THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
Sermon Preached by the Rev. H. C.
¥
“Whitsoever ye shall ask the Fa her in My
Numa, Ho will give it to you John 16 : 98,
What Is prayer? Prayer is the be.
giuning of spiritual life, the primary
idea is asking, or request. This idea
Intensilied is earvest and importunate
request. Specially it 18 request offered
to a superior, as to a sovereign, or to
a body of superiors, as to a le, islature
In a religious sense prayer is request
addressed to a Divine being, In a
Christian sense “prayer is the offering
ap of our desires unto God for things
agreeable to His will in the name of
Christ.”” In its grandest and most
comprehensive and most fruitful effect,
it is the uplifting of our souls, and
the entering into communion with the
Lord of Heaven and earth. And in this
communion the soul of man expands
80 as to include not merely petition,
but adoration, confession and thanks-
giving. for beneliis temporal, providen-
tial and spiritual. I{ is not mere speech,
it is not merely the language of the
lips. It isan emotion of the heart a
ponring out of the soul. The unbosom-
ing ot our whole heart unto Ilim that
seeth into the inward parts. And yet
how oiten we fail to comprehend the
true significance of prayer, forgetting
that it is the Divinely ordained means
through which the power of God Is
mvoked. We look around us and see
on all sides the power God has put into
the hands of man as regards the na.
tural world. Scarcely a day passes In
which we are not presented with some-
thing which kas more or less of the
claims of novelty; with some new
discovery or elise some application or
combination of powers already known.
To this, man is not blind ; he appreci-
ates, he uses every new and mighty
engine as it is presented te him ; and
whether it be chloroform, to blunt the
acuteness of his pain, or electricity to
flash his messages to the ends of the
world ; or steam, to whirl him over the
earth's surface and do in his factories
the work of thousands of hands,
He hears, sees, speaks about and uses
the mighty powers which God has put
within his reach,
We hear but little, however, of the
mighty poweis which God has put into
man’s hands, so far as the spiritual
world is concerned. The prevailing
aspect of God's people in this respect is
one of weakuess, often one of de-
spoudency ; they [eel the pressure of
the world, they see difficulties to be
overcome, th-y realize their own inher-
ent weakness —there is much despond-
their own fecbleness, their is little
vigor, by reason of the non-realization
of the mighty etlicacy of prayer.
Could we but realize and put into
operation the power contained ip
prayer the great force of the spiritual
world ; we should in our collective and
in our individusl capacity be very dif-
ferent from: win we are; we should
know and feel
heaven's treasure, aml the lever of
heaven's strength; we should *‘Le
strong in the Lord and In the power of
his might.” We should be prepared
for great deeds, both of action and
resislance in the spiritual Jife ; we
should never dream of failure, we
should never miss real success,
morning to Lelp forward myself and
you as we climb together the path of
Christian life, For that Christian life
no means of grace 1s so absolutely
indispensible as prayer,
= Let us ask then what prayer can do
for us. And tothis I reply EvERY-
THING. More than one saint like St.
Francis, aud like Wesley, has left
never refused hin anything for which
be seriously prayed. There are many
sayings of our Lord telling of answers
to prayer. These promises are very
comprehensive and they must awaken
in us thoughts not to be lightly dis.
missed, 1s prayer always effectuzl? MNo
believer in Christ can doubt it for a
moment, Nature teaches us to expect
that prayer will be heard; the Scriptures
assure us that it will be, In how many
places and how many ways is the
veracity of God pledged directly or
Indirectly in his word, that he will hear
and answer prayer! In how many
passages of Holy Writ is the certain
efficacy and great power of prayer
asserted or mmplied [| It is implied in
the innumerable invitations and cere.
monies to pray; to pray always with all
prayer and supplication—to pray with-
out ceasing, and never faint—of which
the Dible is full; for what are such
invitations and ceremonies but mock.
ery it prayer i838 of no avall to
secure the Lie.sings for whick we ask?
