Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-04-08
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson ll.-Second Quarter, For
April 8, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Rev. o. NJ. Stearns.
The beginning of this lesson chap
ter. the story of the iron that did
swim VERSE o.. carries me back full
forty years to the days of my school
teaching In Halifax. \. s., when after
telling this story NJ the opening serv-
ices have seen boys stay in at re-
cess to read 1t again for themselves.
We cannot help thinking of Him who
IL able 10 restore lost people, or. rath-
or. save them. however far down they
may be. The piece of tree which
made the iron swim reminds us of the
tree which made bitter waters to be-
come sweet n5x. XIV, 25) and of Him
who Is the tree Of life to all who come
TO Him. making us 10 be trees of
righteousness. the planting of the Lord
that He may he gloritied lisa. Xxi, -.
The lesson of today opens TO us the
realities OF the unseen and Elisha's
beautiful faith IN God and communion
with Him. am fascinated with the
title man of Cod" so often used of
Elisha aud of others. suggesting. as
1t does. one whom God owns for Him
self aud whose one desire Is to live
for Him, 10 please Him and TO be His
faithful messenger. In chapter Nv. q,
IL Is IAN holy man of God" and this
is more full of significance. for not all
men of God are as willing TO be holy
MS they should be. The world. the
flesh and the devil are too much for
any Of us. but victory Is possible Oh
Cor. II, II: John V. 1; Rev. xii. III.
The king Of Syria did not take into
account the God Of Israel when he
warred against Israel Not many do
even in the twentieth century. Even
Il great many preachers do not seem
to know much about Him and still
less about people called Israel, al
though God never wrought for any
other nation MS He has done and will
yet do for Israel III Sam. Z, %; Ps
cxlvii, 20.
The king of Syria was more than
once surprised TO find the king OF
Israel elude him and thought that
there must he some traitor In the
camp who gave away his plans.
When one of his servants reminded
him that there was a prophet in Israel
who could tell what he said even In
his bedchamher Verse ~ he foolish
ly thought that he could take him
captive. not considering that II the
prophet could save the king of Israel
4 -. ttffngstf aornifO
that the prophet was In Dothan, he
sent thither horses and chariots,
great host. and comprised the city
about. And now they had him sure.
So they had some reason TO think.
leaving out the supernatural.
The servant of Elisha seemed to
think that the case was hopeless. But
how grand the confidence of the
prophet. Fear not. for they that be
with MS are more than they that be
with them" verse 1CD. How like
Pnul's "If God he for us who can he
against us:' (Rom. viii. 81 or Da-
vid's Though an host should encamp
against mo, my heart shall not fear
Ns. xvii. -.
How blessed and comforting the
fear nots" are from Gen. Ky, l,
all the way through this heavenly
book. How simple and confident the
prayer Of Elisha. Lord. pray thee,
open his eyes that he may see." How
swift the answer. and he beheld the
mountain full Of horses and chariots
Of fire round about Elisha Verse 10.
The charlots 0f God are 10000. many
thousands Of angels" FPS. xviii. 10.
John saw more than hundred mil
lions of angels all worshIplng the
Lamb n,ev. V. II. ~. These are some
Of the unseen realities. May they be
real 10 us also.
As the soldiers came 10 take him
he asked the Lord to smiie them with
blindness. and He did so. Then he
led Thorn Ia the man whom they really
wanted. the king of Israel. and prayed
the Lord ia open their eyes, and they
found themselves in Samaria In his
power. The king of Israel would fain
have smitten them. but Elisha for
babe him and told him 10 feed them
and send them home verse 22l. So
the bands Of Syria came no more into
the land Of Israel verse %. !. 81.
Again we have fultlllment of
Deut. xxi. 80. How should one
chase thousand and two put ten
thousand To flight:" 4 study of the
many different ways IN which God
AZ different times has shown Ills pow
er on behalf OF His people would he
most inspiring to n believer and posi-
bly, helpful 10 one who does not rs
vet know the Lord.
Take another instance from the next
chapter, when the Lord made the
host of the Syrlans TO hear n noise Of
charlots and noise Of horses. even
the noise of n great host. so that they
arose and fed. leaving their tents and
horses and asses and everything In
their camp and fed for their lives
Cii. ca. II Is still true TINT ''the an
gel Of the Lord encampeth round
about them that fear Him and deliv-
ereih them" FPS. xxxiv. a.