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| He Sunday School |
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I8AAC AMD REBEKAIL
March 8, 1913. Gea. 14: 58-67.
GOLDEN TEXT.?"In all thj ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct
lhj paths."
HOVE DAILY BIBLE READINGS.
M.?Gen. 24: 60-67.
T.?Gen. 24: 1-9.
W.?Gen. 24: 10-27.
Th.?Gen. 24: 28-49.
P.?Prov. 31: 10-31.
3.?Eph. 6: 26-33.
S.?Psalms 127, 128.
8U0RTEB CATECHISM.
Q. 42. What la the sum of the ten
commandments?
A. The sum of the ten commandments
Is, to love the Lord our God, with
all our heart, with all our soul, with
all our strength, and with all our mind;
and our neighbor as ourselves.
LESSON OUTLINE.
The servant's commission and suocess,
vs. 1-57.
Rebefcah goes to Canaan, vs. 5S-61.
tier marriage witu isaac, vs. oz 7.
LESSON STUDY.
Time and Placet .Perhaps fifteen years
after the Incident of the last lesson,
and "when Isaac was forty years of age.
Haran, Rebekah's home, was the district
where soxe of the kindred of
Abraham settled after leaving Ur, and
where Abraham himself spent some
year*. Beersheba was Abraham's home
at this time. It was south-west of Hebron.
and well towards the frontier of
Egypt. Isaac was born at Hebron. His
mother had died three years before
tbls time, having lived to see her son
thirty-seven years old.
Isaac's Marriage: Abraham, though
centering all his hopes on Isaac, and
knowing that his marriage determined
the fulfilment of all the great p'omlses
made him, made no haste in the matter
of that marriage. In this he again
ahowed bis remarkable faith. And he
evidently regarded the matter as one or
a very serious and Important nature,
needing the greatest deliberation and
care. The relation was not to he entered
Into hastl!y or. Inconsiderately.
Blsrretlon in Marriage: Marriage
ahouid not be solely a matter of sentiment.
Wisdom la needrul In entering
into It. And wisdom here pays larger
dividends in later years than perhaps
any where else In life. Older heads
may sometimes deal best with the matter.
EsDeclallv will thev helD the more
Inexperienced to avoid pit-falls and
especially those that lie along the relipfous
side of the new life.
Others' Part In Forming Marriage
Bclatloas: It is doubtlful whether the
present day method in several of the
most civilized countries of completely
setting aside the advice and counsel of
older people are best, and opposite extreme,
however, is perhaps fraught with
more evil, A wise mean might be better.
i/ove, and not conventions and
convenience and interest, should prevail.
Prayer fa Marriage: We rather laugh
at the idea of prayer over it, and re
pard &a ridiculous the thought of controlling
such a thing as love and matrimony
by religious exercises. But that's
the pity of It If it were not thus, conditions
might be better. God enjoins
prayer everywhere and in everything.
Kllezer laid hfs mission before God, and
God helped him.
Isaac's Careers We hear little of
THE PRESBYTER1
Imac, ?specially In contrast with ht?
father, and as a moat Important link
In the chain of history. And the few
incidents that are narrated, especially
in his old age. seena to be rather un
happy and as Indicating somo weakness
on bis part. He was not a man to
fight against anything. He had a most
complaisant spirit, perhaps too yielding.
His career had In It no marked
features. It was devoid of Incident,
rather colorless, and yet It must have
had in It great depth and tenderness. Tt
could hardly have been otherwise after
the experiences of his early years, and
especially the ahadow of Morlah. He
seemed to be a thoughtful, meditative
man. His fidelity to Rebekah was certainly
unusual In that day. He was
much more of a model In this respect
than even his father Abraham.
Religion In Marriage: Abraham had
more in view than mere family connection.
In seeking a wife for flsaac
hack In Haran, and among those whom
he knew and with whom he was connested.
He wished to avoid an alllanco
that would be compromising to the
faith In Its results. Such an alliance
with a Canaanlte woman would have
wrought evil. It was to Abraham a
practical case of avoiding an unequal
yoking of God's people with unbelievers.
A Strange Woolne: The course pursued
was a remarkable case of wooing.
