The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1912-12-28

to do his will, he shall know OF the
teaching whether II be OF God. or wheth-
er 1 speak Of myself" John TIL r. V.
The golden text is in this case a
very good introduction to the review
Of the work of the past quarter. Jesus
had sent his disciples up to the Je-
rusalem feast, while he remained In
Galilee, whittier he had gone for fear
Of the Jews John I'D. When they
arrived In Jerusalem they found a
sharp division among the people. some
for and some against him John Z:
1919. Jesus secretly followed his
disciples, and suddenly In the midst
of the feast he Is found in the temple
teaching. That his teaching was diff
ferent is evidenced from John 7:15.
1t Is also evident that he had thor
ough knowledge of culture and the
things of the scholastics OF his day.
The inquiry as to where he acquired
his knowledge elicits the reply that.
my teaching is not mine, but his
that sent me-" and then as If to prove
the accuracy OF his assertion, he uses
the words of the Golden Text. Those
who desire to know the will Of God
will find that his words express that
will perfectly, and as men obey his
words the divine origin of them will
be demonstrated.
His Claim Valid.
The lessons of the past year. but
particularly the past quarter, are all
strong illustrations of the validity of
his claim as we'll as the truth of this
general proposition.
II we omit the temperance
Lesson the lessons of this quar-
ter are confined to few
months of time following April.
A. d. 20, and in particular present
Jesus, as a worker and healer more
than a teacher. He is thus a living
testimony as to his claim announced
in the Golden Text, and as men
obeyed his command results followed
that attested his divine authority,
John $50, 1898. 14:11.
In the first lesson we read Of his
command to his disciples to cross the
sea. They obeyed though 1t sent them
into the storm. In the midst of their
perplexity he appears, superior to the
laws of nature.
Lesson two shows Jesus defending
himself and the authority of the Word
Of God. Two ideals are presented Of
the kingdom, and the~proof of the d.
vinity of his ideal will always come
to those who obey him.
In the third lesson Jesus teaches
this same truth to two Gentiles. the
Syro-Phoenician woman and the
centurion. Both heard his words. both
obeyed, and the evidence of his d.
vine authority came In the healing Of
the daughter and the loved servant.
Lesson four gives us the account Of
the second feeding of the multitude.
1t shows us how our poverty may be
transmitted into wealth as he takes
such as we have for the satisfaction
Of the needs of mankind. As he the
Living Bread is given there 10 over
flowing satisfaction.
In the fifth lesson Jesus rebukes the
materialistic, sign-seeking Pharisees
(eviD of their hypocrisy. He rebukes
his disciples that their eyes are SO
blinded that they should so speedily
forget his divine power and begin to
reason In their hearts" The gradual
opening Of the eyes of the blind man
Is an illustration Of his patient teach
ing and Of the growing conviction that
comes to US in the development Of our
lives of faith
Lesson six Is the temperance lesson,
and II a connected review is desired,
It will have to be omitted, as It does
not belong to the systematic studies
Of this quarter.
lions his disciples to see as 1t were
how firm a grip this principle has Sc
cured upon their lives. This question,
although 1t ELECTED Peters great re-
ply, Thou art the Christ" at the
same time revealed the fact that they
were concerned with the material,
rather than the spiritual, and conse-
quently they questioned the authority
Of his words when he declared the ne
cessity Of the cross.
Divine Authority.
The incidents Of lesson eight fol.
low Immediately after those of les
son seven. 1t Is as though he would
restore his disciples to full loyalty
that they behold the special revela-
ton upon the Mount of Transfigura-
ton. Those heavenly visitors talked
not Of the glory" but of "his disease
which he should accomplish at Jeru-
salem" thus adding their testimony
to the Divine authority of his words.
The ninth lesson is prominently
one that illustrates the fundamental
principle of this entire review. 81
believe. help thou mine unbelief"
Twas a faltering reply, but indicated
his surrender to the word and will Of
Christ. The demonstration he re-
ceived of the Divine authority of the
words Of Jesus was that his boy was
restored to him fully healed.