The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-08-08
INTERNATIONAL,
SUNDAYSCnOOL
LESSON
tBy e. o. SELLERS. Director OF Eve
ming Department. The Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago.
LESSON FOR AUG. II.
"A TROUBLED SEA AND A TRou-
BLEED SOUL. #

BLEED SOUL.
LESSON TExT-Mark 4:s5 to $50.
GOLDEN TExT-"God Is our refuge
and strength, a very present help In trou-
bic. Therefore win we not fear, though
the earth do change, and though the
mountains be removed into the heart Of
the sea-" Ps. 4s:1-2.
We now turn from our studies in
the manifesto or inaugural address Of
Jesus to one Of the outstanding incl
dents Of his life of service.
This lesson is dramatic one, lights
and shadows. surprise and revelation.
rebukeeandM encouragement are rapid
ly mingled. The subject of the les
son is well chosen. Leaving the multi
tude to whom he had been preaching,
Jesus commands that they pass over
to the other side of the lake, v. IS.
Let us pass over" he says. Jesus
never asks his disciples to go where
he will not 60 or has not been before.
How touchingly vivid Is the sugges-
ton of v. 36, they took him as he
was, he is tired and weary, he,
whose invitation is to all who are
weary and needing rest, he who had
not where to lay his head, Is carried
by loving hands into the boat and is
soon lost in restful slumberf Loving
hands minister to the loved teacher.
Both master and friends, who are
soon to meet case OF great sin, are
before that met by great storm. But
be who is Lord and Master of forces,
sleeps calmly on. Why not? Who
else could be Indifferent? Not SO these
disciples; they have yet to know him
perfectly and hence it is quite natural
that in their alarm they should awak-
en- him as they view the rapidly fill
ing boat and exclaim, Master. carest
thou not that we perish?" Weary as
he was, and personally Indifferent as
he may have been, yet for the sake OF
his chosen friends he arose and re-
buked the storm, and the peace which
he later gave the demoniac is first
shown in material things as he quieted
the waves Compare v. SO and 15).
Had Little Faith.
It was great storm, V. 81, like
wise a great calm The psalmist says,
great peace have they who love thy
law" great peace have they who truly
know and love Jesus, John 14:27).
His rebuke to the disciples, Y. 40, was
SO gentle as to lose its sting, "how
is it that We have SO little faith?" They
had some faith, tits true, for they ap
pealed to him In their great need, but
oh so little. Our proportion OF faith
is the measure Of our fear. What
wonder ". ALI that they were amazsd
This man of flesh who had been sleep
Ing the sleep of intense WEAKNESS com
handing the sea and that it should
obey him with the meekness of q
child. What manner of man Is this?
| Nineteen hundred years has failed to
answer that query.
Reaching the other side they entered
the land Of Gadara. There they met
q demoniac who Is, we believe, type
or picture of great sin in that he was
| (a) without restraint, mo man could
bind him." " 8: (b) he was injuring
himself cutting, etc." v. 5; (c) he
was separated from his friends, dwell
among the tombs." v. 81: (d) he war
"unclean," v. B. There is also gevi
l,dence of the futility Of human resolu
lions and the vainness of attempts al
control or reforma ton, see verse -
| mo man had the strength to tame
him" Then note the torment OF bis
life, Y. Z. Purity and pollution car
have no concourse. James tells III
that the devils believe and tremble
| Gas. 2:19). Matthews tells ug this
man was exceeding fierce so that nc
one passed that way. His sin sepa
rated him from all men. Such then
Is the dreadful picture What was that
storm on the lake as compared with
this storm of sin In the heart OF
| man?
Physical catastrophes are far Less
to be dreaded than moral and spiritua
ones, and diseased body than dis
eased mind But he who spake and 9
great calm came upon the face OF the
waters, also had but to speak and
forthwith the devils enter the swine
and are destroyed Why the swine1
Was not the Jew forbidden to use
swine's flesh? Were not these Roman
and Gentle customers violating ths
law OF the land By partaking Of thu
same, and were not the Jews taking
advantage Of an Illegal traffic to en-
rich themselves? On the other hand
If they belonged to the Romans was 4
not protest against their open At
front OF the religion Of Jehoyahf
Sins to Account For.
Church members have no right Il
condemn the liquor traffic and Their
to rent stores In which to carry or
the same. Naturally therefore. thes<
people when they saw their iilega