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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1908-12-24, Page 2Sunday School. LESSON XIII.—Dec. 27, 1908, Review -Read Prov, 4: 5-19.. Summary,. --Lesson I. Topic: The true spirit of worship. Place: Baalah, eight or ten miles west of Jerusalem. The ark was a sign of the divine presence; for seventy years it had lain in neglect; Davil now decides to bring it unto Jeru- :salem; proper reverence is not shown; Uzzi i • is .rah dies far touching it; David displeased; the ark is left at the hoose of Obed edom; three months later David takes the ask and brings it into Peru- ealem; the priests and Levites and chief men are called together; a great proces- sion. is fornned; sacrifices are frequently offered; there is music and singing. It was the greatest day o £David's life. IL Topic: God's covenant with his people. Placa: Jerusalem. David de- sires to build a house for the Lord; the arae was ou Ma Zion and David was Iiving oamfortably in his own house of cedar; David spoke to Nathan the pro- phet about his desire, and Nathan at once encouraged him to proceed with the building; God spoke to Nathan, in- forming him that David's desire could mat be granted; he bad been a man of war, and there was still much to do in establishing the kingdom; he could pre- pare the material, but his son should build the house. The Lord said he would establish David's throne forever. III. Topic: Forgiving love—human and divine, Place: Perusalem. David in- quires whether there are any left of the house of Saul; he is told that there is a son of Jonathan lining, who is lame; Mephibosheth, the sen of Jonathan, is called; he appears before David and falls on his face; David promiees to show -him kindness for Jonathan's sake; David restores the estates of Saul to M%phiboshe'th, orders the land tilled for him, and has him eat at his table. IV. Topic: Conditions of spiritual joy. Place: Jerusalem. This is one of the seven so-called penitential psalntse it hes reference to the forgiveness that was granted David after he had com- mitted his great sin. In psalm fifty-one we see him repenting and pleading for mercy; with the opening sentence of this psalm we hear him say, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered°'; lie speak here also of I•his deep repentance and of his confi- dence in God. God. wee to be his mighty deliverer. V. Topic: Perilous temptations of youth. Place; Jerusalem, Hebron. The bitter fruits of David's own unholy course are now being seen; David's sons were wicked; Absalom was a wicked, ,proud young man; he was renowned for his beauty; he laid a, plot to overthrow the government and seize the kingdom; he stole the hearts of the people by his. subtlety; he then lied to his falser and. went to Hebron and set up a govern - went of his own; he soon started with an army toward Jerusalem. David fled from the city and crossed over Jordan and established headquarters at Mahan - aim. II. Topic. Lessons from the death of Absalom. Place: Mahanaim, David's temporary capital. When David fled from Jerusalem he refused to take the ark with him; Absalom and his army marching from Hebron en- tered Jerusalem the same day; Absalom at first intended to fol - him; Absalom and his army marching from Hebron entered Jerusalem the same day; Absalom at first intended to fol- low David immediately and overtake his father while he was weary, but he fin- ally decided to take more time and raise a large army. Absalom was Xing in Jerusalem about three months; he then went out to battle with David's war- riors; Absalom's army was defeated and he was slain. David mourned over the untimely death of his sou. VII. Topic: The believer's joyful vision of God. This is one of the psalms sup- posed to have been written by David during the latter part of his life. It contains two figures: 1. The Shepherd and his sheep. 2. The Host and his guest. Christ is the good Shepherd; His peo- ple are the sheep; the divine Shepherd gives soul rest, soul satisfaction and soul liberty. David is abundantly sup- plied so that his cup runneth over. VIII: Topic: The secret of success. Place: Jerusalem. After David's vic- tory over Absalom he returned to Jer- usalem; he was now growing old and is new king must be, selected; David's choice was his son Solomon; the princes of Israel were assembled and David com- miesioued his son to perform the great work of building a house for the Lord, David charges Solomon to know God and earn. Him perfectly. IX. Topic • The curse of strong drink. Place: Probably in Jerusalem, the pro- phet's home. The Israelites had forgot- ten God and forsaken His worship; they were wholly given up to sin and especial- ly to the sin of drunkenness; the land was filled with drunkards; the prophet refers to their approaching ruin by Sltal- maneser, whose power he compares to a tempest or flood; he shows the rulers of Jerusalem their own danger by point- ing out the ruin which had come to the 'Northern kingdom through drunkenness; his words are also a warning to Sam- aria. X. Topic: Right choices in life. Place: Gibeou. Soon after Solomon became king be assembled the people at Giboon; the • Lord appeared to Solomon and asked him what he desired most; Solomon replied that he most of all desired wisdom and ! understanding in order that he might guide the affairs of the nation aright. The Lord was pleased with this request and not only gave him wisdom, but also gave him riches and honor in abundance. XT. Topics Temple lessons and reflec- tions.. Plaee: ,7erueelem. As soon es 15olatoen was made king he began to prepare for the bulldiag of the temple. When it was fatally built the ark was brought in and the house was dedicatee]; Solomon offered the dedicatory prayer; God aeceoted the house and filled the temple with a cloud. XII. 