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The Sunday School
THE BIRTH OF JESUS.
Luke 2: 1-20. January 21, 1912.
GOLDEN TEXT.?"For unto you Is
born this day In the city of David a
Snvlour, which Is Christ the Lord."?
Luke 2: 11.
Home Dally Bible Reading*.
Vnn<lov T ..1 o. * ?A
-"vuu?;?uimu ?; rsu.
Tuesday?<Mic. 5. 2.9.
Wednesday?Isa. 9: 1-7.
Thursdny?John 1: 1-14.
Friday?Heb. 1: 1-9.
Saturday?2 Tim. 1: 3-14.
Sundny?Gal. 4: 1-7.
Topical Outline.
The Birth of Jesus Celebrated?
By the angel messenger, vs. 8-12.
By the heavenly chorus, vs. 13. 14.
By the believing shepherds, vs.
15-20.
Shorter Catechism.
Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary
means whereby Christ communleateth
to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary means
whereby Christ communlcateth to us
the benefits of redemption are his ordinances,
aspecially the word, sacraments,
and prayer; all which are made
effectual to the elect for salvation.
Lesson Comments.
Time.?Either in the latter part of
B. C. 5, or early spring of B. C. 4.
Many arguments are given for the December
date. It is claimed that the
shepherds and flocks might be In the
fields In that month, that in December
the fields of Palestine are often clothed
with verdure, and that sowing and
ploughing go on at intervals. It Is
significant, however, that God has not
revealed times and places, lest man
should attach too great Importance to
them.
IMace.?Bethlehem, five miles south
of Jerusalem, the village near which
Rachel died, the home of Boaz and Ruth
and Naomi, the birthplace and home of
David. David's well, famous for the
exploit of his three mighty men, was
close by. Bethlehem Is still a flourishing
little city, famous for its "Church
of the Nativity." perhaps the oldest
church building in the world. Its people
are the most thrifty and prosperous
and attractive of all Palestine.
Identification.?The identity of sacred
places in Palestine iB. as a rule, very
uncertain. Some scholars think that
.Jacob's well is really the only spot
positively identified, of all that were
associated with incidents in our Lord's
life. Next to it students usually put
the birthplace of Christ. The tradition
that it was a cave is based upon tue
fact that in that limestone country such
places, often found, were frequently
used for stabling the cattle. The Emperor
Trajan, in his hatred of the Christian
faith, had the spot desecrated and
planted a grove to Venus on the site.
This act only helped to make the place.
Jerome one of the greatest of the
early Church Fathers, spent thirty
years in a cave adjoining that in which
he recorded that the birth of Christ
was believed to have taken place, and
there he prepared the version of the
Scriptures called "The Vulgate," a Lat
in version of the Roman Catholic
Church.
The Occasion?Joseph and Mary
came from Nazareth to Bethlehem, for
registration. A decree had been Issued
from Rome that such a registration be
made, for taxing purposes. Secular history
confirms the Bible statement bere,
in both names and dates, a difficulty
once regarded as in the way having
been removed from the historical fact
that the decree Issued about B. C. 8
L
THE PRESBYTERI
or 7, was delayed of execution In Palestine
about two years. Rome yielded
whenover practicable to the customs
and prejudices of the people subjected
to Its authority, especially In purely
local and religious matters, and as
adopted there the Jewish tribal and
family system of enrolment. Henco the
coming of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.
The Inn.?The ancient inn was not a
hrvtnl o 110 V? oa nrn ?
Uw?v? uuvu uo aic lauiuiar mm.
It was the "Khan" of the East- Uusually
it was a large, Bquare. one-storied
building, entered by one door and passage,
surrounding a roofless court. The
"rooms" opened, without wall or door,
on this court. Their floors were two
or three feet above the court floor. In
these "rooms" slept the people, while
their cattle, camels, horses, asses, and
oxen were fed and cared for in the
court. There 1b Just such an Inn or
Khan or caravansary, note the latter
word, today at Solomon's Pools, near
Bethlehem. A variation of their method
of building was that of using a nearby
cave for a stabling, which may have
been the case, for convenience' sake,
at Bethlehem, where there are many
caves in the hill-sldes.
