The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson I.-Second Quarter, For
April 3, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


Mark TX, 23-commsntary Prepared
BY Rev. .. NJ. Staarns.
This lesson gives an account of four
different acts of healing upon 1--WE diff
ferent people--the rulers daughter,
twelve years of age; the woman twelve
years sick. the two blind men and the
demon possessed dumb man. Matthew,
Mark and Luke record the first two.
but Matthew alone tells Of the others.
All are equally easy to Him to whom
nothing ID, difficult when there Is conf
dence in Him. The principle of verse
% holds all through, According to
your faith be 1t unto you" But we
must always remember that these
were samples of the kingdom which
was then at hand, but because of His
rejection postponed till He shall come
again. AS I understand 1t, we cannot
expect kingdom manifestations in this
age Of His rejection except as He may
in great grace see at to grant them.
But as the age draws to a close, which
1t is rapidly doing, we may look for
greater signs as the kingdom Of
heaven again draweth nigh. May we,
like Stephen, be full of faith and of
the sHoly Ghost, full OF faith and
power.
The other accounts Of the first two
hea1ings are found in Mark and
Luke viii. There we are told that the
mans name was Jalrus; that he was
ruler Of the synagogue; that he fell
down at Jesus feet and besought Him
greatly, for his little daughter was
lying at the point Of death. and she
was his only daughter. Jesus arose
and followed Jairus. and so did His
disciples, and much people also fol-
lowed Him and thronged Him. Con-
slider the anxiety OF the fathers heart
and his expectation, for, although he
had not heard the words 81 viii come
and heal herr (viii, y. was not the
Lord Jesus Christ with him, and
was not that assurance enough for
Jairus?
But in the throng that pressed upon
| Him there was one desolate hearts
woman who had been ailing for twelve
years and, having spent all that she
had upon physicians, was nothing bet
tered, but rather grew worse. She.
having heard of Jesus, had such conf.
dence in Him that she said within her
self, EFF may touch but His clothes
/ shall be whole" She accordingly
pressed through the crowd behind
Him, touched the border Of His gar.
ment and was instantly healed Of her
Illness Of many years.
Most gratefully and gladly would
she have slipped away without trou,
bling Him farther, but He had more
for her than she had dared to expect
He had personal word for her hear
full of peace and assurance. Before
she could get away Jesus. knowing al
things, asked who touched Him, for he
knew that virtue had gone out Of Him
The disciples were surprised at His
question. seeing so many touching Him
but the woman came with fear and
trembling, fell down before Him and be.
fore all the people declared why she
had touched Him and how she had been
Immediately healed. Then came to heI
the added. unexpected blessing In His
precious words to her heart: "Daugh
ter, be Of good comfort; thy faith hatl
made thee whole. Go in peace and b,
whole of thy plague" Instead of thc
unrest she might have had because
she had, as It were, stolen a blessing
she had His own word of peace
Then she might have had some symp
toms of q recurrence Of her trouble
and the devil would be sure to be OIL
hand with some unrestful suggestions
but now she had not only an expert
ence, but His infallihle word that she
was healed, and had He not called hel
daughter" and wasn't that wortt
while? Let all secret believers confess
Jesus Christ publicly and see what ad
ditional blessing win surely come tc
them.
But all this delay has seemingly
made Him too late to help the little
girl, for before He reaches the house
messengers come, saying that she IL
dead. AS soon as Jesus heard 1t FL
said to Jairus. Fear not, believe only
and she shall be made whole" Uukt
wifi, SOY. And quickly it Is even so, ant
she is alive and well and eating like
any well child. Only the father and the
mother and Peter, James and John were
presentat theraising to life just seven
including Jesus and the little girl, thu
unbeIieving scorners all without. lie
us be 'most surely believers, knowing
the certainty OF all His words Uuk
1, Ia. He is never too late, and moth
ing is too hard for Him who created
all things.
Two blind men follow Him into til,
next house, into which He enters, beg
cling Him to have mercy on them. Hi
one question was, Believe We that
am able to do thisg' Their affirmative
reply brings His According to you
faith be 1T unto you," then His touch
and they see Ike other men; yet, un
like many, they see Jesus. their healer
and start forth to spread abroad Hi
fame.
The next case is q dumb demon pos
sessed man, and by a word he IL heal
] ed. No wonder that the multitude
said, ct was never 50 seen in Israel
| for one like this had never been seel
before. whether we touch Him or Fl
touches us or speaks the word. HI
power Ii manifest. May we ali toucl
Him in the consciousness our help
lessness and need, as the long suffer
Ing woman did, and not indifferently