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| The Sunday School |
KEVIEW.
September 29, 1912.
( olden Texts "The words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life."?John 6:63.
HOME DAILY BIBLE HEADINGS.
M.?Mark 3:20-35; 'Mark 4:1-20.
T.?Mark 4:26-32; Matt. 13:33; Matt.
i,j:Z4-3U, 3t>-43.
W.?Matt. 13:44-53; Mark 4:35-5:20.
Th.?Mark 5:21-43; Luke 4:16-30.
P.?Mark 6:14-29; 'Matt. 9:35-10:15;
10:40-11:1.
S.?Matt. 11:20-30.
S.?Mark 6:30-44.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 17. (Into what estate did the fall
bring mankind?
A. The favl brought imankind Into an
estate of sm and misery.
THE QUARTER'S LESSONS.
I. Malignant Unbelief: 'Mark 3:2036.
Golden Text: "This is the condemnation,
that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil."
?John 3:19. The great lesson: Three
sets of people named here: Christ's
irienas, who regarded him as enthusiastic
to the verge of mania, his enemies,
who sought to make the people believe
he cast out devils by Beelzebub, and his
kinsmen, all who do the will of his
Father.
II. The Seed in the Four Kinds of
Soil: Mark 4:1-20. Golden Text: "Receive
with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls."
?James 1:21. The great lesson: One
sower; one kind of seed; four kinds of
soil. Trodden, rich but thin, rich but
weed and thorn-choked, good soil, multiplying
results. The explanation and
aDDlicatioTi erlven bv the Master him
self. We cannot Improve upon his Interpretation
of the parahle.
III. The Growth of the Kingdom:
Mark 4:26-32; Matthew 13:33. Golden
Text: "Thy kingdom come; they will
be done in earth, as it is in heaven."?
Matthew 6:10. The great lesson: Unseen
development; great enlargement;
permeating influence. Humble beginnings
are not to be despised. God's
kingdom shall become a refuge and
shelter. The gospel shall at last permeate
the world, though it must be
brought in contact with the world and
be worked in.
IV. The Wheat and the Tares: Matt.
13:24-30. 36-43. Golden Text: "Gather
ye together first: the tares, and bind
them in bundles to burn tbem; but:
gather the wheat into my barn."?Matt.
13:30. The great lessons: Good and
evil sometimes appear much alike. The
enemy Is always active. God Is not the
author of evil. A. final separation is
certain. Laxity of chuYoh discipline is
not taught.
V. The Worth of the Kingdom: Matt.
13:44-53. Golden Text: "Seek ye first
the kingdom of God, and hiB righteousness,
and all these things shall be added
unto you."?Matt. 6:33. The great
lessons: Four parables, two of them
showing that the kingdom Is worth
striving for, one that in the outward regions
it may appear to gather in evil
with the good, and one that truth is
not determined in value or importance
by age. There is one distinct lesson in
each paraJble. The drapery, or side issues.
should not have place.
VI. A Troubled Sea and a Troubled
Sowl: Mark 4:35-5:20. Golden Text:
"God is our refuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble. Therefore .will
not we fear, though the earth be re
THE FRESB YTERI
moved, and though the mountains be
carried into the midst of the sea."?
1'salm 46:1, 2. The great lessons: The
power of Christ extends over the greatest
forces of nature, and he governs
them for the good of his people. We
sometimes seems to us to be asleep.
But he is with us, and he is ready to
rise to the need. Satan is sometimes
eriven InnsR ruin Rut r>v>..iin ?>?????
O W.u. UUX V'UI IOI AO 5lCttVCl.
The demons acknowledged him and
obeyed him. To their shame be it said,
men sometimes prefer swine to Christ.
VII. The Ruler's Daughter: Mark 5:
21-43. Golden Text: "And he took the
damsel by the hand, and said unto her,
Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted,
Damsel, I say unto thee. Arise."
?'Mark 6:41. The great lessons:
Christ has power over death and him
that has the power of death. Christ admits
those who are most faithful to a
peculiar Intimacy with himself. To
Christ's people death is but a sleep.
