Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-11-11
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
For Nov 49, Matt. 24:32-51
GOLDEN TEXT:-"Watch and Pray lest we Enter into
temptation" Matt. 26:41
BY DIR. MARION NH. HULL.

A&@~&%~~~
Before beginning a study of this pas
sage, 1 cannot refrain from entering
two protests, and doing so with all the
emphasis possible The first is against
another temperance lesson in six weeks.
Important as is the question or temper
ance there are entirely too many lessons
devoted to this, when one takes into con-
sideration the number of other, at best
equally, important questions which
should be considered. The second, L
would make more vehement. 1t is
against the misuse of scripture, using II
TO teach something which was not in
tended I 90 not believe more harm can
be done to the cause of Bible study than
such misuse. The only reference TO
drinking (and that is the special phase
Of intemperance to which these temper
ance lessons re1er) is in the 3Sth verse:
"They were eating and drinking, mar
rying and giving in marriage, etc. Inc
passage could, with the same degree OIL
fairness, be used to teach that one ought
not to get married. The misuse is not
only absurd, it is wrong. Whlle am
as much in favor of temperance as lts
most ardent advocate; 1 am heartily OPP
posed to reading into scripture what
was not intended.
1t is to be especially regretted that
this subject sh ould have been lnJecIeu
here as the continuous thought on these
closing days and hours Of the earthly
life of Jesus is thereby interrupted. so
much for the subject OF temperance.
Since we have to be interrupted what
does this passage really mean? he
member the occasion when Jesus spoke
the words? 1t was on Olivet at the close
Of Tuesday. We have already STUDIED
several of His sayings at that Time
the parable of the ten virgins, OF the
| talents. and the account of the judy
ment of His coming. These words pre-
coded all of these. In answer TO Ine4l
question as to what should be the sign
of His coming and of the consunna'loh
of the age. He had told them that there
sbould he an apostacy when many should
come in His name saying, L am CHRIST
and should receive many; that ~they
should hear of wars and rumors OF wars
q GREAT unrest: that nation should rise
against nation and Kingdom agalnsI
kingdom; that there should De Iainlhes'
and pestilences, and earthquakes IN va
rious places; all of which were the pc
ginning o. sorrows. he told IheIh III" :
there should be a great persecution ana
because inioulty shall abound, the love
| Of MANY shall wax cold; that there
should be worldwide evangeIIzatlon' ana
then shall the end come, the consunnIIia-
ton of the age, with the sudden gIo-
rious triumphant and personal appear
| ing of the Son of man in the CLOUDS.
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Then come the words winch cohsIItu.e
our lesson today. Having answered tnen
question He is telling them how they
eto,,Id nranare for it, and what should
he their attitude. They are perfectly
familiar with the fig trees which grew
and bore fruit all about them. When
thew saw the buds beginning to SVEN
and the little leaves to sprout, they
| corId tell that the summer was not Tar
I off They were worldly wise enough lot
that. Now these events that lie mao
lust been speaking of were the signs Oh
His coming. Where they saw them
oar,,n. 20 mass the could know with
! the same assurance that His appear
inc was not far off, that He was even
! at the door. These words OF HIS were
even more stable than heaven ana
earth. .
while these gave the general COM
plexion of the time, as the sproutihS
hs tree did Of summers approach, they
aid not reveal the day or the hour any
more than one could tell from the fg
tree exactIv what day would be the
Arst of summer The exact time OF
His appearing was known to none save
the Father He had not revealed IT
to the angels in heaven, and when He,
the Son of God. emptied Himself and
took upon Him the for moi servant,
He even had voluntarily relinquished
His knowledge Of the exact time. II
would be sudden, though, and unexpect-
ed by the vast majority. AS in the
DAYS Of Noah, the people were living ut
terly obIivious Of their danger. corrupt,
unresponsive to the strivings of God 8
Spirit CARRYING on their ordinary lives,
eating and drinking. marrying and CIV
ing in marriage. until the flood came sud
denly upon them: so suddenly and unex-
nectedly shall he the coming OF the Son
Of Man. Strange things shall occur; two
men shall be working when suddenly one
shall find himself alone; two women
shall be grindine. when one shall be
caught awav The missing ones have
been looking for Him, and have been