The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1912-01-26
INTERNATIONAL
SUNNSQ1O0L
LESSON
LESSON FOR JANUARY 20
PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.
nUo1y Bible Ina dilute, ChIcaSO.

LESSON TExr-Luke. 2:22.ss.
GOLDEN 'TExT-"For mine eyes have
seen thy salvation, which THOU hast pre-
pared before the face Of all peoples
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
first.born Of the Egyptians, the hrst.
born son Of every Hebrew family be-
longed unto the service Of God. As q
substitute for all the nrst.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.
I,y reason Of the choosing Of the Le-
viies, the firstborn son Of the family
was released from priestly service on
the payment OF a certain amount OF
redemption money.
Joseph and Mary being righteous
parents. obeyed this law and 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.
Mary also made a personal Offering
rs token Of her appreciation Of the
goodness Of God. II was small gift.
1t is true. but Il was the best that she
In her humble circumstances life could
give. and, therefore. was AZ accept
able TO God as any offering Of much
higher value would have been. Would
II not be good thing to celebrate the
birth Of your child by making . spe.
cial offering. or gift to the cause OF
God, to some needy work?
We have q wonderful description of
the work Of Christ in this lesson. He
Ia the light Of the world. Not one. but
every nation Ia 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 reason why he
had iorsaken his national religion. he
was told that japan had religion
enough and did not want any more:
that Confuc!anism was good enough
for scholars. and Buddhism for the
masses. The Japanese convert replied.
''If Confucianism Ia an sli.suhicient re-
ligion, why is Il. since the founder liv-
Al ooIs nj shela
and taught during . long life. that II
has not spread beyond China and ia.
pan? And II Buddhism IL an all.sufn.
Client religion. how 10 II, started by
BuddA thousands OF years before
Christ. and taught by him through q
long life. that II has not spread be-
yond India. China, and Japan? II
Christianity IL q bad religion, how 10 II.
since i,s founder taught three years.
and was put to death when he was
thirty-three years old, that II has
spread over all the world!"
Jesus Ia 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.
I'll he had seen the Christ child.
The salvation Of the world centers
in Christ, lie II the only Saviour.
Christ Ia the only person who can save
the world from its sin. The world
had had reformers. scholars, philoso-
piers. philanthropists before Christ,
but II never had q Saviour. Jesus
rhetc IL hA L.,
the world with reference to the Sins
Of men.
We may learn a lesson OF what II
means to have faith In Christ from the
words Of Simeon. He had seen no
mighty works wrought by Christ; no
miracles had been performed In his
sight; he had heard no words Of king
iy dignity from the lips OF Jesus;
Christ had pressed upon this good
mans heart no claims to Messlahship
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 past as he believed In the Christ
Of the future?"
Christ 10 q revealer OF mems hearts.
A mans character Is judged by his at
titude 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 il to reveal Q state OF heart
which, like that Of Gallo. cares for
none OF these things.'
Simeon was satisfied when he had
seen the Christ. To see him 10 the
grandest sight In all the world. We
are often asked. Have you seen the
sights in Rome. In Greece. In ltaly!"
| And II We reply in the ne9atlve. II II