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The Sunday School
mi* ? ?
titr, ivitliCnn IMltJHTKK.
August IS, 1912. Mark .1:21-1.'I.
Golden Text: "And he took the damsel
by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha
cumi; wtilch is, being interpreted, Damsel,
I aay unto thee, arise."?Mark 5:41.
llOMTi DAILY BIBLE READINGS.
M.?Mark 5:21-24, 35-43.
T.?Mark 5:26-34.
W.?Mark 1:35-46.
Th?Luke 7:1-10.
F.?Luke 7:11-17.
S.?1 Ki. 17:17-24.
S.?Luke 6:17-26.
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
The Son of Ood as the filter of Life?
Responding to a father's call, vs. 21-24.
On the way to his house, vs. 25-34.
Raising his dead child to life, vs.
35-42.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 11. What are God's works of providence?
A. God's works of providence are, His
most holy, wise, and powerful preserving
and governing all His creatures, and
all their actions.
LESSON COMMENTS.
The Source: Mark's Gospel, as usual,
describes the scenes and incidents of
this lesson, which all the Synoptics
give, with the greatest minuteness and
vividness.
Time and Place: The sea-shore and
Capernaum, and on the walk from the
landing-place towards the house in
which Christ and his disciples, or some
of them, resided, and following closely
after the incidents occurring east of the
Sea of Galilee in the country of the
Gadarenes.
Intervening Incident: It will add interest
to this lesson if one will not
omit the careful reading of the incident
that occurred as the Master and his disciples
wore going towards the ruler's
house. A poor invalid woaian touched
the hem of his garment and was healed,
and the Master turned and comforted
her.
The Greatest Miracles: The three
recorded miracles of raising the dead
may easily be ranked as the greatest
performed by Christ. They showed not
only his supernatural power, but that
liis power was over Satan himself, who
had the power of death. Next to Christ's
own resurrection they showed with
greatest clearness that he had this
power.
Three Stages: It is to be noted that
in the three recorded instances of raising
from the dead, one was of a girl who
had just died, another was of a young
man who was being carried out to his
burial, and the third was of a man four
days dead and some time buried. There
milfl1, 'ViQl'o Koon olcrnlflAOWrtw In ?* V?,l ^ it o
UCC1I Dif,iiiuv,au? j 111 CHID ? ariety
of instances.
Three Favored A]M>stles: Here for the
first time it is seen that the Lord admitted
Peter, James, and John to -peculiar
privileges and perhaps intimacy.
Other instances were 4n the transfiguration
and in the Garden of Getbsemane
and in the appearance of Christ
after his resurrection. It may be noted,
too, from later reoo-rds, that these three
men were perhaps the oftenest chastened
by his loving rebukes and discipline.
l ite i?oiay or I iirist: in reading the
story one can hardly help having the
, impression that Christ, for his own wise
purpose, did not hasten to the ruler's
house. The incident of the Invalid
' woman, and the message, tantamount to
"You need not come now," indicate that
the presbyter:
there was at least slowness In comlni
Here, as in the case of Lazarus, th
Master's purpose was, In part at leas
that his followers' faith might be quicl
ened. The mere act or element <
beneficence on his part to sufferers wa
the smallest feature of his miracles.
"Xot Head, but. Sleopeth:" Had not a
most similar words occurred in th
Master's speaking of Lazarus' death,
uurhi oe xnougnt tnat m the instanc
of the little girl he meant it to b
understood literally that she had nc
died but had passed into a state of com
much like death, and from which
would not be so Temarkable a miracle t
raise her. Viewed in the light of the
subsequent incident, his words muf
have been figurative only. Sleep is
favorite figure in the Bible for the deat
of those who are Christ's.
"Lay Thy Hand:" The appeal of th
agonized father of the dying child wa
that the Saviour should come and "la
his hand upon her," that she might b
made whole and live. So also the wow
en who crept up behind him as he wa
on the way, said, "If I do but touch hi
garment I shall be made whole." TheT
was undoubtedly a strong admixture c
superstition with the faith of both thes
supplicants. They had not come to
full faltb. But the "Lord did not stop t
measure that faith. To him even
little, and that little much tinged an
very ignorant, was enough to move hi
heart to pity and his hand to help.
