Zurich Herald, 1936-12-10, Page 6LESSON XIDecember 13 a book and send it to the seven
John's Vision opPatmos, —.-1 � churches: onto Ephesus, and unto-
Smyrna,
nto-Smyrna, and unto Pergamun, and
unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and
unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodi-
cea:' These seven churches were all
located in the proconsular province of
Asia, and are named here by John in
a geographical circuit beginning with
his own home city Ephesus, then go-
ing north to Smyrna and Pergamum,
then southeast to Thyatira, and then
south to Sardis, Philadelphia, and
Laodicea. Christ himself in verse 20
tells us that these lampstanda are the
seven churches. They are light -bear-
ers to the world (Matt. 5:14), espec-
ially to a world that itself is darkness
"And in the midst of the candle-
sticks one like unto a son m. man."
The title here given to Christ is one
frequently occurring in Ezekiel and
Daniel and is used more than eighty
times in the Gospels, always, with
two exceptions, by Christ himself. It
is a title which sets forth the human
element of our Savior's character.
"Clothed with a garment down to the
foot." The garment to the feet sug-
gests the right to govern and to judge
and it is the robing of judicial au-
thority, not the robing of the priest.
Christ is here seen having sole right
to pronounce verdict and sentence on
all the services that the church ren-
ders.
"And girt about at the breasts with
a golden girdle." (Se.. Isa. 11:5; Dan.
10:53 Girt loins tell. of readiness for
action, but girt breasts of the repose
of sovereignty and of intense affec-
tion.
"And his head and his hair were
white as white wool, white as snow."
(See Dan. 7:9; Ise. 40:28) His is the
age that is not aged, and the beauty
of holiness which are eternal. "And
his eyes were as a flame Lire." The
fire is symbolic of God's presence, of
God's glory, of judgment on the wick -
ad, of penetration and knowledge.
And nothing can be hid from that
gaze.
"And his feet unto burnished grass
as if it had been refined in a furnace.
Brass is invariably the type of the
strength and the furnace of fire is
a symbol of purity.
"And his voice was as the voice of
many waters." The noise of the sea
is as the noise of irresistible strength
and powerful, deep and majestic.
"And he had in his right hand se-
ven stars" In verse 20 Christ tells
us these stars are the angels of the
seven churches, i.e., they are Christ's
messengers set for witnessing in the
_respective assemblies by his appoint-
ing. "And out of his ntsuth proceed-
ed a sharp two-edged sword." The
word of God has power to penetrate
through every shield and device be-
hind which man attempts to hide
from God's scrutiny and judgment.
"And his countenace was as the sun
shineth in his strength." This same
dazzling glory was noticed when our
Lord was transfigured in the days of
his earthly ministry (Matt. 17:2); a
spectacle that John, the author of this
Look, would well remember. -
"And when 1 saw him, I fell at his
feet as one dead." So other great
servants of God have been similarly
affected by a revelation of divine
glory, as Isaiah (6:5), Ezekiel (1:28)
Daniel (8:17). "And he laid his right
hand upon me saying, Fear not; I am
the first and the last." What infinite
me?cy there is revealed here! Christ
does not want his own to be afraid
in his presence, but to worship and
adore him, and to wait for his com-
mands.
"And the Living one; and 1 was
dead, and behold, I am alive for ever-
more." Every man could at one time
say, 1 was living and alive, but this
one had lived and had died and was
alive again. And not only again, but
he was alive for evermore. He was
the eternal and everlasting one. "And
I have the keys of death and of Hades
and if the keys of all the world —
supernal and infernal, swing at the
girdle of the Son of God, then we do
know and know for certain that all
those kingdoms will be administered
in accordance with the most immacu-
late justice and the mnet pfrfnct love.
tion 1:1-3:22,
Printed Tett -- Revelation 1:4-18
Golden Text -- "Fear not, I am the
first and the Last, and the living one.
Revelation 1.17, 18,
THE LESSON IN ITS SETTING .
TIME — 2'oward the close of the
life of the apostle John, probably
about 96 A.D.
PLACE — The island of Patmos, in
the AEgean Sea, twenty four miles
southwest of Asia Minor.
"John to the seven churches that
are in Asia." Asia refers to the pro-
consular province of that name, in
Asia Minor, consisting of Phrygia,
I'dysia, ()aria, and Lydia, at the wes-
tern edge of Asia Minor fronting on
the AEgean Sea, The seven churches
are those enumerated in chapters, 2
and 3,
"Grace to you and peace, from him
who is and who was and who is to
come." Grace issues in peace. The
name of God and Father here given
was one revealed to Moses (Ex, 3:14
6:3). It is God's memorial name, even
to generations yet unborn. "And from
the seven Spirits that are before his
throne," Here we have reference to
the energies of the Holy Spirit. "The
seven Spirits betoken the complete-
ness and universality of working of
God's Holy Spirit, as the seven
churches typify and indicate the
whole church.