'Copse .Arguments for worldwide missions. Place: Bethlehem. ;Joseph and Mary had gone from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be taxed; there :]esus was born; shepherds were in the field watch- ing their flocks by night; the angels of the Lord appeared to Him and the glory of the Lord shone about them; the angel told them not to fear, also that the Savior was born in the city of David. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. Many truths may be found in the les- sons of the quarter. We note a few: I. The name and perfections of Jeho- vah are the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Ark. Through him we have the for- giveness of sins; by him we have access to the Father; in him we are heirs to a throne, We should always reverence his name and conduct our services in the Tower of the Spirit according to the word of God. We must not substitute. human inventions for divine directions, I1. God approved David's desire to do something for him. He said, "'Chou didst well that it was in thine heart" (1 Kings S:18). But the kingdom not being may established, the Vane for erecting a house for God had not come. The man of war, whose hands were red. with blood, was not to build the tem- ple. That was reserved for David's own son. And as "the honor of the son is the honor of the father multiplied a hundredfold," so David rejoiced in the prospect of Solomon's glory more than in his own. III. The mercy and love David showed. Mephibosheth proved that he himself had experienced the d!viti 1 mercy and love. The true, compassionate love of one's neighbor "does not (1) suffer the neighbor's need to come to it, but searches out and goes after the need; (2) does not suffer itself to be deter- mined by selfish aims, but does its duty in faithfulness, impelled. by God's mercy, for Christ's sake." IV. The forgiveness of God. is "bless- ed." It is, 1. A free forgiveness. We cannot buy it or earn it. It is God's gift in answer to the sacrifice of Jesus. 2. A complete forgiveness. It covers all the past, all the present, all the future. 3. A willing forgiveness. God so loved that he gave. He is nob willing that any should perish. V. The sins of unholy ambition as re- vealek in the lesson are, 1. Disobedience. 2. Defamation. 3. Deception. 4. Dishon- esty. 5. Disloyalty. 'Unholy desire for high position and forbidden good is found all along the ages. It was one of Satan's temptations to Eve in 'Eden, to which she yielded (Gen. 3; 5). VI. David drank the cup of sorrow. The words "A foolish son is a. grief to his father" (Prov. 171; 25), are illustrated in the case of Absalom, . It was the lack of a true `,f.;ruily life that made possible seem falt,sonship .as that praetised by Absalom. toward David. A day of poly- gaany rias not favorable to real films love. Our age equally has its foes to healthy family life and discipline. VII. If we really trust Goa we shall never "want" for, 1. Peace. 2. Guidance. 3. Forgiveness. 4. Comfort. 5. Food. 6. The Holy Spirit. 7. Heaven. VIII. A king's justice "must be shown alike it. his gracious influence upon the good and 1ais stern justice to the wick- ed." Among the last words of David were, "He that rntleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." 1X. Drink destroys all hope for the one addicted to its use; but "the grace of God that bringeth salvation bath appeared to all men" (Titus 2; 11), and for the captive to drink there is deliver- ance in Christ Jesus. X. Choice determines character. To each one comes the call, "Choose" (Josh. 24; 15.) To every one God says, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life" (Deet. 30; 19.) A reward awaits those who esteem the reproach of Christ great- er than the treasures of the world. They who ohoose wisely are God's chosen once. XL To dedicate is to set apart for a holy use. Our homes should be dedicat- ed to God, that they may be habitations of righteousness., Our churches should be dedicated to God, and held sacred to his worship only. - Our bodies are "God's building" (1 Cor. 3; 9), and we are com- manded to be "filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5; 18), and to "offer up spiritual sacrifices" (1 Pet. 2;• 5).'