Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-01-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON
Comments BY
Rev. Ernest Bourner Allen, D. D.
Pastor of the Washington st.
Congregational Church and the
Marion Lawrance Sunday
School, Toledo, Ohio.

ize vss. 10, IL.
Golden Text: "When He assembled
on high, he led captivity captive, and
gave gifts unto men, ."-Eph. 4:S.
l. "Many Infallible Proofs, IT.
We are now studying history in the
christian era. The book of Acts is
the second volume of that history,
written by the same man. The author
shared in the work of Peter and Paul.
The testimony of witness is worth
more than any other mans hearsay or
81 suppose" An old negro was ac-
cused of theft and the judge offered
to appoint free counsel. The accused
was not over enthusiastic at the sug-
gestion. When pressed for the reason
he said, "I'd like to swap that lawyer
for one good witness!"
III. When is Jesus Coming Again?
We are painfully told it is not for
us to know "the times and seasons,
which the Father hath set within his
own authority" Some people hon.
estly think they know just when
Christ will come again. They go so
far as to set the date. have lived
long enough to hear of folks who sold
their farms, made their white ascen-
sion robes, and climbed on the tops
of hay-stacks, awaiting the Lords
| ,,,l NV.
way in which to be ready. In the
eighteenth century there was fam
Gus "dark day" The sun was dark
ened at midday. The cattle went to
their beds and the chickens to roost.
Men and women were afraid. The
early Congress was in session and
some one proposed to adjourn. The
presiding officer declined to allow it
and said: EITHER this is the end of
the world or it is not. In either case
l prefer to be found doing my duty.
We will go mn with the business.
Bring in the candles!"
| III. The Witnesses.
At first thought it seems a curious
way to depend on few fishermen and
peasants for the extension of re-
|ligion, V. 8. But Jesus did it. Since
then it has been by the testimony of
those who have tried his Way that
the Way has become famous. Jesus
put all witnessing for him under
one head: wherever they went, it was
witnessing for him. He did not di-
vide il up as we do rather clumsily
and call part "home" missions and
another part "foreign" missions. He
linked it all together under one word,
VS.. 8, "BOTH." They were to tell
others of him, "Doth" at home in Je-
rusalem, and up thru proud Judea
and humble Samaria and populous
Galilee, even to the utermost part
of the EARTH"
Jesus has never lacked witnesses to
tell of his love and his way of life.
Over in Turkish territory hundreds
of them have been bravely facing
death, yet keeping at their work.
They have ministered to the Armen-
ians, patient people, nearly annihil-
ated by the brutalities of war. No
nation, probably, has given so many
martyrs to the christian faith in so
short a time. Their young men have
been forced into the Turkish army,
their old men killed, and their women
and children foully ravished and muir
dered as by wild beasts. Ambassa-
dor Morgenthau some months ago
thought that 100000 had been slain.
The number is probably nearly twice
as many. Thousands of them were
sincere christians, dying rather than
become Moslems. Thank God for the
millions of faithful witnesses for
Christ, among all the nations OF the
world!
~. Our Living Christ.
Never have there been so many fol-
lowers of Jesus as today. Never was
there time when the ideals and ac-
tions of men and nations were so
tested according to the teachings OF
Jesus as they are today. All the ma
tions at war are anxious to have their
actions approved according to chris
tian standards. Our Christ is now
living in his people and in the insti-
tutions he has founded. A pagan
emperor died exclaiming, 80 Galilean,
thou hast conquered" We are wrong
if we think of Christ as dying on CAL
vary and closing his career there. DIR.
Dale tells of the tremendous inspir-
alton which came to him when writing
an Easter sermon, as he WROTE
"Christ is alive!"
"Do neonle know it?" he asked. So