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The Sunday School
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST.
February 18, 1912.
Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-20.
Golden Text: "Repent ye; for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand."?Matt.
3:2.
HOME DAILY BIBLE READINGS.
Monday: Lmke 3:1-20. The Ministry
of John the Baptist.
Tuesday: John 1:19-28. John's Disclaimer.
Wednesday: Isa. 1:10-20. Preaching
Repentance.
Thursday: John 3:25-36. John's Humility.
Friday: Matt. 3:1-12. John's Preaching.
Saturday: Matt. 11:7-15. Christ's
Testimony Concerning John.
Sunday: 2 Ki. 1:1-8. John's Pattern.
8HORTFR CHATECHTSW.
Q. 92. What is a sacrament?
A. A sacrament is a holy ordinance,
instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible
signs, Christ and the benefits of
the new covenant are represented, sealed,
and applied to believers.
THE STUDY OF TTTE LESSON.
The Time: About six months before
Christ's ministry began, and in the
summer of A. D. 26. Luke gives six
references to identify the time (vv.
1,2). Tiberius reigned two years with
his father, Augustus. "Annas and
Caiaphas being the high-priests." The
fifth named a deposed high-priest, but
regarded by the people as the real official;
the other his son-in-law, the
Roman appointee.
The Place: "All the country about
Jordan" was doubtless the lower valley
of the Jordan, from opposite Jericho
northward, perhaps well up towards
the sea of Galilee. "The wilderness,"
the region out of which John came, was
the eastern part of Judea, beginning
near Jerusalem and reaching eastward
to the Dead Sea and southward to the
Southern Desert, a desolate, rough, unproductive
region, uninhabitable by
man.
Historical Accuracy: Luke took
special pains to give the time. The
year of Tiberius' reign, well known in
Roman annals, is mentioned, and with
it are given, in unusual detail, the governorship,
tetrarchles, and h'gh-priesthoods
that would show the exact time.
Had he erred in any way, the error
would have been detected most easily
and his whole story would have been
discredited. His carefulness is a guarantee
of the accuracy of his whole
Gospel.
The Herald: John was the son of
Zacharlas and Elizabeth, born in their
old age, accompanied by such supernatural
signs as to Indicate that he
was one specially chosen of God for a
unique mission. It was his great business
to herald the coming of the King.
Even to-day, in the East, a man runs
before the royal carriage or chariot to
announce bis master. It is a familiar
sight in the streets of Cairo. And when
royalty is to visit a country It is usual
to make great preparation in road
DUlldlllg, UB ovcunni, lur lUDmuvi;, runic
years ago when the Prince of Wales
visited Egypt, and again only a few
years ago when the Emperor William
visited Palestine.
John's Preparation: Mention is not
made' of the age at which John went
Intd the wilderness. It may be presumed,
however, that it was not until he
was at least twenty years old, capable
of caring for himself, and already
thoroughly eftueated, and especially
THE PRESBYTERI.
well drilled in the Scriptures, as provided
for in the temple schools. Then
for ten years lie devoted himself 10
further Btudy, to contemplation, to
prayer, and to Bpecial preparation for
his peculiar mission. His going out to
hiB work at "the word of God" showed
that God was with him in special guidance
during all his time of preparation.
John's l'reuching: It certainly was
"not with enticing words of man's wisdom."
It was redolent, in tone, illustration,
and forceful utterance- r?f the
wilderness and woods. It was tremendously
earnest, full of the loftiest
courage, fearlesB, clear, and direct. It
singled out special classes that needed
more than others to correct their principles
and life. The ruggedness of the
preacher's dress and manner comported
well with the sternness and force of his
speech. He called his hearers to a
definite act, repentance in heart, publio
acknowledgement, baptism, and
amended life. His message was based
upon the Scriptures, which he showed
to be at the foundation of all his work.
With all his fearlessness, John was
also very humble. He declared himself
not worthy to unloose the latcbet of
his Master's shoes.