It is yei were foreibly inculeated in
the severe rebukes which are often ad-
ministered to those who cast off fear
and restrain prayes, and who say,
“What profit shall we have if we pray
unto him?” It is clearly taught In
those numerous passages which impute
our destitution of spiritual blessings
pot to God’s unwillingness to hear
prayer, but to our not offering
prasfs aright. *Ye bave not,
use ye ask’ pot.” *‘Ye ask,
and receive not, because ye ask
amiss.” It 13 expressly declared in
passages not a few, where it Is the
direct object of the sacred writer to
insist on the « Micacy of prayer. *““The
effectual, fervent prayer of the right.
cous man availeth much,” The Lord
is nigh unto all them that call upon
Him, to all that call upou Him in
truth.” *‘He will fulfill the desire of
them that fear Him; He also will hear
their cry, and gave them,” It is con
tained In many great and precious
promises, addressed directly to those
who offer prayer: “‘Ask, and it shall
be given You, aesk and ye shall find;
knock, apd it shall bé opened unto
you.” Time would fail to enumerate
a small fraction only of the many
many instances on record, in which God
Juas heard His servants when they have
cried unto Him, and sent then every
‘blessing which they needed, and for
which they jented. There 18 no kind
or dégres blessing, or small,
temporal or spiritual, which has
not ‘borne on '' the wings
of prayer from Leéaven to earth.
There is uo time or place, or form or
mauner of prayer, public or private,
bv day or by night In the honse of Gud
or at the family altar, or the houseiop
or by the seas'.ore, for one’s self or for
one’s friends und neighbors, or for the
church of for the world, that has not
been heard and answered. Frow the
intercession of Abraham for the cities
of the (iain, as recorded in the book of
Genesis to the unceasing prayers of the
whole church in the acts of the Apos-
tels. What is the history of the Old
Testament and of the New, but a rec-
ord of life and Jeath, of blessing and
cursing, suspended on the prayers of
God’s people?
The course of nature the vicissitudes
of the seasons, the power of the winds
and waves, and all the elements, have
been directed and controlled by prayer.
Christ gave no hmit to his promise,
“Ask and ye shall receive.’ In the
old world prayer subdued Kisxgdoms, 1t
stopped the mouths of lions, it opened
apd clused the windows of lLieaven,
quenched the violence of (re, vpened
the doors of prisons, and kuocking
off their chains, bade the prisoners go
free.
Prayer then has ever been a ruling
power in the history of the church and
of the world, as that history has ben
written by the finger of God himscif,
He has promised to hear prayer, uu
he has fulfilled the promise, He his
pledged himself in every possible wa)
to grant the requests of his people,
and he has fully redeemed the pledge.
tle has ever been saying, ‘ask
what 1 shall give thee,” and ever
been giving, what men have truly
and properly asked. lle has iovited
his people to command him, as it were,
in prayer; and so far from being dis-
pleased with their boliness, when they
have sald, **I will not let thee go with-
out a blessing,” he has rewarded the
boldest confidence with the richest
gifts, Jacob wrestled with God till
the break of day, and then received the
name of Israel, because, as a prince
he had power with God, and prevalled,
and the people of God's chiolce and cove-
nant and grace have ever since not only
borne his beiter than royal name, but
inherited bis more than princely power,
I'rayer may be said to rule in the
Kingdom of nature, the Kingdom of
providence, and the Kingdom of grace,
for it h-* influence with him who is
King in ai. . se kingdoms. It touches
and sways Lhe scepter of the King of
Kings, the Lord of heaven and earth,
Why, it 1s the mightiest force in the
universe; lightning has no speed, the
Alpine avalanche has no power, com-
pared to it, It is the power that moves
the arm that moves the universas,
If then it be a fact that prayer i= a
real power, as real a power as steam,
or powder, or lightning, or gravity; If
it be a fact that all real success in our
comes only in answer to prayer, and
prayer to be effectual must be offered
up In faith, theo 1s 1t not a fact that in
proportion as our faith in prayer is
subverted, in just that proportion will
| the power of prayer be paralyzed, and
i the aggressive energy of Christianity
be hopelessly destroyed?
