The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-06-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Llohts On Next Sundays
Lesson fer Teachers and Puplls
Edited BY Charles X. Meyers.
June 3O.-RevieW Lesson.

Soils III lHe SOSpel OF MARK upOll tHe
life OF Jesus. The lessons have been
most interesting and important. We
often hear it said that ministers and
teachers should get back to the plain
gospel as set forth from the lips of
Jesus; that Jesus only should be up.
| lifted This is quite right and proper.
The Importance of Jesus in the bible
is we'll set forth in that familiar hymn
clarifying the cross which runs:
'In the cross of Christ / glory,
Towering DER the wrecks of time,
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round His head sub
lime"
The series of lessons opens with a
great exhibition of faith on the part
of woman not Jew. She came to
Jesus asking that her child be cured.
Her faith was tested, but she met the
ordeal bravely and with tact. Jesus
told her that her daughter was we'll,
and she went home to find it so. This
incident calls to mind the father who
went to beseech Jesus to save his lit
tie girl and who had the faith to be-
lieve that the words Of Jesus saying
that she could not die were true. He
was rewarded by the restoration of
his daughter to health and strength.
One of the lessons contained that
forceful question "What shall it profit
a man to gain the whole world and lose
his own soul2" This is one of the most
important questions ever put forth.
1t calls to mind that there is more
to be lived for than temporal
things; thatthe great eternity stretch
es onward after physical death, and
the most precious thing is to so live
that that immortalit y promised by
Jesus can be ours. Another import
ant thought came out in lesson when
Jesus urged his followers to be true to
Him, to not be ashamed of Him in
| this world among their fellow men.
There went with this a great promise
that all who confessed His name
among their fellows He would confess
before His Father and the holy angels
in heaven. 1t has always seemed to
me that christians had marked adj
vantage in this promise because a
confession of Jesus among our fellow
men should not be a very hard mat
ter to make, while a recognition of
such action by Jesus has most far
reaching consequences.
The disciples of Jesus, although they
were with him for number Of years,
could not learn humility The selfish
ness of the world about them the de-
sire for place and position was so
woven into their characters that they
actually quarreled among each other
as to who should have the most dis
tinguished position when Christ came
into His kingdom. which they believed
would be an earthly one. We remem-
Der how Jesus washed the feet of His
disciples to show them that they
should do service for others, and the
declaration was made that the Son of
man came not to be ministered unto
but to minister, and give His life as
a ransom for many. We call to mind
the direction Of Jesus not to be a self
seeker for position. We further re-
member how He asked that the true
followers be like little children, full
Of trust and readiness to obey what
He told them to to. 1t was in one OF
our lessons the declaration was made
that whatsoever would give a cup of
water to another for Christ's sake
should not go without reward.
The lessons could not have failed to
impress all students that Jesus went
about doing good. While none of US
can be the Son of God, here on earth
and have all the character that would
go with it, yet we can go about doing
good. We can be helpful and loving,
|considerate and sympathetic. There
is no greater test of true christianity
than doing good, having for it's motive
the christian spirit
Without doubt when the lesson
came up for consideration where Judas
betrayed or sold out his Master for
80 pieces of silver most of us thought
that no amount of temptation would
get us to do such thing. Experience
shows however that thousands of men
and women do betray the cause of
Jesus which they profess to hold dear,
for money or position or power. Again
without doubt, all have felt that they
would never deny Jesus as did Peter,
but large majority Of christians, as
they look back upon their career, can
tell of times when they were sorely
tempted to deny their religion or that
they were followers Of Jesus. These
were times of course when public
opinion of the group which they were
in, or society at large, were adverse
to Jesus and the principles of His re-
ligion. We must all be on our guard,
never to betray and never deny the
blessed Jesus who died upon the cross
for us.
1t was in one of the lessons of the
past quarter where Jesus brought for
ward as the second great command
ment that one should love their neigh
Dor as themselves. When one comes
to think about it, this. commandment
III lived up to, would solve our relation
ship to every problem that .confronts
us in life. 1t would sweep away self
ishness which is the root of all sin.
We will not soon forget the woman
who loved Jesus so much for what He
had done for her that she lavished
upon Him ointment, worth q fortune,
her tribute of love and gratitude,
which will live forever.
The closing lessons of the quarter
brought to our minds the theme of the
crucifixion with all it's horrors and the
glorious resurrection. giving promise
of everlasting life. A study of the les.
sons makes the life and character of
Jesus so beautiful, so tender, that in
our best moments we can but resolve
to initiate it as best we can. When
we consider that loving and serving
Jesus means eternal life, free from
main trials and anyiotjoc II makac