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness." (Se John 18:37)
Christ was faithful in that he never
adulterated or weakened or hid any
Part of the truth which God sent him
to proclaim, being faithful unto his
mission even to death. "Tie first-
born of the dead." (See Col. 1:18) He
is first of all those who will rise from
the dead, especially as regards rank.
"And the ruler of the kings of the
earth." (See Psalm 89:27, Rev. 19:16)
Christ has the right to sovereignty
over all the kingdoms of the earth;
some day he will exercise that right
and take all the kingdoms unto him-
self to rule forever. "Unto him that
loveth us," Notice the present tense
here: the love .f Chirst for you and
me is just as great and deep today
as the day when he died for as on the
tress. "And loosed us from uur sins
by his blood." The love of a parent
for ti child, the love of a wife for a
husband, would undertake to do every
thing for the loved one's happiness
and welfare, but it can never emanci-
pate from sin. This only Christ can
do in his redeeming sacrifice for us.
"And he made us to be a kingdom,
to be priests unto his God and Father
and to him he the glory and the do-
minion for ever and ever." Christians
reign in conquering their spiritual en-
emies and then in possession of the
victory that overcoineth the world.
"Amen." This is a Hebrew word that
literally means "to lean upon," and
from it conies the word "to believe."
By saying "Amen" in prayer, we do
mean that the prayer offered by an-
other is our prayer also.
"Behold, he cometh with the clouds,
What a contrast between the humilia-
tion and obscurity and poverty that
attended his First Advent, and the
glory and universal visibility that
will characterize his Second Advent?
"And every eye shall see him, and
they that pierced him." (See John
19:37; Zech. 12:10) The persons in-
tended in this expression ar, beyond
doubt, those who were his murderers.
"And all the tribes of the earth shall
mourn over him. Even so, Amen." (Cf
Matt. 24:30) There will then be two
kinds of mourning, the, one due to
the terror of an enemy, the other to
the terror of the penitent
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,
saith the Lord God." These two words
"Alpha" and "Omega" are the names
of the first and last letters of the
Greek alphabet, as though we should
say the 'r1 and the Z. Christ is the
beginning and the end.
"Who is and who is to come, the
Almighty." Iie is almighty in sus-
taining his people, yet equally al-
mighty in judgment on his enemies.
"John, your brother and partaker
with you in the tribulation and king-
dom and patience which are in Jesus,
was in the isle that is called Patsies."
Patmos was a little island in the
AEgean Sea twenty-four miles south
west of the coast of Asia Minor, and
about ten miles tong and six broad,
barren, and f v the most part very
rocky. "For the word of God and the
testimony of Je:sus," The phrase ere
bably indicates that John wad banish-
ed to the Island ,of 'Palms because
of preaching of the gospel of Christ
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's
day." This is the only time iii the
New Testament that we have the
plirase, "the Lord's day," and we may
easily believe that it refers to the
clay we now call Sunday. And 1 heard
behind me a great voice, as of a
trumpet. (See also 4:1). Possibly
this was not the aetual voice of the
Lord, but of some messenger of the
Lord.
"Saying, what thou seest, write in
Noted Writer Arrives
Vicki Baum, well known nov-
elist, pictured arriving in New
York :irons Iiiurope ori the linter
Trirn Apartments Ri in;n .Out of Slums
The WPA's Cedar Central Apartments begin to rise on site of fdrmer Cleveland, 0.. slum after eighteen acres of antiquated
dwellings were removed. The development, costing $3,384,000, will have 640 units which will be surrounded by lawns and walks. The love
cost apartments are expected to be ready this winter.
Turkish Girls Taught To Fight For Their Country
Women and girls in Turkey; as well as boys, are voluntarily undertaking military training. 'They're
taught military exercises and the use of firearms. In this picture a soldier is showing Turkish girls
how to bear their rifles correctly.
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"Reasons For Anger," by Robert
Bri:ault (The Musson Book Qom-
pany, Ltd., Toronto) $3.00. Four-
teen essays by the author of
"Europa" — one of the best-sel-
ling novels of last year. it seems
this book owes its title to Harold
Nicholson, who in reviewing one
of Mr. Briffauit's books, com-
plained, "There is no reason why
Mr. Briffault should get so angry.'
To which Mr. Briffault replies,
"Social progress has invariably
been the outcome of anger called
forth by abuse." Whether or not
Mr. Briffault felt abused by Mr.
Nicholson's remark and " Reas-
ons For Anger" is the result, we
are not certain. But we certainly
do appreciate the fact that he has
written these fourteen essays dis-
cussing the stupidity of man,,.
caused, NIr. Briffault argues, by
the primitive vested interests, es-
pecially superstition, evolutions-.
zed into a formai religion.
Those who have read his classic.
works, The Mothers, and Rational
Evolution, know him as one of
the great living anthropologists
to whom the proper study of man-
kind is man.
Only the first half of this book
presents the case against the 'hu-
man race—for instance we read:
"While rational intelligence has
gone on increasing at compound
interest, primitive stupidity h3:s
remained to all intents and pur-
poses as stupid in 1936 as it was
at the dawn of time .