• XII, "Christ Jesus carne into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1; 15.) Let us follow hie example as a men, and reverently love him as God. If we "fol- low his steps (1 Pet, 2: 21) we will eo out after they lost,—A. C. M. CHRISTMAS DON'TS. Don't leave the cost mark on your presents. Don't let money, dominate your Christ- mas giving. Don't let Christmas giving deteriorate into a trade. Don't try to pay debts or return obli- gations in your Christmas giving. Don't embarrass yourself by giving moree than you can afford, Don't make presents which your friends will not know what to do with, and which would merely encumber the home. • Don't give because others expect you. to. Give because you love to. If you cannot send your heart with tho gift, keep the gift, Don't give too bulky articles to people who live in small quarters, unless you know that they need the • particular things you send them. Don't Wait until the last minute to buy your presents, and then, for Jack of time to make proper selections, give your better judgment cnnde'nrns. Don't decide to abstain from giving just because you cannot Ward capons sive ;.resents., The thoughtfulness of your gift, the interest you take in those to whom yeti,give, ere the principal +4 +4-• c+a+-e-• •-a-r- ”4 e•• �r t • a 0 Star of Bethiellem. • Each year you life the tide that brings The flood•tinue of all nobler things; Tlie miff that only God could give, The life that only God could live Again our hushing hearts re- ceive; • Then, let 'our love -light loan to thein • In all that life may mean to them, O rising Star of Bethlehem! The dream of Brotherhood again 4, Reproves the fevered strife of met; Love's banners lifting to the light, The flame of faith grows large and white. The feet of Christ are on this height; - TIie bells of Earth shall peal to • ,.them And loving millions kneel to them, O holy Star of Bethlehem! Our babes:: shall feel the thrill of dawn . And see„the shadow wings with- drawn; With eters of light yet linger- ing, I-1ow sweet and high their hopes shall wing s shall soar And hearlike birds is and sing! Then may your, joys abide with them,' With angels side by side with them, O happy Star of Bethlehem! But some in bitter places bide The rising of your mystic tide— Grim gardens of Gethsemane And awful heights of Calvary— Pale peaks of last extremity; Close may your white peace cling to them, Your dove of promise sing to them, O Star -0 Christ of Bethlehem. —Harley R. Wiley, in the January Scribner. PLACE TO MISS CHRISTMAS. The Christmas hater may be made happy. He can have his wish and "go somewhere where there ieanit any Christ - mass” He will not have to die to do it, either, but the will' have to be a good sailor in. order to fultty enjoy his par- adise, wihioh is not on earth. It is on water, Let hfmstatrt on his search from Vancouver;, 13. C., on December in the direction of tit Orient. As the days pans 'of• he cornna,,a •arer and nurser the 25th of the monk se may begin to feel un- easy and think uhimeelf tee victim of a joke. Even as late as bedtime on Dec- ember 24 he may feel resentful over what is n wild goose sail. He may fall asleep thinking of the disagreeable things he will do next day just because it will be Christmas, but lee will be dis- appointed, for when he wakes in the morning he will fi.nrl it the 26th of .De- cember. The 25th is not and has not been. It seems to have passed in the night, It is gone completely—but where. An experienced navigator explains the lapse thus; In just about the middle of the Pac- ific Ocean is the 180th degree of long- titude, and when that imaginary line is reached the westward traveller drops one dray out of his calendar for the year. That line crosses the antipodes, or point on the earth's surfaoe which is pre- cisely opposite to Greenwich, England, the place at which, by common consent of alt nations, the counting of time be- gins. At noonday, when the sun is dir- ectly overhead at Greenwich, at other points to the westward the time will be earlier by one hour for mob. 15 de- grees of longtitude, so that when 190 degrees is readied it will be midnight. "Twelve boors have thus been gained, and the journey around the glebe were completed. So by universal agreement December • 25 would.. be dropped by all navigators reaching the fatal line on the previous day, and travellers would be cheated out of their Christmas at the only place on the earth's surface where such a thing could happen."—Montreal Star. • IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS? We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communi- cation belo'v, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:. Dear Editor,—I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says "Lf you see it in The Sun it's so." Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O'Hanlan. 115 West Ninety-fifth Street. Virginia, your. little friends are wrong, The yhave been affected by the scepti- cism of a sceptical .age. They do not be- lieve except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehen- sible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be rnen's or children's, are little. In this great uni- verse of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless,;world about him, as mea- sured by the intelligence capablo of grasping the 'whole of truth and know]- edge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Sent& Claus. He exists as eertainly as love and gen- erosity and devotion exist, 'and you know that they abound and give to your life its •highest.; beaut3"''and jdy : • . Alas.! how dreary would be the world -if there 'were no Santa Clai:.e,t. It ,would bo as flreaxy its if there were no Virginias. 