Killers of the Synagogue: Prom th
days of Moses, in the earliest of th
Exodus period under the organization c
the church, there had been men investe
with authority as "rulers" or "elders.
They were all called alike, and th
function of rulership was the same, bu
sometimes exercised in different court!
up to the Sanhedrin, as the highest cam
to be called. In each synagogue or 1c
cal organization for worship and studj
there were not fewer than three, and c
these one was called the chief ruler an
usually read in the sacred books to th
assembled people. The ruler guidin
the service and the reading was calle
the "minister," but in position and pow
er he was only as the others.
"Fear Not, Only Believes'" When wot
came to the Master, as he leisurel
went towards the ruler's house, that th
little girl was dead, and that he be nc
troubled further, he answered, "Fea
not: only believe." And a little later h
added, most tenderly, "Weep not; fo
she is not dead, but sleepeth." The ex
ceeding tenderness and sympathy c
Christ were most marked. He allay
the fears of his people always, as thel
"refuge and strength, a very presen
help in trouble;" inviting their con
fldence and asking that their hope, bull
on him, be as sincere as his word wa
sure and as his heart was kind. An<
oiessen oe nis name, He Is "The sam
yesterday, today, and forever."
"Laughed Him to Scorn:" The worl
mocks at Christ. It is always more tha
leady to see hi? defeated. The bystand
ers here could not for a moment believ
that the Master, with all his aucoeBse
In otheT cases, could send his comman
across the harrier which death had rais
ed and bring back any one to life. Tber
was shown something of the enanity o
his foes here, in that they could jee
under such circumstances. But jee
they did. How vividly the imaginatio
paints the scene when these mookln
people saw Christ coming: out from th
rnner-room leading: the damsel and at
tended by the little one's father an
mother. There was no need for bir
to say a word. No wonder all wer
amazed and speechless.
Lesson*: The Saviour never tired o
doing good. He moves swiftly from on
act of love to another. To us it seem
<Continued et pm? # .)/.
[AN OF THE SOUTH
e Young People^ Societies
C- CHRISTIAN TACT.
>f
g Topic for Sunday, Amnist 18: Chfi^
nan ran. jonn ?!l-8ll.
I- DAILY READINGS. ?
e Monday: Gideon, the peacemaker.
It Judges 8:1-33.
e Tuesday: Tactful words. James 3:2.
e Wednesday: Tact a study. 2 Corin t
ians 6:1-4.
a Thursday: David's tact. 2 Samuel
it* 9:6-13.
o Friday: Christ's example. Matthew '
tt 26:6-13.
't Saturday: Tact In a text. Acts 17:22
a 29.
h Care should be taken to distinguish
tact from policy. The latter is of a i
e lower order than the former, and usually
s springs from lower motives,
y Tact comes from the heart. Policy,
e while using tact to some extent, uses it
t- for its own ends and not for principles'
s sake. Policy is essentially selfish; tact,
b never so.
e 'Policy often finds it convenient for
>f the present accomplishment of its ends,
e to suppress the truth or to delay its deca
laration. Tact is always frank. It tells
o the truth, but tries to do it in a happy,
a winning way.
u mere can De no tact without eym- <
s pathy. "Put yourself In his place"
underlies its exerciBe always. One must
e be able to enter into another's feelings
e and thus to have an inside view, as it i
,f were. And this is sympathy. i
d Sympathy underlying it, tact is really 1
" an expression of that spirit of brothere
hood which makes us one. It is the
tt approach of thoughtfulness and love. It
}| is the disarming of antagonism. It is *
e consideration of others shaping itself in
>_ acts and words. i
rt Tact knows no distinction. It is oon f
fined to no one class. It deals with no i
d narrow range of subjects. It is for the 1
e humblest and for the most exalted alike.
g Every class and every condition and 1
a every phase of life is its legitimate i
_ sphere and calls with equal voice for i
its exercise.
d Much can be done to cultivate it As
y it is so largely of the heart, its springs
e must be here. But a sanctified head will
ft see more and more clearly its possibilir
ties and methods. It is the heart find- 1
e ing a way, through an observing mind. !
t to reach the heart. It is truth adapting
> itself to conditions.