Christ is the resurrection and the life.
He sometimes seems slow in coming to
one's relief, but he comes, and blessing
with him.
VIII. Tho Visit to Nazareth: Luke
4: 16-30. Golden Text: "He came unto
his own, and his own received him not."
?John 1:11. Great lessons: Jesus loved
his home and those with whom he
had grown up. He twice visited Xazareth,
though it treated him so badly.
He went regularly to the synagogue, on
the Sabbath day. He was thoroughly
familiar with the Scriptures. His
known life made him one whom his
neighbors would look upon as a reader
and expounder. The truth either convinces
or makes mad. Hatred of truth
evercame even pride and affection.
Christ had sisters and brothers.
IX. The Death of John the Baptist:
Mark 6:14-29. Golden Text: "Be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee
a crown of life."?iRev. 2:10. The great
lessons: Faithfulness, courage, patience,
no matter what they cost. John's
acts, as recorded, not many, but ereat.
One sin leads Inevitably to another.
One in sinning often involves others.
The sinner suffers here and hereafter.
Herod thought John had come to life.
It was because be was conscious of
his own great crimes.
X. The Mission of The Twelve: Matt.
9:35-10:15; 10:40-11:1. Golden Text:
"He that receiveth you receiveth me;
and he that receiveth me receiveth him
that sent me."?iMatt. 10:40. The great
lessons: There is a special service for
all Christ's followers. He sends them
into it and trusts them in it. The harvest
is abundant. The laborers are few.
The church should pray for laborers.
Christ is full of pity. He is a shepherd
who sees the sheep scattered, and would
gaxner mem in. his workers should
go forth In his name, trust in his care,
and be kind and prudent every where,
not unduly pressing themselves. Those
who reject the Word and abuse their
privilege and opportunity shall have
the deeper condemnation.
XI. Judgment and Mercy: Matt. 11:
20-30. Golden Text: "Come unto me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest."?iMatt. 11:28.
The lessons: Christ can be as severe
as he can be kind. He will not spare
the guilty. His greatest severity Is
against those who sin against their privileges.
God's will may not always be
clear. But it is clearest to those who
have the most child-like faith. The
sweetest note sounds Just after the
fiercest expression of his wrath. He
noias oik nig arms and 'dids all come
to him who need rest. He will relieve
them of the heavy load. But he will
still give them a part to do. His yoke
will be easy and his burden light.
XII. The Feeding of the Five Thonsand:
Mark 6: 30-44. Golden Text:
(Continued on Page 21.)
AN OF THE SOUTH
|Young People's Societies]
MISSIONARY BOLDNESS.
Topic for Sunday, September 29:
Missionary Boldness. Acts 4: 13, 23-31.
1?AILY READINGS.
Monday: Peter's defence. Acts ?:1421.
Tuesday: Christ's Instruction. Matt.
10:16, 24-32.
Wednesday: Paul unafraid. Acts
9:26-31.
Thursday:. Bold confidence. Roman?
1:13-17.
Friday: Forsaken, yet brave. 2 Timothy
4:14-18.
Saturday: The source of boldness.
Acts 26:15-19.
The basis of boldness in missionary
enterprise Is Christ's command, "Go ye
into all the world, and preach the pospei
to every creature."
The inspiration of it is Christ's presence.
"Lo, 'I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world. All power
is piven unto me in heaven and in
earth."
The Lord's Prayer suggests the same,
when it says, "For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory," as well
as in the words, "Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done."
Peter's and John's boldness was at
first and easily accounted for by the
high priest and his council, on ordinary
principles, but "They took knowledge
of them, that they had been with Jesus."
Fellowship and prayer increase it.
Peter and John "went to their own
company and reported." Then that
company prayed, "Lord, grant unto thy
servants that with all boldness they
may speak thy word."
