The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-06-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson x.-Second Quarter, For
... June 7, 1903.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

shSNs - WIS ~ss1Aa~s
copyright 1908. by American Press Association
This lesson includes two of His res.
direction appearances. one to the dlsci-
pies on the first resurrection evening,
Thomas being absent. and one a week
later. Thomas being then present On
each occasion His greeting was. peace
be unto you" ll9. p. 26). and this al
though all had forsaken Him and Peter
had with oaths and curses denied that
he knew Him. If We knew Him bet
ter We would not grieve Him so,
and Notwithstanding all our sin His
thoughts to us are only thoughts Of
peace. He gives to US His own peace
and Joy chapter xiv. ~; XIV. IL: xvii.
ID: Ps. xxx. II; Jer. xxx. IL; Rom. XIV.
49,. which is independent of circum-
stances and found wholly In Himself
xvi 33).
His strength and peace and Joy be-
come ours not by sense or sight. but
wholly by believing. for that is faith
vision. The worlds motto Is Seeing
Is believing." but the Christians Is
Believing is SEEING" remembering
John ri. 40. Said not unto thee that
II thou wouldest believe thou shouldest
see" Our lesson says. Then were
the disciples glad when they saw the
Lord" Thomas said. Except shall
see will not believe (verses 20. 25l.
In the old story Of the deliverance from
Egypt We read that Israel saw and be-
lieved and then sang (Ex. xiv. 81:
Nv. II. Any one could do that. but to
believe the bare word Of God when
everything seems against Its fulfill
ment. as Abraham did. not considering
himself. and as Paul did. not consider
Ing the storm or the fact that all hope
had been given up (Rom. ". 1921: Acts
xvii. 2025l. that Is Gods way of peace
for US and our only way OF obtaining
II. To Thomas He said. Because thou
hast seen me thou hast believed; bless
ed are they that have not seen. yet have
believed" (verse 29L See also Luke
1. A.
On that nrst evening after Jesus
said the second time. peace be unto
you" He added. "As my Father hath
sent me. even so send you." repeat
ing to them just what He had said to
His Father about them xvii. 49,. Il
would help US greatly TO live the resur-
rection life II we were continually
haId las, THE sr,,1h xt,ot ,x.n n,o .~ns
into the world by and for Him. as He
was sent by the Father. Being dead
with Him and risen with Him. we are
In no sense here for ourselves. but as
wholly for Him as He was for God II
Is impossible. Is II not? Yes. truly.
But see what He did. "He breathed on
them and saith unto them. Receive ye
the Holy Ghost" Here is the power.
and the only power. By which His life
can be lived. as he said Just before
He assembled. "Ye shall receive the
power Of the Holy Ghost coming upon
you. and We shall be witnesses unto
Ne" (Acts l. 81. We have the option
Of Whitsuntide lesson from Acts II
FOR today. but here Is a summary Of II.
so we chose the regular lesson.
When Spirit filed. as all believers
may and should he. II may not he to
speak In strange language. but 1t will
surely be to declare the wonderful
works Of God and the remission OF sins
10 the name Of Jesus Christ (Acts II.
II. 3sl. that sinners may be saved So
in our lesson lie added. "whosesOever
them. and whatsoever sins ye retain
they are retained" iyerse 81. Some
are perplexed over this. but ans en-.
llghtened commercial traveller might
easily explain and illustrate H. Such
one might say ! represent a certain
house In New York. am the firm on
the road. and all do In their name Is
as If they had done IL at the store or
office in New York. They stand by
and indOrse all do In their name
Now. with oil reverence. Is not that
just about what our Lord saldf God
the Father. Son and Spirit are asking
for representatives lisa. ri. 81. II we
have been redeemed. az these disciples
were. then By the same Spirit who
dwelt In Himself lie empowers those
who ore willing 10 be wholly set apart
for Him land any one may 10 take
Ills word and show therefrom the way
Of the forgiveness Of sins aud send the
believing penIient on his way rejoicing.
as Philip did the eunuch or Paul the
Jaller at Philippl. II being shown the
way the person refuses TO accept, thet,
the last half Of John Ill. Is. 80. will be
the message for them. What a glorI.
Qua gospel Il Il that We are Entrusted
with: And what high and holy call.
ing and what responsibility II We
are not faithful! q Tbess. Il. 4. T.:
Acts xiii. IS. 80: Rom. l. 14.iGJ
In last lesson we saw that the glOrI,
ted body had power to vanish: now We
see that walls and locked dU1rs are no
obstruction to II. IN these days. when
men tan see through solid I,U .hs. Il
does not seem quite so great a inys
terry that We should he empowered Ga
20 through the same. but faith simply
believes what God has said. however
unlikely the thing may seem IN Late
xxlg. JJ43. hear Him invite the d.
eipIca 10 handle Him and see Him take
fsb aud honeycomb and eat II befof.
them. That Il was the identical Loi