>f Pine examples of tact are gives us in
s the Bible. Take David's kind treatr
ment of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth.
rt Or look at Paul as he stood and epoke I
i- before King Agrlppa at Cesarea. Or
t see our Lord at Jacob's well, how tacts
fully he spoke to the woman of Samaria I
I, and without condoning her sin on the
e one band, or antagonizing ber, turned
her heart toward* higher things,
d Tact is better than talent. Some do
n not call it talent but they would do well
!- to do so. It accomplishes more than
e mere talent. And if a power of clear <
8 vision and happy adaptation is not a
d talent, what is it? We call keenness of
i- penetration, fine intellectual perception,
e a talent. What else is tact hut a keen i
>f perception of conditions, with the added
r wise and winning adaptation of conduct
r or words to those conditions?
n World>ly business requires worldly i
z nolicv Heavenlv hnnIrmHa rpnnlroa i
e heavenly tact. The end to 'be gained, 1
- the winning of souls, or the distribution <
d of joy and peace, is exalted enough to
i) fill the soul with heavenly ambition, i
e "Wise to win souls" is a phrase which
has good Scripture under it. "And they
>f that be wise shall shine as the bright- '
e ness of the firmament; and they that '
s turn many to righteousness as the stars <
forever and forever.'' 1
[August 7, 1912
The Prayer Meeting I
1'ERSEVEBASCE.
Gal. ?:9. Week of August 11.
ThiU is one of the most valuable of the
Christian virtues because most constantly
invoked In the pursuit of our high
calling. Who is not tempted at times
to abandon high purposes and give over
noble endeavor because progress seems
bo difficult and success so remote. It Is
not only true that every thing that is
worth achieving is worth striving for,
but it is also a great general truth thn*
valuable acquisitions are the fruit of
persevering effort.
Various illustrations are used in the
Scriptures to set forth the value of perseverance
and its necessity. We are Instructed
to "run with patience the race
which is set before us." The Christian
life requires patience and effort; these
two constitute perseverance. We are
Instructed to "fight the good fight of
faith" and "lay hold on eternal life."
Warfare, like running on the race
course, required steadfastness of purpose
and unremitting address to duty.
Spasmodic effort in either would have
been unavailing. The soldier who faitptpH
in thft mnf flI
? . v-v V* buo WUU1Vb VI LUC
runner who halted half way on the race
course would have utterly failed. These
are types of Christian vocation. We accordingly
read exhortations to watch
and pray, to resist and overcome, to
Btrive to enter in and to let no man
take our crown. Paul was on guard lest
he should become a cast away and was
ever reaching forth unto the things that
were before.
When we read the preceeding context
we learn that perseverance consists very
largely In ministration to others. The
eye is not fixed on self. Thought is
not absorbed with self. The faithful,
diligent life is the devotion of self to
others' welfare. The apostle has just
been. Baying, "bear ye one another's
burdens. Restoring the fallen in the
jpirit of meekness is a part of the Christian
race. Instructing others in the
knowledge of truth and duty is an Important
part of well-doing. We are not
to 'be weary therein. Sustaining the gospel
at home and and abroad by our offerings
which are the fruits of our toil, j
requires the exercise of this virtue. "Let
him that is taught in the word communicate
unto him that teacheth in all
good things." By this means our whole
life work is made a contribution to the
great cause which our Lord committed
to the Church?making known the glad
tidings to all.
A clear distinction is made between
the two kinds of life we may lead. One
kind of life is described as sowing to the
flesh; and the other kind, as sowing to
the Spirit. Sowing to the flesh means
living for self, the purely natural self,
by purely natural means. Sowing to
the Spirit meanB living unto OhTlst in
the promotion of his cause, in the use
of sanctified means. The reaping in the
first case is such a harvest as only the
flesh can give. In the second case the
reaping 1b such as the Spirit of flod
gives. The harvest may seem to us tc
be slow in maturing. It requires the
processes that make sound, rich grain,
but it is all the more valuable 'because
of its gradual growth and Its unpercelved
progress toward perfection. -'Behold
the husbandman walteth for the precious
fruit of the "earth and hath long
patience for it until be receive the early
and latteT rain."
It may be said that the requirements
of perseverance are too great for our
feeble powers and Inconstant purpose.
This Is true, but herein lies the secret
af victory. "We are more than conqueror*
through him that loved u?."