The Angels.?The "angel of the Lord"
that appeared to the shepherds may
have been Gabriel, who appeared to
Zacharlas and Mary. This was not
necessary, however. The word "angel"
means "messenger." The "multitude"
was probably great enough to fill the
whole vault of heaven, the most marvelous
choir rendering the most sublime
song ever seen and heard on earth.
The angels are all ministering spirits
sent forth to minister to the heirs of
salvation.
Prophecy Fulfilled.?The birth of
Christ, with Its attendant circumstances,
fulfilled numerous predictions. Jacob
and Balaam and Nathan and David and
Mlcah and Isaiah had all seen his day
and line and birthplace. The minutest
particular was fulfilled. Everything
connected with the birth confirmed the
belief In its supernatural nature.
Explanatory.?"The same country:"
adlaeent tn Bpthlphom Pertinn. a
very fields In which Ruth once gleaned.
"In the field, by night:" pasturage and
weather are not uncommon in Palestine
in December. "The angel of the Lord:"
a title often given to God In the Old
Testament theophanies, but here doubtless
Gabriel. "Sore afraid:" as were
Mary and Zacharias at first. "Fear
not:" the angel reassures them even
before he delivers his joyful message.
"Good tidings." good news, gospel. "To
all men:" the world, sinners everywhere,
Gentiles no less than Jews. A
missionary principle here. "The city
of David:" Bethlehem. "A Saviour,
Christ, the Lord:" a threefold designation
which tells of his divine appoint.
mprit. hia Hlvlno nohiro. "A
? ? ?"-V ?v?.v -God
is willing to give proof. "Swaddling
clothes:" not rich robes or clothes
but long strips of cloth wrapped around
the infant, such as were used chiefly
amongst the plain people. "A multitude
of the heavenly host:" the angels have
an Interest In the good news and in
the acceptance of it by those whom
Christ came to save. "Glory to God:"
the great scheme of grace is theocentrlc,
not Christo-centrlc. "On earth
peace:" peace with God, peace with the
law, peace of conscience, peace with
men, the reign of the "Prince of Peace."
"Good will towards men:" the gospel
Is the proof of God's desire that none
perish but that all have life. The form
10 men or gooa win," always used
amongst the Romanists, hag no authority
In either the original Scriptures or
reason. "Let us go now:" action following
belief. "And see this thing."
not, to Inquire Into It. hut to see It.
(Continued on Page 21.)
*
AN OP THE SOUTH
Young People's Societies
WORTH WHILE AMBITIOKS.
Topic for Sunday, January 21: Worth
While Ambitions. John 17:20-24; Romans
8: 18-21.
Dally Readings.
Monday: Paul's ambition. Phillpplans
3: 7-14.
Tuesday: A noble aim. 2 Timothy 2: 15.
Wednesday: A wise wish. 1 Kings 3.
6-lS. r
Thursday: Consecrated ambition. Isaiah
6 : 6-8.
Friday: A life-aim. Galatians 6: 16-18.
Saturday: The highest ambition. 1 Cor
inthians 13: 1-13.
The early meaning of the word ambition
">rnln? ? ^ ??
bv.ub muuuu, iu seture something
eagerly and perhaps inordinately
desired, has given it a bad taste with
many.
This, however, is not justified. The
word is used now, most commonly, to
express the eager desire, not the inordinate
desire, and has reference to good
things and good methods oftener than
to evil.
As popularly understood it is simply
aspiring after something better than
what one possesses or what one is doing,
and aspiring with an eagernesss
and determination which will bring
about a realizing of the hope.
Phillips Brooks expressed it well
when he said that true ambition was
meaning to be something with all one's
might- It is the giving to one's desires
and aspirations all the vigor and resoluteness
of which one is capable.
Paul expressed the matter still betwhftn
V? n eniA ' ' ^ - 1 ?? ' *? ' *
?.?, .. ..on uc saiut ijuvei earnestly toe
best gifts." Turn into the channel of
the good and the true the intensity of
longing and activity that a covetous
man hag in connection with less desirable
things.
The same apostle also said, "Press
toward the mark for the prize of the
high calling." The injunction embodies
the same idea as when he said, "Covet
the best gifts." The goal is one worthy
to be reached, and therefore worthy to
be pressed towards.
