The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-01-24

pdEGO DcloIc ia 1oSS " 90
Luke 2:S0-3l.
This lesson concerns the matter OF
the presentation of the Christ child IN
the temple forty days after his birth.
Ever since the redemption Of the first
born Of Israel on that dark night IN
egypt, when the destroying angel pass
ed through the land and smote all the
6rst-born of the Egyptians, the first
born son Of every Hebrew family be-
longed unto the service Of God. AS a
substitute for all the frst-born, the
tribe Of Levi was chosen to act as
priests. BY this, however, the Hebrew
parents were not exempt from the pre-
sentation Of their frst-born to God.
By reason of the choosing OF the Lee
vites, the frst-born son of the family
was released from priestly service on
the payment Of a certain amount OF
redemption money.
Joseph and Mary beins righteous
parents, obeyed this Law ana presented
the Christ child in the temple. In thus
presenting the child, these parents
realized the great truth, which all par
ents should realize, that our children
belong to God, and are but loaned to
us. Christian parents should initiate
the example Of Joseph and Mary. not
only in realizing that children are the
heritage of the Lord, but also IN pre-
senting them in dedication publicly,
in the church, to the Lord. 49,.
Mary also made & personal Offering
as q token Of her appreciation of the
goodness of God. 1t was a small gift,
it is true, but it va the best that she
In her humble circumstances life could
give, and, therefore, was as accept
able to God as any offering OF much
higher value would have been. Would
it not be a good thing to celebrate the
birth Of your child by making a spe-
cial offering, or gift to the cause of
God, TO some needy work? A parent
whose child died some years ago, Is
in the habit every year when the ami
versary of his child's birth arrives to
send a birthday gift to an orphan
home, just as though he would have
given 1t to his child we're she living.
We have a wonderful description OF
the work of Christ in this lesson. He
is the light Of the world. Not one, but
every nation is to. feel the effect OF his
coming. On one occasion, when a
Japanese convert to Christianity was
summoned before the magistrates and
called upon to give. a reason why he
had forsaken his national religion, he
was told that Japan had religion
enough and did not want any more;
that Confucianism was good enough
for scholars, and Buddhism for the
masses. The Japanese convert replied,
IF Confucianism Is an all-suf1cient re.
ligion, why is it, since the founder liv-
ed thousands of years before Christ
and taught during a long life, hat 1t
has not spread beyond China and ia
pan? And If Buddhism is an all-suh-
cient religion, how Is it, started by
Budda thousands Of years before
Christ. and taught by him through a
long life, that 1t has not spread be-
yond India, China, and Japan? II
Christianity Is a bad religion, how is 1t,
since its founder taught three years.
and was put to death when he was
thirty-three years old, that 1t has
spread over all the world?"
Jesus is the desire of all the nations.
There is no satisfaction to be found in
any religion outside of him. Even
Simeon. representing the Old Tesla
ment, did not find full satisfaction un-
til he had seen the Christ child. The
Old Testament itself is a book Of long
ing and expectation which does not
find satisfaction until Christ, the
theme of the New Testament, came in
to the world.
The salvation of the world centers
in Christ. He is the only Saviour.
Christ is the only person who can save
the world from its sin. The world
had had reformers, scholars, philoso-
pliers, philanthropists before Christ,
but it never had a Saviour. Jesus
Christ Is the only person born into
the world with reference to the sins
Of men.
We may learn q lesson of what 1t
means to have faith in Christ from the
words of Simeon. He had See no
mighty works wrought by Christ; no
miracles had been performed in his
sight; he had heard no words of king
ly dignity from the lips Of Jesus;
Christ had pressed upon this good
mans heart no claims to Messiahship
and yet with the eye of faith he saw
all these things in the infant Jesus.
Centuries have rolled by since Simeon
lived and died, and Jesus Christ has
been proven beyond all reasonable
doubt to be all these things-to be,
and to do all that Simeon in prophecy
claimed for him, and yet we may ask,
DO we believe In Christ, the Christ
of the pas: as he believed in the Christ
Of the f%uture?"
Christ is a ~revealer OF mems hearts.
A mans character Is judged by his at,
ritude toward Christ. We see in the
character of Christ absolute goodness,
love, truth, honor, purity. Therefore
to see Christ, to see truth, love, good,
ness, purity, and not to love and
choose him is to reveal a state of heart
which, like that OF Gallo, cares for
none Of these things"
Simeon was satisfied when he had