The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-05-02

T~-Mark v. 21-94. F.-Matt. tx. 1926
W-Mark V. 35-43. Shark iii. 22-90
S.-Lu1e viii. 26-39.
Our lesson this week is a very bracing one for
easily discouraged and tempted to be hopeless
people There is such thing as homeless cases
when they are brought to Jesus. After explain
ing his parallels to his disciples Jesus took ship
with them to escape the crowd, crossing the sea
to the lonely country the other side from Ca
pernaum.
Jesus exhausted from his work, and was
sleeping soundly, when a sudden violent storm
arose. One of his disciples awoke him. and at
a word from him the calm. But the
miracle of the night pales before the of our
lesson the following morning To still the fierce
wind took supernatural power to still the rawlings
of fierce demoniac, that he clothed, and
in his right mind, gives even deeper appre-
citation of the greatness of his power We will not
repeat the lesson story wildly given to us by
three of the gospel writer's.
The question of demon-possession comes up.
We cannot deny the reality of demoniacal pos
session without questioning the historical accu-
racy of such accounts we are studying, and
cast reflections on the moral sincerity of Christ
Insanity does not account for all the facts of
demon-possession; for instance, the behavior of
the swine in lesson Christ distinguishes
between it and mere disease. He addressed the
demons directly, and received replies from them
The person possessed seemed to have double
personality; and than might possess a
person at the time-the seven of Mary
Magdalene, and the legion, great number, of
lesson, being examples. There are different views
to whether there is such thing as demon-pos
session now, whether evil spirits moved to a
supreme effort by Christ's presence on earth man
ifested themselves in violent ways peculiar to
that time.
Some missionaries in China think they have
seen cases of it in our day. Though an interest
ing question, no moral teaching depends upon it's
solution
The great truth of our lesson is, Christ's abso-
lutte control over sin He to destroy the
works of the devil. In the picture of the demo-
MAC we have an illustration of how Satan de-
stroys everything beautiful in life when he gets
possession of the life. No cords are strong enough
to bind the man. mother love, all family af-
lection and home ties have restraining power.
Sin is a deceitful hideous thing that cannot
free ourselves from. But Christ came to set free
the captives of Satan.
The people saw the sitting at the feet of
Jesus clothed and in his right mind. They saw
the swine rush down the steep banks into the
lake and drown. They were frightened and asked
Jesus to leave their coast. Did they value swine
too much in comparison with saved man? Do
we value filthy 1ucre too highly compared with
growth in Christian character? Do we ask Jesus
to leave us that we may carry out worldly
schemes? The right of Jesus to allow the de-
mons to enter the swine has been questioned. We
kno1o because he did it, it right; whether
the explanations are satisfactory or not. If
Jews were keeping the swine they were violat-
ing their own law. If gentiles by their practices,
they were undermining Judaism. visible effect
of the departure of the demons was necessary to
convince the demoniacs and their neghbors of
the reality of the cure. The cure of the demo-
MACS who had so long terrorized the district was
a material benefit. The spiritual benefit was
worth infinitely more than the cost of the miracle.
Tn your present condition is the opportunity God
gives Won for heroism devotion to duty. conservation