Two facts are to be remembered. First,
the customs of marriage vary In different
ages and lands. The course ntir
sued here doubtless met all the convention.
And secondly, the whole proceedure
here was under the Immediate
control and supernataral dlroctlon of
God. who disposed each one's methods
and each one's heart In the case.
Abraham Not Unknown: The desirableness
of the match otTered her was
doubtless known at once to Rebekah
and her friends. The fame of Abraham
for bl? greatness and wealth, had pene<rated
the distant land from which he
had core. Carravans were not Infrequent
The gifts brought by Ellezer
would confirm the reports.
A Typically Rexutlfiil Life: So beautl'
seemed to be the life of Isaac and
Rebekah that their marriage Is referred
to In the Scriptures. The ground of all
was the fact that God's guidance was
ought throughout, that he owned and
blessed the marriage, and that Isaac
loved Rebekah. Together they made a
' ret and beautiful home. Even their
disappointment for many years as to
children did not break a bond which
tfcelr love had made and which God
had sealed.
FIDELITY IY SABBATH SCHOOL
WORK REWARDED.
From British, Weekly, Jan. 23. 1913.
1913:
"The Well Parts Sabbath School, Duko
8treet, Glasgow. 'Mrs. Mary Stevenson,
who has a record of fifty-two years constant
service as a Swbbath school teaah
cr. wan presented with a diamond ring.
Si* diplomas of honor were presented
n six teachers in this small school:
Miss Mary Stevenson, flftjr-two years;
Mr. Jaires Bairdsen, fifty years; (Mr.
John Mtfilr, forty-four years; Miss Elisabeth
Weir, thirty-eight years; 'Miss
Cecilia N. Simpson, twenty-six years;
Mr. Hugh Campbell, twenty-flve years."
This Sabbath school is made up ol
working folkes, factory people, these
teachers will receive a grander reward
when thev gather vrith the Tsreal o!
lod, at Shlloh. I relolce to sav w:
have a few faithful In this land also
amongst them Is: Mr. W. D. Knox, ol
Chester, 8. C.; who has been absent
from his Mission school but three timet
In thirteen years.
Your servant,
James Russell.
Bay MInltte. Ala
AN OF THE SOUTH
lYoung People's Societies!
I
VITAJj LIVING.
Topic for Sunday, March S3: Tltal Living:
The Lessen of "Easter." 2 Conrithlang
4:S-18.
DAILY READIYGS.
Monday: Dead and alive again. Luke
15:24, 32.
Tuesday: Quickened -with Ohxiat.
Eph. 2:1-6.
Wednesday: Passion to serve. John
2:13-17.
Thursday: Source of powor. Col.
3:1-5.
Friday: Spent for others. 2 Cor. 12:
15.
Saturday: Bright to the last. 2 Tim.
4:6-8.
"Christ both died, and rose, and revived.
that he might be Lord both of the
dead and living."
"H am he that llveth, and was dead;
and, behold, I am alive foreveriore,
Amen: and have the keys of hell and of
death."
The death of Christ secured atonement
for our sins, his life secures to us
the application of the benefits of that
atonement
No more significant words were ever
uttered than those of Job, when he .exclaimed.
and asked that they be written
forever. "I know that my Redeemer
llveth."
Going down Into the grave Jesus was
the high priest entering In within the
vail; coming up from the grave he was
that same high -priest coming out with
the glory of the Shekinah about him.
Had the hlg-h priest not returned
alive to the people from whom he h<ad
gone and for whom he was making
Intercession, it would have shown that
bis prayers and offering In the innermost
sanctuary bad not been accepted.
Christ's life, manifested and proved
to be eternal by his resurrection from
the dead, is the prpof and pledge of
that of all who believe In him. "Knowing
that he which raised up the Ix>rd
Jeers shall raise up us also by Jesus."
"Christ the first fruits; afterward they
that are Christ's at his coming."
The same spirit that raised one will
raise tne other. "If the spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell la you, he that raised up Christ
rrom the dead shall also quicken jour
mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelloth
In you." "As many aa we led by
the spirit of God, they are the sons of
God." "Now are we the sons of God."
