Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-31

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR FEBRUARY 8, BY
THE REV. l. w. HENDERSON.

Subject: Noah Saved in the Ark,
Gen. 8:1.16-Golden Text: Ps.
37:39-Memory Verses: 1-3-
Helpful Notes.
The lesson for this Sabbath is un-
Ineligible unless we read Genesis
and T. Especially, by way of resume
of the two chapters, would 1t be wise
to read Gen. Gel, 2, S, 6,S, IA, IS, 22;
ia, IL, "a. With these verses we
secure, in some measure, synopsis
of the events that preceded that
which is related in our Scripture for
the day.
The story of Noah, as we have 1t
here, crowds the mind with morals.
Noah is the second parent of the race,
as Adam was the first. Adam is the
father of humanity, in the natural
sense. In the same sense Noah is the
savior. They are, so to speak, the
Washington and Lincoln of human
ity's earliest days.
The lesson of Noah's life, so far,
is the lesson of obedience and it's re-
, wards Adams career is the exem-
plification of refractoriness and its
, consequences. Noah is distinct ad.
vance upon Adam. Adams character
is primarily one of innocence. 1t Is
| ,lntried at first and weak when tested.
Noah's meritorious qualities are the
result of a willing obedience to Gods
commands. Born, after Adam, with
| the seeds of evil innate through
horedity, Noah, in the midst of an
| evil world, just and upright man,
| finds favor in the eyes of God. Noah
! is the sample of character made we'll
pleasing unto God, through His
grace, by volition. Noah's will is
strong. Possessing, as did Adam, the
power of free choice; and, unlike
! Adam, being surrounded with evil
: companions and weakened by an in
! herited predisposition for wayward-
ness, Noah, yet, deliberately walked
with God" Adam, we remember,
| ran away from God.
/ Gods covenant with Noah and His
! condemnation of the sin of men throw
! lights on the character of God. Je-
! hovah is a God Of love, of patience, of
: discrimination. His discrimtnative
/ characteristics are shown by the fact
that while He hates evil He has yet
commendation for and JOY in men
who are good. Loving all humanity
! the Father is, however, guilty OF no
/ Sickly sentimentalisnl. He Is long
| suffering, forbearing toward human
ity; but humanity must, except 1t obey
| Him, take the consequences Of VOlun-
| tary sin. But while He condemns the
| evil, God never forgets the root of
| righteousness apparent among His
! people. And so God acts here. He
/ discriminates between righteous Noah
/! and his evil neighbOrS. He has pa
/ tience with them all until theybecome
/ utterly steeped In iniquity. His heart
| is grieved at the wickedness of men,
for He loves them as the children of
His own creation. But He does not
| allow His love to become so degen-
Grated that He forgets Judgment and
! justice and His own divine integrity.
The story of Noah is the story of
| Gods determination to afford human
ity chance to prove itself worthy of
( its lineage. When all the worst of
the worlds inhabitants are over
whelmed with the consequences of
their willfulness, God puts the seal
of His sanction upon Noah.
The lessons are obvious in their
present day application. Obedience
brings divine approval. Disobedi-
ence works for death. Character is
the resultant of will subordinated
to divine control. To find favor in
the eyes of God is the business and
duty of humanity and the especial
longing of the Christian. 1t is good
ness that makes us worth while here
and for God. To be evil is to be self
condemned. In wickedness is sorrow
and destruction. Faithfulness to
God and faith in Him is the finality of
happiness. For God Is as faithful
now, and to you and me, as he was
to upright Noah.
These notes may be of use:
vs.. /. Remembered. This does
not necessarily mean that God had
forgotten about Noah. 1t rather i'm
plies that God had never forgotten
them. Hebrew: Renewed His care
for" "Ark." Probably $50 by sew
enty-five by forty-tive feet.
VS.. 8. Continually" The waters
seeped away gradually. zone hun.
dred and fifty" See Gen. 1924.
VS.. 4. "Ararat." In Armenia
Pictured as the highest mountain in
the world, as we see by VS.. 5.
VS.. Z. Raven" So called be-
cause of it's blackness.
VS.. 10. "And he waited seven
days longer"
VS.. IL. "Olive leaf" Rev. Fresh
leaf 1t is said that olive trees put
forth new shoots under water. The
finding of the olive twig by the dove
was, obviously, an indication that the
water had gone down considerably
The olive tree is very hardy and lux
uriant under proper conditions; it Is
said not to grow at great heights
however. Knew" Evidently in the
! construction of the ark while there
| was provision made for light and all
there was none made for looking out
| otherwise after the rain ceased Noal
might easily have seen the surround
ing conditions for himself. Thi!
throws a light on his complete obedi
ence to and dependence on God. The!
! shut themselves up in the ark and LEI
the outcome to the Almighty.
VS.. 13. "Dried up" The waters
first drained away until there was NJ
| covering of water over the ground.
VS.. IA. Dried" And then thu
ground dried up. Any one who ha
seen the surface Of a marsh while th'
| tide is out can understand the mean
ing. 1t Is precisely the difference be
| tween soggy and perfectly dr.
| ground.
Mother Livesey's Well.
n r .,osa.y uo11