The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-03-01
International Sunday School Lesson.

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International Sunday School Lesson.
FIRST QUARTER. LESSON 9. GEN.
Is: 1, sis. March 2,1913
Gods Covenant with Abraham.
The Story.
Nomadic life has always Its own
strong attraction. But the story OF
the migrations of this first OF pill
grim fathers has a fascination pecu-
liar to itself. Before the eye OF
Imagination his caravan seems 10
pass. There goes the venerable
she1k, clad in his crimson robe,
wearing his silken turban with its
f:ilet of rope. His princess" in
al, her Oriental finery, rides be
side him. There are hte armed
scouts on fleet horses; the noisy
herdsmen, urging on the flocks and
droves; the women and children,
thousand souls and more; and the
long train of beasts of burden, car
rying the impedimenta of a great
camp. Some time after Abraham's
arrival in the Land of Promise 1t
pleased God to arrest his journey
by the outshining of the Shekinah
and give him more explicit terms
for the promise. There is a signifi-
cant change of name ordered in the
case of each party concerned in the
covenant. The Deity himself con-
| descends to follow the custom OF
man and at this juncture give him
self new and significant name;
namely, Ell Shaddai-the All-suffi'
Gent God. Abrams name is chang
ed from Exalted Father to Father
CT Nations, Abraham. Sarai. my
princess. to Sarah, princess univer-
sal. This change of name was a
device OF the eldest times, when
means OF INSTRUMENTATION and
record were scarce, to arrest atten-
ton and fix in memory important
events and change of circumstance.
By this means it was advertised to
Abrams motley clan, and the sur
rounding tribes as well, that this
aged sheik should miraculously be-
get son by his own and venerable
wife, from whom in turn should
spring noisy masses and tumultuous
nations. The pledge of this in
credible circumstance was the new
name OF the Deity. He was suffi-
cient for this thing. 81 am the
Almighty God" On that golden
hook Abraham could hang his faith.
And he did. He fell on his face,
in that very act of adoring worship,
appropriating the promise in all it's
fullness. In the injunctions, walk
before me-" and "Be perfect" there
is gentle hint OF the times when
Abraham had failed to see the In
visible, and had stopped to ignoble
devices to ward off imaginary dam
gers. This Is no new covenant,
but the happy assurance that AL
mighty God is rising to set in mo-
ton toward their blessed consum-
nation the contents of the cove
nant. the first elements of which
were given at least thirty years be-
fore in Ur of the Chaldees.
The Teachers Lantern.
What a bugaboo perfection" is
to many people. Yet twenty CEN
turtles before Christ, God comman-
ded Abraham to be perfect, and
Jesus, with this very command ap-
parently in mind, directs his dis
ciples to be perfect even as their
Father is perfect. Ell Shaddai should
be the mystic talisman, the broad
phylactery bound upon our fore
heads. Gods almightiness ought to
stir our feeble faith, make us rea-
lie the promises, however exceed
ing great they are. Saved from
many a snare would we be If we on
ly walked before the Lord, con-
scious that His eye was on us from
above. "Thou, God, seest me-" The
Lord said, walk before me-" The
thought of a continued purpose in
heres in the word-set myself, be
firmly purposed, thoroughly deter
mined to obey before me. Truth is,
literal and spiritual, run side by
side in the history of Gods favored
people. Abraham is literally ia
Their of nations-Arabia, indian Am
mon, Moab, as we'll as Israel. But
he is also the Spiritual Father of
in day by the preaching of the
gospel. Kings are his offspring =
David and Solomon, literally; all
believers spiritually, who are made
kings unto God" His descendants
are literally mad phenomenally nu-
merous, but his spiritual descendants
are already numbered by the hun
dreds of millions.
Young Peoples Devotional Service.
Matthew s; 1916.
The Ideal Christian; (IH) His
| Practical Service.
(Consecration Meeting)
The latest characteristic to ap-
pear in the evolution of the Church
| Is expressed in the phrase Social