44 eeete-e-•-•-e+ 4.t4-4,.s-o•a•--•r•44"4"Pir 'There "cold be no childlike faith then. no poetry, no romance to .make toles - own tnia existence. • We should have noI ' enjoyment, .except in sense end sigh]. The eternal light with which •clsilailood 1 fills the world would be c'-tin1'uishcd. Not believe in Santa Claus! • You mikht as well not believe rn•fairicsl.You. night get your papa to hire 711011 to watch in all the e}iimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa C9tius, but that is no sign tlt;it there is no Sante Claus. The most real things ie. the world are those.' that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or irnagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noises inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that cur- tain and view and picture the supernal beauty, andglorysbeyoud. Is it real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No• Santa Claus! Thank God! be lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times tent thousand yearso from now, h will con- tinue to make glad the eart of child- hood.—New York Sun. Christmas in the Philippines. Although they are dwelllers in a trop- ical country, where the environments differ greatly from those in their own Iand, the Americans now in the Philip- pine . Islands .will celebrate Christmas, with quite as much zeal and in nearly- the early •h fashionthepeoplethe o same as of i e States. So far as the soldiers stationed there are concerned, the authorities' at Washington have done their share to make the day a pleasant one. What is said to be the "largest Christmas dinned said to be the "largest Christmas dinner was shipped recently from San Frtu cisco to Manila, on the transport Sherman. The good things thus characterized were intended for the military inen ine.our Asiatic possessions and their families. Every member of the little army in the Island including, also, it is to be hop- ed, the native constabulary—is to be supplied with a regular Christmas meal of the Occidental kind. For this purpose the Sherman carried from the Golden Gate not less than 35,000 pounds of tur- key, five hundred gallons of cranberry sauce, big eases of home-made mince- meat pies, and hundreds of tins of plum pudding. In order to convey these deli, Cache in sitfet.ir and Amid condition to their destination, , and afninienee ice -box was especially constructed to contain them. '1'he fowls were all raised in Cali- fornia, and were of the finest quality. This generous contribution by the gov- ernment to the typical observance of the great religious holidayis expected to put Uncle Sam's fighting men in good hu- mor and to lessen to some extent that ."homesick feeling" which frequently at- tacks the exile. The personal friends in this country of the soldiers have also taken a. hand in adding to the lattters' contentment, by forwarding to • their multitudes of gifts of various kinds. Nor wil ithe American civilians there be forgotten by the relatives and friends from whom they are separated so far.— Leslie's Weekly. CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY. In the far-off land. of Norway, Where the winter lingers late, And long for the singing birds and flowers The little children wait. When at last the summer ripens, And the harvest is gathered in, 'And the food for the bleak, dread• days to come The toiling people win. Through all the land the children In the golden fields remain Till their busy little hands have gleaned A generous sheaf of grain, All the stalks by the reapers forgotten They glean to the very least, To save till the•cold December For the bird's Christmas feast. And then through the frost -locked country Thero happens a wonderful thing; The birds flock north, south, east and west, For the children's offering. Of a sudden, the day before Christmas, 'The twittering crowds arrive, And the bitter, wintry air at once With their chirping is all alive. They perch upon roof and gable, On porch and fence and tree, They flutter about the windows, And peep in curiously. .And meet the eyes of the phildren, W he ealcerli looked out, 'With eboeks'tidat bloom like roses red And greet them with welcoming shout. On the ioyous Christmas morning, In front of every door, A tall pole, crowned with clustering grain, Is sot the birds before. And which are the happiest, truly It would be hard to tell; Tho birds who share in the Christmas cheer, Or the children who love them well! ]How sweet that they should remember, With faith so filtI and care, That the eb.iidren'e bounty awaited them The whole wide country o'er! When this pretty story was told to me; By one who had helped to rear Tho rustling grain for the merry birds In Norway, many a yeah. I thought that our little children Would like to know it•, too, It seems to me .so beautiful, So blessed a thing to do. To take God's innocent creatures Ree In every child a friend, And on our faithful kindness So foartesety depend. Celia Theater, "Sweet aro the uses of adversity?" quoted the 1'C7ise Gitv.