| any reliance is t>» be put npon the wo d
lof God, it is not a vain thing to
{pray to him. Cbrist so assures his
disciples when he says, “Where
| two of you shall agree as touching any-
| thing that ye shall ask it shall be
| » “
{ done,” and **All things whasotever ye
| shall ask in prayer believing, ye shail
| receive.” Relying upon such promises
| asthese, the Apostles alter Christ's As-
!
cension, continued in the upper room,
{ In prayer and supplication, as if they
{expected by their prayers to open
Heaven's windows, and they dud, And
all along the track of she Church's
| history, from the beginning until now,
| are scallered memorials of answers fo
| prayers.
See, bere is a little company of
Christian people prostrate before the
| Lord in prayer. The burden of souls
iis on thelr hearts, and they cast their
{ burden on the Lord. They are full of ten-
| der solicitude for their neighbors and
| friends. They have extiausted all other
resources and expedients, and now
{ they can only pray to Him. And lo,
{even while they pray their neighbors
{ and friends come running together, as
{dul the people on the day of Pen-
| tecost, impelled, constrained, by the
{ mighty power of God, that came upon
{ them In answer to prayer.
Let me give you a picture,
has
heart. She cannot put her arms about
him as she used to, and she cannot
reach her son Ly her prayers. She
does not cease to pray for hum. “Ob,
that Ishmael might live before Thee,"
is the constant outery of her an-
guished heart, And now while her ery
18 going up in Philadelahia, God hears,
and in New York a boy is so troubled
that he cannot find comfort in his cups,
or joy in his boon compantonships, He
wanders through the streets ih a dazed,
bewildered sort of & way. Iie goes, the
knows not whither, be wants, he knows
not what, he hears a sound that makes
him start, that makes him stop, though
his heart beats quicker than before. It
18 the sound of a sacred song, and the
song 1s ove his mother had loved, and
he follows the sound, drawn as by an
unseen but resistless magnet, until he
finds Limself in tie house of God,
rivalled by the old gospel to which Le
listened long ago. Now the tear will
come, and presently he is bowed in
penitence, and then a little later rises
up with the joy of salvation springing
in his heart, and in the strength of a
transfigured manhood, he enters upon a
new life of usefulness and happiness,
Now, | ask, what troubled him that
night? What drove hilm out a wanderer
on the streets? What stoutly drew
him to the place of prayer, and to the
Saviour’s feet? That mother's form
bowed yonder in her closet Is an only
and all sufficient answer. The secret
of the Lord is with them that fear
him, And this is not a stiange and
solitary instance, it is what {s happen-
Ing every day.
It 1s said that in a eertain town mn
N. Y. there had been no revival for
many years, Tha church bad nearly
ran out, and desolation reigned un.
broken, There lived In a certain
part of the town an aged black.
smith, On one Friday he was at work
in bis sho Aone ia haa 2
came greatly exercised a ) rate
+ the ehiirel and the Lidosnitént, ‘Tlx
i § & iw 4 kt ol bs
Bop woe
agony became so great that he was
compelled to lay aside his work, lock
up his shop and spend the afternoon in
prayer. Hae felt that he had prevailed,
and on the Sabbath called upon his
minister and asked him to appoint a
meeting. After some hesitation, he
consented. When evening eames more
assembled than could be accommodated
in the house where the meeting was
appointed. All was silent for a while,
until one sinner broke out in tears and
sald if any one could pray he begged
him to pray for him. Another followed,
and still another, until it was found
that persons from every part of the
town were under deep conviction, and
what was remarkable was that they
dated their conversion at the hour
when this man was praying in his
shop.
The revival which began at Enfleld,
Mass,, on the 8th of July, 1741, under
a sermon preacked by President Ed-
wards, on the words: “Their feet shall
slide In due time,’ has long been con-
sidered as one of the most powerful on
record. The 1mpression of Eternal
things was awful and overwhelming,
Many knowing nothing of the his-
tory of that work are surprised at
so great effects from one sermon. But
the fact is that some Christians in that
vicimty had become alarmed lest God
! should in anger pass by that church,
| and had spent the whole of the preced-
ing night in prayer.