"And when they had prayed, the place
was Bhaken where they were assembled
together; and they were all filled with
thP TTnlv riVlAof on/1 nr.n1r/v
v? - ??v/? J uuvat) anu nicj D JiaaC LUC
?d of God with boldness." God heard
their prayer.
The nature of the message is a warrant
for boldness. "I am ready to
nroach the gospel to you that are at
Rome also. For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew -first, and also to
the Greek."
Boldness in preaching Christ comes
from the responsibility to which all
will be held for the manner of their
hearing. "And it shall come to pass
that whosoever will not hearken unto
my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will require It of him."
The results of faithful preach'ng are
not a factor for the missionary. "Whosoever
heareth the sound of the trumpet,
and taketh not warning, If the
sword come and take hLm away, his
blood shall be upon his own head. He
heard the sound of the trumpet, and took
not warning."
The missionary Is justified in boldness
by his office. He is an "ambassador
for Christ." The ambassador
has behind him the whole government
which he represents. As long as he is
delivering his message, and doing his
work in accordance with his commission
he is that government itself
speaking to the one to which he is accredited.
iiiven Jn aimcuittes and dangers the
mlssiomary may (be bold. "No man stood i
with me, but all men forsook me. Notwithstanding,
the Lord stood with me ,
and strengthened me; that by me the i
preaching might he fully known, and
that all .the Gentiles might hear: and i
I was delivered out of the mouth of the
Hon." I
4
[September 18, 1912
| The Prayer Meeting ]
BELIEVERS BELONG TO CHRIST.
1 Cor. 3:23. Week of September 22.
Believers are not their own property.
They do not belong to themeslves in the
sense that their own advantage can he
made the supreme aim and end of their
conduct, or their own will the supreme
law of their lives. There is a superior
rule to regulate conduct and there are
higher ends than personal advantage.
Nor are believers the possession of
the Church. There are millions of religious
people who are taught that they
are owned by a religious despotism
called the Church; that they are to live
for it. be governed by it, their consciences
to be controlled and conduct
to be determined finally and supremely
by the Church. They recognize no higher
law and aim to attain no higher end
than unquestioning submission and unqualified
allegiance to their Church.
"We are Christ's. We are not only vitallv
denendent on htm for ?rrnon unit
salvation, "but he absolutely owns us.
The glory of his name must be the supreme
object of our life and his will the
absolute rule of our conduct. To him
we belong and to him our devbtion and
submission are to be rendered because
of his manifold title to us.
His ownership Is founded, first, on
creation. "All things were created by
him and for him, and he Is before all
things and by him all things consist."
The new man "is renewed In knowledge
after the image of him that created
him;" "Thou hast created all things,
and for thy glory they are and were
created." The Scriptures teach that
each of the persons of the Trinity is the
Author of creation which Indicates that
we belong to the Triune God while at
the same time we belong to the second
person of the Trinity.
There are special reasons why we are
the property of Christ. We are called
his "purchased possession." "Ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things
an miver ana goia, . . . DUt witn
the precious blood of Christ as of a
lamb without blemish and without
Root." The fact that we are redeemed
from the awful consequences of sin
calls for the highest gratitude; and our
redemption being at the cost of the
precious blood of Christ entitles him to
the supreme love of our hearts and the
entire service of our lives.
Again, he owns us because we have
been rescued by him. We were led captive
by Satan at his will." Christ conquers
all his and our enemies. He be
came incarnate "that through death he
might destroy him that had the power
of death, that is the devil, and deliver
them who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage."
He was anointed to preach liberty to
the captive. "If the Son shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed."
Also, we are Christ's because we are
given to him. VIn his great prayer to
the Father, he said, "I have manifested
thy name unto the men which thou gav
eBt me out of the world; thine they
were and thpu gavest them me." "1
pray not for the world but for them
which thou hast given me." "Keep
through thine own name those whom
thou hast given me." From all the va
rietieg of creation, and the unnumbered
orders of beings and the count leas millions
of the human family, believers
are given to Christ to be "a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a peculiar people, that ye should
Rho"w forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness Into his
marvelous light" "