Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-10-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson N.-Fourth Quarter, Fer
Oct. 26, 1913.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Mum. XXX, lis.
Memory Verses, II, 12-Golden Text.
Ps. xix. 14-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

/ have endeayored In our past stud
les to touch upon a few Of the many
things not included In the portions as
signed In our lessons. but have proba-
bly, passed by more than | have men
toned. such as the different offerings,
the annual feasts. the year of jubilee.
the great day of atenement and others
In chapter xix. just preceding our les
son chapter for today, we have the re-
markable ordinance of the red heifer.
or the Lords provision for cleansing.
by the way. by the ashes OF the better
mixed with running water and sprin-
killed. by hyssop upon the person TO be
cieansed. To my mind. the central
chapters OF the first five books are
Gen. xxi. the lamb provided: Ex. xiii
the passover lamb; Lev. xvi the an
nual atonement: Mum xix, the red
heifer: Deut XVIII the prophet like
unto Moses. for In each we see the
Lord Jesus Christ In special manner
The present lesson chapter brings Us
to the fogtieth year of the wilderness
sojourn and begins with the death Of
Miriam In the first month and ends
with the death of Aaron at the age Of
1913 years. in the fifth month (Num.
xxxiH. IS 39l. Moses died at the age
of 100. so II must have been before
the close Of that year, for there were
Just three years difference In their
ages tDeut xxxiv. I; XXI. >; Tx
VII. n,
1t does seem too had. as we say. that
after all his forbearance With them
and intercession for them during thir
ty-nlne years, that in the fortieth year
he should 50 fail rs to shut himself ont
of the land to which he had been lead
ing them. and that neither Of these
honored three. Miriam. Aaron or Moses.
should enter the land While those
who are truly In Christ can never per
ish and shall surely reach home. there
is much that may be lost in the way Of
service and reward by our failures
along the road gohn Ill. l6: K. 27-2a:
Cor. lii. 4-l5l; therefore the admonl-
ton to take heed lest we lose full
reward III john VIM,
The generation which left Egypt.
6o3.550 men over twenty years Of age.
able to go forth to war (Num. t. Is, Id;
ii. 50, 33l. not counting the Levites,
had persisted in the wilderness. an
average of over forty deaths every
day. Was it any wonder that Moses
wrote. Thou earliest them away as
with a food 3" We are consumed
by thine anger = all our days are
passed away in thy wrath" Cps &c. 3,
:. 81, On passing let me remark that
this is most inappropriate passage TO
read ut the funeral Of belieTer).
A new generation had arisen, but
were given to murmuring and wishing
they were dead. Just like their fathers.
Moses and Aaron do not seem to
have made any reply to the murmnr-
ers, but went to the Lord about It
May we ever follow their example in
this. Whoever may complain TO us or
about us. let us always take It TO the
Lord in prayer. committing ali things
to Him.
A<CAA . LIS ANAAtAAS " lAtHNS
We're simple and very plain. Take
the rod speak ye unto the rock
and it shall give forth His wa
ter (verses I. 81 Moses took the rod.
gathered the people. spoke in anger to
them and smote the rock twice (yerses
9-11). Note his words. Must we fetch
you water out Of this rockT' We are
reminded OF his words to the Lord
nearly forty years before when He
said that He would give Israel flesh
to eat for a whole month Shall the
Cocks and the herds be slain for
rhemy' (Num. H. 22). On neither of
these occasions did he act with IN
shod feet. as If the affair was wholly
the Lords and not his (Ex III. 81. How
apt we are to fail in like manner
Then as to shifting the rock. that
rock typihed Christ q Cor. X. a. and lt
had been smitten (Ex. xviii g.. The
sufferings of Christ for us as our sub
stitute were once for all. and there can
be no repetition: hence the awful sin
Of the so called mass Of the Church Of
Rome Christ having suffered. the for
giveness Of sins and all the benefits Of
His finished work are free 10 all with
out money or mass or earthly priest
The Lords word TO Moses was. We
believed Me not. to sanctify Ne in the
eyes of the children of Israel" we re-
belled against My commandment"
"Ye trespassed against Me" tverse -:
xvii. IA: Deut. xxi. 5I,
The words OF Moses to Israel con-
corning it were. THE Lord was angry
with me for your sakes, saying. Thou
shalt not 20 In thither." THE Lord
was wroth with me for your sakes and
would not hear me. and the Lord said
unto me. Let ii suffice thee; speak no
more unto me Of this matter" Deut
1. 81: Eli. 26l The comment OF the
psalmlst Is. They angered Him also
at the waters Of strife. so that IL went
I'll with Moses for their sakes. because
they provoked his spirit so that be