Whenever the Church has betaken
herself to prayer, the windows of heavy-
en have been opened, and spiritual
blessings have descenled. God has
not said unto the seed of Jacob: Seek
ye me in vain, Those destitute of
spiritual Influences may easily under-
stand **Ye have not because ye ask
sot.” The individual who should
solemniy resolve to try the best and
last possible efficacy of prayer, and
unalterably determine that heaven
should not withhold a single influences
ing prayer could bring down, would
probably find himself a much more
successful agent in his little sphere,
What a privilege then is prayer! To
attain to this state of union with God.
It 18 wonderfal; it passsth all won-
der, that when I “lift up my volce’’ to
God, even in the half-spoken whisper,
or in the unuttered longing of the
heart, 1 have used the mightiest power
which a human being can ever wield,
finite and Eternal, and it will be felt
through the universe —felt when time
and all things temporal have ceased to
be. Think of this, ye men of prayer.
Your whispar sounded in the ear of ti
| Almighty; and he has already acted on
| your cry; you have moved him who
| moveth all. This is your privileges, as
{ the chiidren of God by faith in Christ
| Jesus, The power which you command
| 1s stronger than sin and death and hell:
| stronger than men and devils, Let no
difficulty perplex you, but take your
God and Father at his word and cry
aloud; spare not; do not let him go
until he bless you,
a
{answered aud not others? Many a
good man and woman feel it to be the
greatest trial that their prayers for dell-
nite objects are not answered. Many a
mother will say, “Why did not God
answer me when I prayed to Him to
spare my Infant's life? 1 am sure I
but it seemed to make no difference,
{ the chlld sank and died just as if no
| one bad been praying for him.” Many
a wife will say, “Why does God no:
convert my husband? I have ago-
tion on his behalf, and in particular,
wich reference to his besetting in-
| frmity, I have implored God to break
| bis chain and set him free; but there
{he is, the same as ever.” Many a
i young person under serious jmpres-
jslons will say. “Why does God not
hear my prayers? I have prayed with
heart and soul for faith and love,
i my interest in Christ, but my progress
{seemed directed agamst a wall of
| brass, they seem never to reach the
ears of the Lord of hosts,” All thess
| and yet every sincere prayer offered In
i with by God in such a way as seems
why some prayers are not answered at
all, and there are also good reasons why
the visible answer to prayersis delayed,
Perhaps our prayer is a prescribiog of
in this, as In al', knoweth best and,
therefore, the answars may be
withheld. There may be other
causes in which the special prayer,
though rightly laid before God, 1s
{ such that for reasons far beyond our
knowledge. God cannot grant it. Some
prayers are not answered because what
is asked would be hurtful; the prayer
is answered in spirit though denied in
form, A Chrstian lady, over the sick
bed of an only son once prayed with
Intense fervor that he might be re.
stored, and positively refused to say,
“Thy will be done.” Falling asleep,
she seemed to see A pacorama of her
eon’s life had he survived, it was a
succession of sorrows, rising into ter.
rible agonies, so pitiful a sight that
she could no lounger desire his jife Lo be
prolonged, and gave up the battle
against the will of God, Some prayers
are not answered at the time, because
a discipline of patience is needed for
those who offer them, they have to
learn more fully than hitherto to walk
by faith, not by sight. They bave to
learn to take the promise of God
against al appearances, and to remem-
ber that Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but God's word shall not pass
AWAY.