The vennerable institution which.
constitute the firm of Man, Inc.,.
preserve the virginal bloom of
primitive stupidity, while intelli-
gence goes on accumulating in in-
dividual hien and women,"
This is um' side of the question,
then he gives us huge by declar-
ing—
"Today
eclaring—"Today a groat natio) which
has made momentous contribu-
tions to civilization, has sunk into
sheer, unmitigated barbaeisin --if
it be not an insult to the barbarian
to compare him to Nazi Germany.
But it is unlikely that'mankind as
a whole will have to pass throne
such en ordeal:"
Mr. Briffault gives his reason
for this hope by stating—qt is
unlikely because human intelli-
gence is unmeasurably better
equipped more widely diffused,
more secure and more resourceful
than it was when the first lyurow
pean civilization fell,"
One may not agree — on first
made by Mr. Briffault — but a
second and third reading convin-
ces the reader that there is more
intelligence prevalent today—but
it takes an individual as vital as
Mr. Briffault to point this out.
A book strongly recommended for
those who like reading matter
which causes a certain amount of
cerebration.
"The Foundation of Civiliza-
tion" by • Will Durant (The Mus-
son Book Company, Ltd., Toron-
to) $1.29, offers some interesting
reading for such a low price. Ever
since the first volume of Will
Durant's Story of Civilizatioi, was
published a year ago, the publish-
ers have been asked to reprint the
first section of it which was en-
titled the Establishment of Civili-
zation. It is in response to this
widespread demand that the pres-
ent volume is issued.
About twenty years ago, Will
Durant planned to write a history
of civilization in the nineteenth
century. He discovered, as he
proceeded, that his subject: could
be understood only in terns of
what had cone before. His re-
searches gradually led hire into
the, formation of a plan for writ-
ing a history of all civilization,
ancient and modern, occidental
and oriental. The present volume
is a -preface to the complete work
which will be issued within the
next fifteen years.
High praise is due Mr. Durant,
as he has used a clear, lucid, sim-
ple style—an excellent handbook
for sehool libraries.
"Compromise" by Ruby M.
Ayres (Tie Musson Book Com-
pany, Ltd., Toronto) is the incest
offering from this author's prcli-
fic pen, and her readers wilt not
be disappointed inthis tale' of a
very modern girl and her battle
for happiness.
Ovorb,,:,~1" by Leslie
Charteris (The Musson Book Co.,
Limited, Toronto) recounts the
latest adventure of that reformed
character known as "The' Stint.".
We fear that there was a tendency
to slip from the paths of right-
eousness in this latest escapade,
but he stands by the law, at the
enol. Quick,. alive narrative, car,
ries you along to a smashing cli-
tinae, and you can't lay the book
down until you have th ishcd this
reading — with many stateinnnt ilattet "Saint" adventure.
Pieeds For Alaskans
Col. 0. F. ()bison, Alaska rail-
road manager, pictured in San
Francisco as he sought ships to
transport food to Alaska, which
has been badly hit by maritime
strike. Government may trans
port needed foodstuffs.
Honor Is Conferred
On Blind Fanner
PICTOTI, N.S.•—William MacKay,
55 -year-old blind farmer of Bay view,
Pietou County, recently received a
certificate from till Nova Scotia Far-
mers' Association, adjudging him
"banner farmer for Nova Scotia in
1936."
The award is made annually by the
Association to outstanding farmers.
MacKay has been blind for the last
15 years.
"I see no reason why blind people
should be dependent," MacKay said,
accepting the certificate.
"We know now that there are
about as many stars in space as
there are grains of sand on all the'
sea beaches in the world; our earth'
is only a minute fragment broken
loose, like many others, 'from one'
such grain of sand."
—Sir James Jeans.
Clan Chief Dies
The mournful skirl of bagpipes
sounded in the Isle of Mull ln. the
Inner Hebrides as the ancient clan
of MacLean mourned the passing
of its 2Gth chieftain, Sir Fitzroy
Donald MacLean, who died at his
castle there at the age of 101.
Clansmen from all over Scot-
land were summoned to Duart
Castle, island stronghold of the
MacLeans, to pay a final homage
to one who during his life, did
much to revive the ancient tradi-
tions of his clan.
The mantle of chieftain, relin-
quished by the 101 -year-old Laird,
was assumed by his 20 -year-old
grandson, Charles Hector Fitzroy.
Patently Interested In the Conversation
d3 e "?- xti< t ° i ! ry ':' x �,�a •y}.�,;,v, �g,tig♦ - -+. cvx;
1.15.1.4.1.W.,tats.. P.`..-. ., 4 w, .. .: ......,,. acxr .. M.:t .,..a..<,.;
go
`i eeretiit;y of Ccmnieree Daniel Roper (left) listens intently to
Dr, (', P, Bettering, toastmaster at dinner held in Washington D,.C.,
to celebrate the centennial of the American patent system: