The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-05-09
( SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and PupIls
Edited by Charles X. Meyers.
CRAWFORD c o o MTY 3 % N D A Z
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

cakwroap couMEx sgNDAx
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS.
President -. Sears MclIenry. Denson
%. G; Dannatt Nice-PrcSidcnt. West Side
Executive Committee
+. l.. Hoffman, Denison; VIM. Lindherg.
Kiron; +. l.. vanslykc. Manila; H. J
Cook, Denison; Frank Woolston, Deni-
SON; u. G. Virgins, Dow City.
supsrinteudents.
:. Miss Susie Craft, Denison
Secondary Grade Il. L.. Hoffman, DenisOn
-. -. Prof. i. j. Still, Manila
e D.pas' Mrs.. i. W Pierce, Denison
Teacher Training :......:.:,.. :.-.:.
49,. Rev. j. c. Tourtellot. Denison
4efape.a.ee Miss Manetta iorgenscn. Vail
Missionary Department :::.....
...... Mrs. Anna Williams, Denison
May 13--Jesus the True Vine. John
15;l ZIG. ..
{, One of the great things about the
teachings Of Jesus was the use OF Ia
niliar objects to illustrate divine
truths The relation Of the sheep and
the shepherd: the falling of sown
grain on various soils; the leaven in
dough; the growth of trees and vines,
all were made use of to make plain
spiritual things, and in a way to set
them forth clearly. Today we have
the great talk found in John Is on the
vine and the branches. ~
We, all know Of the growth OF the
grape vine and in fact OF all vegetable
life. When we are told that the rela-
tion Of the christian believer to Jesus
is Similar to that of vines and branch.
cs almost child can understand what
is meant The branch has no life in
ITSELF except as it gains it from the
parent stem. Again the branch has
aniindividuality Of its own. A parent
stem will support branches bearing
numerous kinds of fruit. Sap and vi.
tally may come from common root
and through common trunk or stem,
but the nature Of the buds at the end
of the branches determine the fruit.
age.
# We can sec from what has just been
said that all christians need not and
cannot be like the stem. They must all
look to Jesus for strength, but there
will be characteristic fruitagc in the
life OF each. Really ! never saw this
view OF the matter presented before,
and It IS not bad in thought. 1t gives
range for you and to differ In what
we do and think as christians, so all
is done for the building up of the
cause OF Jesus in the world. The great
Paul tells OF difference in gifts, adds
words of COMMUNICATION as to each
and urges that each christian do his
best with the talents given him or her.
There is in the lesson verses the
need for fruitage of some kind. Ills
told that branches or christians who
will not do anything may be cut off
to wither. This is not very comfort
ing to those who have the chance and
refuse to act, but then no one objects
to usel.iSs branches On the vine being |
Ilsa3Rsfssa, ard no longer take the. vital
san 70 bear nothing but leaves Jesus
at another time told Of a tree which |
had not borne fruit and was about TO |
be cut down when the gardener asked
for yet another trial before this course
was taken That always appeals to
me- with force The thought came.
what il was on trial and might ind
spiritual death if ! did not make
proper showing Of faith in God ana
to do His commands? Inc
same thought applies with equal force
to every one. @.'E
Jesus says in this lesson that God
is glorified when we bear much CHRIS
tian fruit Paul says that these fruits
are 10y, peace, long suffering, gentle
ness, goodness. faith, meekness, broth
5erly love, forgiving one another even
as God for Christ's sake has forgiven
us. So here we are right up against
what right christian living is. Jesus
says that men and women who 40
these things showing them forth III
their lives, arc clarifying God. love,
faith. long suffering, forgiveness are
all possible to each Of US. We can
not set up the demands are too great
They arc easy to- have, if there IS
supreme desire to have them.
There is a great verse saying that
lii we keep Gods commandments we
shall abide in His loye, Paul says
/ that we must get in,1sUcl, state or
] mind and desire that the commands
Of God are not grievous, to US. "A re-
markablc thought that by what we can
do we SHAH Keep or abide i'll the love
Eof God. Bit the thing Is worth work
ting for, and the call is made to do 1t.
There is another verse which tells
aof abiding in Christ and being aDlc
to ask what we will and it shall be
done for us. Here we have remark
able situation. am at Il loss to
know JUST what this promise means
i know that every request, small or
great will not be given even to the
best OF earth. 1 have an idea that
those which are denied come from
our sclfishness, rather than to advance
SChrist's kingdom in the world Paul
says we ask amiss to consume 1t on
orr lusts, which must mean personal
qualification. .'
There is a command here to love
one another. This is sometimes
hard thing to do. We are not all
very iovable at times. Maybe we en-
pect too much Of each other. Even
Paul said of himself and companions,
I'VE are men OF like passions as you |
and we must mot expect perfection |
on this earth We must be ready to
overlook much We do not cast OF |
our children, our wife or husband be.
cause they at times do wrong and
are not perfect Our love for them +
flows 5,on just the same. II Jesus
should cast us off for lack OF perfec'
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