The living Christ vitalizes us here
as well as hereafter. "Because I live
ye shall live also." "I can do all
things through Christ which' strengthened
me." It Is no more I, but Christ
that dwelleth In me. "Strengthened
with might by bis spirit in the Innermo
n n
"Vital living" la perhaps not very good
rhetorical form. It la equivalent to
saying "living " life." But we know
what is means, it suggests larger life,
more vigor, more activity, rjo/e of the
signs or manifestations of life, more
fnlness of life.
"Vital living" also suggests the glv'
lng or sharing of life. "We vitalize dead
* or Inert things by putting into them
i something of the power or grace that
I animates us. The vigorously living
Christian is God's agent for Importing
. a like vigor to others.
Serving does not save, but saving
f does serve. The Master "came not to
t he ministered unto, but to minister, and
i to give his life a ransom for many."
Ail who have his spirit and who are
vitalized by his life will find it nothing
but the most simple, natural, and easy
thing to he his ministers to others.
[March 12, 1113
| The Prayer Meeting
THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN.
Mark 12:1-0. Week of March 16.
This parable was Intended to apply to
tho Jewish nation, and because rulers
auu KMvucra iu a gri?i oalcui aoiarmlne
national character. It applied particularly
to them. Its teaching applies
to all nations, to the Christian Church
and especially those who teach and
shape tha principles and practices of
the people.
The lesson is illustrated by the furnishings
of an oriental vineyard, Its
proprietor and those who were entrusted
with its care. Servants are sent to
receive the fruitage of the vineyard.
They are treated with violence. Others
are sent and received similar treatment
Finally the proprietors son Is sent and
is slain. The chief priests and eiders,
to whom this parable was spoken, were
made to tell what the result from such
treatment would be. IHe then turns
their onswer into a confession and
shows the fatal results of their rejection
of himself.
Israel was "intrusted with the oracles
of God." There were "the adoption and
the glory and the covenants and the'
giving of the law and the eervice of
God and the promises; "whose wore the
rainers ana or vQom was (jurist as
concerning the flesh." The institutions
and ordinances ef the church, all the
revelations and privileges given to Qod's
people, came through the Jewish nation.
These exclusive (privileges were
given to them that they might be fruitful
to Ood's praise. They were especially
committed to the priests and rulers
to be administered for the guidance and
edification of the people. It had come
to pas3, however, that when the Lord
was no longer manifesting his presence
In extraordinary signs and wandors.
they became unfaithful and self
sufficient as though the privileges they
enjoyed belonged to them as & matter
of rlffht to be used for their own personal
advantage and in the exercise of
their arbitrary wills.
Thus they proved unfaithful to their
trust. They had been admonished by
prophets who warned them of their
unfaithfulness, and by judgments that
e xposed their disobedience . " -reminded
them of their dependencies God's
morcy. Yet they sinned more and more.
They were repeatedly told of the De
livercr that was to come and were exhorted
to prepare for his coming by
having his people ready to receive him.
But ttyev continued to scorn these warnings
and exhortations, despised and persecuted
God's prophets and teachers,
rejoctlng their messages and treating
them an enemies.
Finally God sent to them the promised
Messiah, his well-beloved Son whom he
had appointed heir of all things. There
was every reason that thoy should re*'I'TfinOP
htm. T-I a arovo c/v /V# win
? ? - ?. ?4W nM,v 141 U *i?
Sonshlp (by miracles, (by his personal
character, by hts gracious (ministry, by
bit* wise teaching, by fulfilling prophecy
and OM Testament type*. He gave
every evidence of his clalni to be the
son of God yet they rejected Van.
According to the confession of those
chief priests and elders, they deserved
that God should miserably destroy them,
for the conduct of the husbandmen was
likA thpfr fttirn A t hlo vaww
were conspiring to silence Christ's ministry
and put him to death. His teaching
endangered their power as 'blind
guides and spiritual despots over the
people. They would continue their lording
it over God's heritage and to this
end thev would destroy God's Son whom
he had sent, a warning against all
ambitious rejection of Christ's authority
over and ownership of his people.
k