John's Baptism: That rite, as administered
by John, was derived from
the Levitical provision for ceremonial
cleansing after the period of uncleanness
had been passed and the required
sacrifices had been made. The "water
of separation" was kept in the temple
for this purpose. The Jews were per.
fectly familiar with the ceremony. The
water was sprinkled upon the one
cleansed from a hyssop branch which
had been dipped into it. John doubtless
used the same method, sprinkling
the people as they passed him Just in
the edge or at the edge of the water
where he stood. His ceremonial baptism
shown in the incident of the twelve men
in Ephesus whose baptism by John was
not received by Paul and had been admfniatflPOll
no Uiow ovnpaooW
???w. vuo? j UCViaiCUl
without any knowledge on the men's
part of the existence of the Holy Spirit.
Lessons: The accuracy and historical
verity of the Gospels cannot be questioned.
The disorders of the times are
shown hv the practical doubling of the
high-priesthood. The Word of God
should he obeyed. That word must be
the basiB of all sound preaching and
correct and corrected lives. The words
of nrophecv are living words. The
"testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy." Illustrations of spiritual
truth will enforce Its meaning. God
uses figures of human thoueht to express
his divine meaning and will. Sin
must be denounced in the severest
terms. Pe'lei^n is not inherited. Each
one must seek It for hlmse'f. True
faith will manl'est itself by its works.
The baptism of t^e Snirit is the great
requisite for spiritual life.
God is ever blotting out sins from
his remembrance?never tiring. Oh!
I will tell you what It is like. It is
like the infinite, tireless patience of the
sea. The children heap the sand up,
tney <ng deep into it. . . And then
quietly the old sea turns upon its
course, and rolls its waves across the
sands, and every trace of scar is ohli.
erated, becomes as if it had never
been.?C. Silvester Home.
The promises of God are, as Peter
says, "exceeding great and precious."
and they are given freely, but, as Peter
also takes pain to add. they are bestowed
upon men not for their selfish
gratification or delectation, but in order
that, escaping from the corruption that
Is in the world through sin, they may
become partakers of the divine nature.
That is a high goal and a glorious one.
and now 1s the time "to begin to work
toward it.
AN OF THE SOUTH
Young People's Societies
-.No" AM) -YES."
Topic for Sunday, February 18: "Xo"
and "Yes:" When to Say Thent. I'salni
57:1*11.
DAILY READINGS.
Monday: "No," when tempted. Matthew
4:1-11.
Tuesday: "Yes," when God Bpeaks.
1 Samuel 3:2-10.
Wednesday: The hardest "no." Matthew
16:24-26.
Tlliirc/1 i?r Tl^ v.? ?i " "
.-..ohm; iuc uaiucsi yva. .naithew
26:37-42.
Friday: The loudest "no." Titus 1:
16-16.
Saturdays Peter's "no" and "yes."
Acts 10:14, 34, 37.
"Yes" and "no" are two of the smallest
words with largest meaning in the
language of men.
They stand for decision, determination.
They declare a man's relation to
duty and right.
They are the poles of the axis. On
them the whole orb of life revolves,
and from them the degrees of faithfulness
are measured.
They embody in the narrowest possible
compass the positive In thought,
principle and action. "No" equally with
"yes" is positive.
But they cannot stand side by side.
Thev must be apart, like the poles. One
may not be "yea and nay," towards the
same thing, bnt must be "yea and nay."
Paul asserted very pla'nly the impossibility
of being "yea" and "nay"
at the same time, when he was answerin
e the Corinthians' charge of vacillation.
One of the best things said of Christ
hv Paul was, "Tn him was yes." There
was no unoertaintv, no pnulvocation, no
neeatlveness in the Saviour. He was
positive In all that he was, that he said,
that he did.
One time when "no" is the only and
the prompt thing to say is when one Is
t-mpted. "No" is the sharpest as well
as most abbreviated form of saying,
with Christ thoo "?
? - ?-v, ?-vw ucumu uic,
Satan."
"For what is a man profited, if lie
shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul? or what shall a man give In
exchange for his soul?" Where an emphatic
"no" will stop such a loss, what
folly not to speak it!