• '"E erhaz.ps;'' sand the Simple Mug, "but lot§ of us don't care for sweets,'' - Christmas. Experience. ..-t-.s-.-+•a••'$-9-•-4-o-a-4-±-'P+c-s-c-a.v (Our Dumb A;aniinals,) As Miss Martin passed in itt the. side entrance that led to the clioir:7c t she overheard a inurnner frons.t group' of people, "That as she --our firsl'soprano that I told you about, I can hardly wait for you to hear her glorious stone." A slight flush mount ca her fair face and a feeling that she, deserved the words of praise swelled in her heart.. ]lad she not struggled up through many trials to her present high place in the musico= world? Naw that sueoess was hers she sldoirel enjoy it to the full. She unrolled her acusis acid softly trilled a bar or two --not because she needed further preparation, but from very joy of being able to warble like the birds. Just then Mr, :Niles,'"the pastor, carne gan. into the aalate-muni-behind the great or - "Miss .Martin," he began, then hesi- tated ".1 -"Want to ask a grei4 'favor of yeu. 1 '.Cas; of us are going tills after- noon to the woman's ward of the peni- tentiary to hold a Christmas service 'with the inmates. Could you, would you go Lith us and sing for them?" Tier faee faded. "Oh, Mr. Niles, how dreadful!" she exclaimed, with a shiver. "What is dreadful?" "The whole idea. The penitentiary- sigh! and this day of all days to visit such a ghastly place, but I will consider The organ was pealing and its deep Tones were reverberated among the huge pipes. The service moved on smoothly -- the anthem, Scripture lesson, hymn and prayer; and then her solo—the event of the morning to others than the singer. The audience sat through it as if spell- bound and many were in tears when the bi§t note died slowly away. It was over atlast and she passed. out, only pausing to say to Mr. Niles, "I will go with you. You can count on me for this after - no en," So it carne about that site was one of the little group that filed into the peni- teatiary hall that afternoon, nod stood fatiug the rows of women sitting there ir. pa'lson garb. On all four sides wound iron stair- ways leading to the grated cells four tiers high. At the front of the hall stood a white pulpit, a small organ and :several chairs. Doors were locked and windows barred, inside was misery and wretchedness, outside the blessed free- dom of God's pure air and—Christmas, On tite front row, tt a woman not More than thirty-five years old, hut with a seamed and hardened face. She stared with sullen glittering eyes at Mr. Niles as he read and prayed. Many heads bowed, and sounds of stifled sobbing eame from different parts of the room as the sweet story of the first Christ- mas was read, but this woman sat like a statue with compressed lips. Presntly Miss Martin sang. 'Those walls had never echoed to sounds more sweet, for her heart was in the message as she sang of Jesus' birth, his love and pity. The black eyes did not leave her face, but gave no sign of feeling. At the request that those who wished to be prayed for should make it known, many hands were raised and yearning faces were uplifted, as if pleading for help. But the woman on the front seat did not move nor take her steady gaze from the beautiful girlish face by the organ. She sang again --a message of peace on earth, good will to men, and as she fin- ished the black eyes dimmed suddenly, and the set lips whispered, "Oh, sing again!" She began at once, without an accompaniment, the Gospel hymn, "Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling." Every sentence thrilled with entreaty as she sang, "Come 'home, come home! Ye who are weary, conte home! As she finished the hardened face sud- denly melted, and a broken voice sobbed out, "Help me! oh, help me! I do want to be good." On the stone- floor they knelt, and there, with deep penitence and earnest prayer, at last one einful soul found forgiveness. "It was the singing that did it," the poor woman said, holding fast to the firm white hand that did not shrink from the contact. "I could have resisted all the rest, but not that—to-day— Christ's birthday -and mine," The voice sank to a whisper, but the hard faee glowed with the light of Christmas. ' Miss Martin; and Mr. Niles walked through the heavy gates together, hear- ing the clang that shut them out and those others in, Theno the pastor began, "I want to thank you—a But she interrupted him. "Let ane thank you instead," she said tremulously. "It has been an experience I eould not afford to do without.,I am ready to say now with the spirit and with the understanding also , 'With nay voice I'll gladly sing, For the glory of my King!'" Elizabeth Price. -. Oh, Ladies. A few short weeks. They seem to know! Ttiey eland like Bruin brought to bay. And when they snarl and fretful grow, Oh. ladies, let them have their way. (It's Christmas drawing near.) The bachelor. IIe loves them all, (At least as many es he may); But if he makes a glumpy call, Ob. ladies,let him have his way. (It's C+hristuase drawing near.), The Married man. Fr•aacnvied, Fits air, with scarce a& "we 'd to say • And if he evr,ears whet, elippere lit$, Oh, ladies, let him have his way. (It's Christmas drawing near.) —New York iavening San.