It is a good thing to have a goal. It
stimulates and sustains the racer. He
sees it before him anl it stirs him to
his best efforts. The sight of it helps
him to keep up or even to quicken his
pace- It also helps him to keep in the
direct path leading to it.
The Bible is not averse to holding
out rewards to the believer. Sharing
In Christ's glory and kingdom, heirship
with him, sitting upon thrones, reign,
lng with him, Judging angels, are some
of the Inducements which it holds forth
for active service and devotion of life.
We are taught to profit by the ways
of mammon. Men are eager, keen, untiring,
adroit, in their efforts to secure
worldly good. Why not be so to obtain
heavenly good? The reward is worth
the toil. The reward may not be had
without the toil. Vigorous consecration
'to good ends is surely not blame worthy.
It is lowness of aim and unscrupulousness
of means that make ambition
something evil. Loftiness of aim and
a pure spirit in pressing towards it.
brushing aside all unworthy methods or
sordid purposes, must be right in God's
sight always. True humility and in
tense longing for the best are not opposed
to each other.
"Greatly begin! Though thou have time
But for a line, be that sublime?
Not failure, but low aim, is crime."
A bad habit may be cured but the
influence of past badness continues as
a nail may be drawn from a piece of
wood but the hole remains.
[January 10, 1912
The Prayer Meeting
REDEMPTION,
John 3: 16. Week of January 14.
The doctrine of salvation through the
merit and mediation of Christ is familiar
to Bible readers. It is affirmed or
assumed by all the inspired writers,
and is denied by those only who will
not see. He came "to seek and to save
that which was lost;" "to give his life
a ransom for many." The fact of his
coming to save his people from their
sins implies that they were guilty and
lost. There could be no Saviour if
there were no need of rescue. The
verse includes the whole doctrine of
redemption?the Father's love and gift,
the Son's advent and offering, man's
ruin and eternal peril, the terms of
salvation, and life eternal through the
sacrifice of Christ, as indicated in the
preceding verse. Luther called this
sixteenth verse. "The Bible in miniature."
We are pretty well grounded In
the essentials of Christian doctrine if
we know and believe all that this verse
contains.
This passage teaches us the great
motive for redemption?"God so loved."
Why he loved we do not know. Spurgeon
said "God loved me for some reason
outside of myself for there was
nothing in me to make him love; he
loved me before I loved him or I would
never have loved at all; he loved me
before I was born for he never would
have loved me after." Love delights
to express itself in gifts. Such was
the Father's way of expressing his
love to us. He gave his Son. The
sacrificial motive was love; it is the
most sacrificing quality in the unit
of any character. Our redemption was
prompted by, conceived in and wrought
out through love. How marvelous and
sad that the world will not respond to
that love?will not accept the gift which
love has provided and seeks to bestow.
Our great mission is to bring the ungodly
face to face with the fact of
God's interposing love, that their hearts
may yield to Its eloquent persuasionUnder
the rays of that love the hearts
of all believers first melted, doubts
vanished, reason was illumined, fears
were allayed, and responsive love
sprang into being.
The supreme act of redemption was
the sacrifice of the Cross. Inseparably
connected with it were the nativity,
humiliation, temptation, persecution,
toil, tears, betrayal, trial, condemnation.
scourging, mockery and agony in
GethBemane. This and much more entered
into our Lord's redemptive work.
The atoning sacrifice of Christ is the
ground of our redemption. Through
that sacrifice God is Just in saving the
lost, and justifies the ungodly. Our
Lord said the Son of man must be
lifted up. When he gave his life the
debt was paid and our ransom was
secured.
The purpose of redemption was ovr
deliverance from condemnation and
death?that we should not perish but
have everlasting life-" "God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the
world but that the world through him
might be saved."
Who are redeemed? "Whosoever be
lieveth on him." Full, free, rich, aban
dant provision la made for tha sing of
the whole world, and It is applicl and
made efflcacioug for all those who numbly,
peniteut'.j and gratefully accept tne
ample provision that hag been made
for the soul'g deliverance and translation
into the kingdom of God's de: r
Son.
Those who will not become regenerates
become degenerates. Each must
step either into the ascending or descending
line.
>