Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON AND
YOUNG PEOPLES MEETINGS
News Of Interest to Church Goers By a
Writer Who is An Authority on Religious
Subjects. The International Lesson for
Next Sunday.

~ SUN dltcl HS was SupO6cu u live
would we; though persons q thousand
years hence might.
The Small Boys Lesson.
well, that is the way it is will
Jesus. You remember what father hal
told you about his visit to the cata
combs in Rome, don't you? They were
dug within about a hundred years o.
the death of Jesus II Jesus had mo-
lived, there would not have been, in
side Of hundred years, great many
persons who believed in him so much
that they suffered persecution for him
and dug out those wonderful cata
combs as places to hold church and tc
bury their fellow Christians. Fathe,
saw himself the pictures Of Jesus as 8
good shepherd which those early
Christians carved on the walls, nearly
two thousand years ago. They were
fond, also, Of carving the first two
Greek letters OF the word Christ and
the fish, the Greek name of which
made an acrostic for Jesus Christ,
Son Of God, Saviour Of Men
zone OF those Catacomb Christians
was named Polycarp. He was dis.
ciple Of the Apostle John, and he be-
came a martyr about the year 1865.
He left writings about Jesus, which he
learned from John, who learned them
from Jesus himself. There are many
other reasons which we call historical
for. believing In Jesus, but you see,
don't you that we have as much rea-
son to be sure that he was real per-
son as people a thousand years hence
will have to believe that there was a
rool Neoroo VIC ohinekonS Corno low
we may 60 to the catacombs together
and we shall then talk it over again. :"
First Facts, Then Think.
Considering this quarterly review,
1t Is we'll to bear In mind that the facts
about Christ should precede the truth
of Christ. Some persons are 30 given
to drawing lessons from the scrip
lures that they neglect to lay solid
foundations Of fact for those truths.
This present week is, opportunity,
both an Easter lesson and review of
the past three months Of study in the
life of Jesus. So 1t is an occasion for
exalting the fact of Christ. Many chill
dren, and older persons as we'll, have
doubts about the historical accuracy Of
the New Testament, and are unable to
meet the questionings and criticisms
OF the most ignorant skeptic. Before
we proceed to the great Resurrection
teaching, let us first be assured Of
there was such a person as Jesus who
lived and taught and died and rose
again.
There are some matters that are
outside the realm Of private opinion;
they belong within the domain Of evil
dence. A person must believe them
he wants to do SO or not. The
historical reality Of Jesus is one Q.
these. Younger children should be
given some such simple line OF argu-
ment as opens this present article;
crate proofs.
Why the conqueror Came.
The climax Of the present lesson,
as, indeed, of all Christian teaching, IS
the victory of Christ over death. That
was his final victory. But his whole
life may be studied as series Of con-
quests. He has often been compared
with the other great conquerors Of his.
tory: Pharoah, Xerxes, Alexander
Caesar, Charlemagne, Taameriane, Ma
poleon.
But what difference! John Wanna
maker owns painting Of gigantic size
called "The Conquerors." 1t Is of COM
polling interest. and one returns to it
again and again. There rides the BAN
nered host Of strong faced men, who
have dreamed the dream Of world do
minion. All the men I have indicated
and others. are in that company. But
they ride through lane Of dead Stark
and stiff, two lines Of corpses stretch
on both sides of them. It was by pain,
loss, sorrow and death that they came
to their power.
But imagine the Christ Conqueror's
triumphal march. Little children
throng his feet. He rides, meek and
low1y, upon the humblest Of animals.
The garments of the glad and the
grateful strew his way. The hosannas
air. The lame leap, the blind see; the
lepers are cleansed; the dead are back
from the tomb. The line is longer than
one can compass, for there now follow
in his train countless multitude of
those whom he has redeemed and
made to rejoice. And chained to his
chariot, craven captive,
Is the races old master. death.
The Perennial sprIngtime.
That is the great deliverance which
makes Easter. Christ has conquered
death and the fear OF death, for all
his friends. The old terror Of the grave
has gone for all those who have en-
tered into the secret Of the friendship |
If Jesus. That Is why the world Is full
Of lilies and palms and flowers and
song this great Easter. Christ is
Risen!" In rising, he has brought
peace. How the resurrection teaching
IS drying tears today; and filed hearts
with hope.
The daybreak of Easter is shooting
It's CLEANS over the whole worlds hori-
ION. There never was such an Easter
since the first Resurrection, as this
one. There are more disciples of Jesus
intent on sharing the good news Of the
risen Saviour with all the race than
ever before followed his banner. Eas-
Ter Is the missionary day; and this is
the missionary era. The
supreme Importance Of the Resurrec-
lion message has taken hold Of the
whole church, in behalf Of the whole
world