A time to say "yes" is always when
God speaks to us. "Speak, Lord, for
thy servant heareth." He speaks
through his creation, through conscience,
through his word, through the
Spirit.
"No" and "yes" are to he said even
when the utterance of them seems to
entail danger. "My soul is among
lions! anu 1 lie even among them that
are set on fire." "He shall send from
heaven, and save me from the reproach
of him that would swallow me up."
A firm trust in God will help us to
deride for the right against the wrong.
His will is the guide, and his grace will
give the power. Trust in the Lord
with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding." "In all thy
ways acknowledge him* and he shall
direct thy paths."
The power to say "no" and "yes" in
large things Is developed by practice of
saying them in the small things. Amos
R. Wells has expressed it thus: "Decisions
that count for eternity are made
up ul nine ueuiBiiriiB umi seem 10 count
for only a minute." In the first second's
progress the ball from the gun may
diverge but little from the line of
target. Each successive second sends it
further away.
Whatever God tells us to do he also
halpe us to do.
[February 7, 1912
The Prayer Meeting
THE TEST OF FAITII.
1 l'eter 1:7. Week of February 11.
It is not inappropriate or inaccurate
to say that the faith of our Lord was
tested. It was impossible for him to
sin, but the temptations in the wilderness
were real and powerful, and his
steadfast resistance was proof of his
divinity at the same time that it was
a preparation for his public ministry.
He was tested by his approach to
Calvary, yet this very approach was a
m-edium of triumph to him "who for
the joy that was set before him endured
the cross despising the shame."
The test of fa'th is usually thought of
in ronriApHnn urifb ttnrrrtw hnf
which men consider their pleasures and
treasures are often the severest as they
are the most insidious tests of their
fidelity. By steadfastness under such
trial we best prove the genuineness of
our spiritual strength and courage. How
many there are who "have heard the
word and the cares of the world and
the deceitfulnesB of riches and the lust
of other things entering in, choke the
word and it hecometh unfruitful." But
sorrows also are tests of faith. "We
are prone to dwell on the myBtery or
apparent unreasonableness of it all and
consequently to doubt God. But we are
not to think it strange concerning the
fiery trial that is to try us as though
some strange thing happened unto us,
but rejoice inasmuch as we are partakers
of Christ's sufferings; that when his
glory shall be revealed we may be glad
also with exceeding Joy.
Our souls are endowed with capacities
unknown to us until by means of
testing under the influence of grace
those hidden powers are revealed. We
need testing, often through the medium
of disappointed hopes or of genuine
sorrow, to evolve noble principles, to
confirm and mature them. Many a
brave heart has discovered itself, under
circumstances which have called for
true courage. Many a generous spirit
ha8 been conscious of the sweetness of
generosity only after a mighty appeal
has been made to svmpathv. the giving
of self for the sake of others. More
than this, many a soul has come into
clrcumstpnces in which the resources
of self and of spnse have utterly failed
and that soul has looked unward and
seen a light and a consciousness of
new power has been awaked and the
Foul has been more than conqueror
through Christ.
THpI 'ncrea??ps faith, renders It
purer and therefore more constant and
permpnent. The end of conflict should
fnd us stroneer than when It began.
Tt Is a process of spiritual education,
often very rapid, Its stapes not traceable:
the soul seems suddenly In a
crlPls to mount to a secure and triumnhant
height. Tt may prow more In
a slnple hour or day than It had
throuph years preceed'np. Tt assumes
the aggressive and turns the assaults
of enemies Into defeat and lngloriouB
flight
We must not make the mistake of
thinking that triumphant faith Is the
assertion pf a power within us and
native to us. It Is God's gift. It is
the effect of Christ living in us; not his
faith but ours. It Is not his personality
acting through us but our per
sonallty acting by means of the qualities
or gifts which he, by his personal
presence and potency endows ns. By
the word "acting" we mean a voluntary,
consclons exercise of the soul In
accenting and welcoming the grace that
Christ glxes, and then nelng that grace
for the accomplishment of the work
which he In his providence, or by the
guidance of his Spirit, commits to out
hand. >