmel against all the proph-
cts of Baal, but now, seeing that JeZe-
bel was determined To take his life, he
seems to forget the power and care Of
God. the living God, before whom he
stood, and, leaving his servant at Beer
sheba, he fees to the wilderness In
ourselves we are utterly nothing. 1t is
only i'm the Lord that we can be strong
and overcome. Uzziah was marvel
ously helped till he was strong; then
in his own strength he failed Gil Chron.
XVI, 10, 10.
Poor Elijah, overcome by the strain
that had been upon him, weary in body
and i'm mind, needing rest and perhaps
not knowing what allied him, sat down
under Il juniper tree and said to God;
1T is enough. Now, O Lord take
away my life. for | am not better than
my fathers" Verse ~. Many one has
wished that he was dead, but it was a
foolish wish, for the Lord knows what
is best for MS and has assured us that
we shall never be tried beyond what
we are able to endure Q Cor. y, 49,
and that trials are among the best
things that can come TO us and will
make us sure Of the crown of life if
patiently borne Gas. /, -; Rev. ii, 10.
II is easy for MS to see the folly Of Eli
jah, but this is written for us that we
may not be guilty of similar folly.
Oh. the blessed ministry Of angels,
who excel in strength, doing His COM
mandmcnts, hearkening unto the voice
of His wOrd-IIis ministers who do His
pleasure. OPs. Gill, % 2l) They sang
at His birth i'm Bethlehem, ministered
TO Him i'm His temptation, strengthened
Him i'm Gethsemane, waited upon Him
at His resurrection and ascension. They
visited Abraham i'm company with the
Lord Himself, were seen i'm vision by
Jacob and are wonderfully prominent
i'm Gods dealings with men. They
bring heaven very near 10 earth. for
our Lord said concerning His little
ones. In heaven their angels do al
ways behold the face OF My Father
who is i'm heaven" They are minis
terng spirits. always ministering to
the heirs of salvation Matt xviii, 10;
Hab. l. III. The elements have no
power over them, and they go and
come like lightning. In our resurrec-
ton bodies we shall be equal to them,
but in position far beyond them.
Find the proof texts in Dan. tx, Eek.
1, Acts xvii. Luke Xxx. Rev. iii and re-
ioce i'm the presence of such compan-
ions who serve unseen and unthanked
not our departed friends, but angels
who were created such and always
have been and will be just ministering
spirits. Only two are mentioned by
name, and both names are found in
Daniel and one name in Luke |. Again
the angel walked him and fed him, and
i'm the strength Of that meat he went
forty days and forty nights to Horeb,
the mount of God oversees Z, -. Wheth-
or you shall ever hear the voice of an
angel or not or see one before you
leave the mortal body, do believe in
and thank God for their loving minis
try.
How great the strength impaired to
Elijah by that meal, God could have
strengthened him without the food but
He is pleased ofttimes TO use ordinary
means in accomplishing His purposes.
He has angels enough to proclaim in
all the world the glorious gospel in one
day or less, but He sees fit To use such
earthen vessels as we are. Who would
not desire to be a vessel meet for the
Masters use and ready to every good
work? I'll Tim. ii, 21) But we must
never be cast down nor discouraged,
for He whom we serve shall not fail
nor be discouraged lisa. xiii, A.. The
work is His. not ours, and we simply
dwell with the King for His work q
Chron. w. 90
We must learn TO do as Moses was
told to do at that same "HOreb, the
mount Of God"-put off our shoes from
L. E,1x