But whatever ba the reasons for the
apparent silence of God, we may rest
assured that hearing prayer is a law
of His kingdom. Old Testament and
New alike bear witness to this. Every
verse of the Psalms proclaim it, Alike
by precept and example, our Lord cone
stantly enforces it, We may say of
prayer as St. Paul said of the resur-
rection, if prayer be not heard our
preaching is vain, aad your faith is
vain, ‘Uhen let us not despond if God
seems to delay long. Let us be pre-
pared to say in “Thy will be
hohe, Tt Taou scent that
die unbelieving, because with his last
look on earth he saw the infatuated
young man holding the clothes of those
who were throwing the stones? When
Monica prayed for Augustine, would she
have done right to despair because he
was not at once rescued from sin? Was
not a better purpose served by the
humility which was deepened in both
mother and son through the long delay
in his conversion? Had Stephen lived
he might have ‘‘glorified God In Paul’
when he heard him say, *‘For this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might show forth
all long suffering, for a pattern to
them which should hereafter balieve in
him to live everlasting,” However
certain we are of our purpose being
good; bowever hard it may be to bear
the agony of hope deferred; still
let us ever leave our case In God’s
bands, nor lmplously presume to dlc-
tate time, and ways and means to Him,
Sometimes we are impatient, and mis-
take our impatience for the eagerness
of faith; sometimes presumptuous, and
mistake our presumption for child-like
confidence. We need oftentimes the
lesson of the prophel's prayer, and the
“Go again seven times;” the lesson of
the Psalmist’s injunction, “Walt on
the Lord, and He will strengthen thine
heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.” Do
feel; do not ask for all Christian graces
when you do not wish to have them.
Ask things needful; milk If you be a
babe, strong meat {If you be cf mature
strength in Christ. Think what you
want before you begin to pray, ask for
it, and then stop, You kill your spirit
of prayer when you do anything else,
in reality you do not wish piety, puri-
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON,
BuxpAy Manca 3, 1349,
Jends the Messiah.
LESSON TEXT.
(Mark 8:27-0:11. Memory versos, 35-38)
LESSON PLAN.
Toric OF THE QUARTER :
Myhty Worker,
Jesus the
GOLDEN TEXT FOR THE QUARTER:
Believe me that I am in the Father, and
the Father in ne: or else believe me jor
the very works’ sake.~—John 14 : 11,
Lesson Toric: The Duty of Self
Surrender,
{ 1. Bapremacy of Jésus, ve. 27-39,
Lesson J
Outline: | 5 Beif-Surrender Rewarded, va. 55
{ g:L
GOLDEN TEXT: Whosoever will
come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me, — Mark
8:34.
DALY HoMe READINGS:
M.—Mark 8 : 27-38; 9 :1. The
duty of self-surrender,
T.—Matt, 16:13 : 28,
parallel narrative.
W.—Luke 9 : 18-27.
lel narrative.
T.—Phil, 2 : 1-11.
self-surrender,
F.—Matt, 19:
der dex lined,
B.-—Luke 9 : 49-62,
se. f, surrender,
- Acts 21 : 1-14,
Matthew's
Luke's paral-
The Messiali’s
16-22, BSelf-surren.
Insufficient
8, Self-surrender
of gin, 1s it not better to know this
soul by asking what you have no desire
to get?
Al thes wen
Our Public Schools,
Education of Philadelphia was lLekl on
Tuesday afternoon, the 12 inst, The
il report of Isaac A.
important
deserve notice,
report alleges, to
been inadequate to most
wants of our school system, and increas-
are asked for the
‘I'he report sets forth in a |
ment that “by reason of the changed
industrial educa-
generations,’
means for the
the rising
states that in this direction ti
trial Art School and Manual
80tw
Education are do.
These two schools
together afford accommodations
less than four hundred pupils, and when
we consider that over one hundre |
the Board of Public
work.
see that but a
direction of Indestrial Education
this city.
Perhaps the most important
ment in this report 1s the following:
“While 1 would say not a word {o
in
evident that the best
and upwards cantot be obtained by
women,
We
too much,
almost exclusively,
public schools, This, so far as the in-
a weak spol in our educational
Even such a position as that
of principal of a boys’ grammar school
has in some cases been given to women,
|
given to men to take the position of
This Doard, last year, did
that men only should be eligible to the
|
3
i
that all but eighty eight of the twenty
1oiphia
In view of the fact that the number
excellence there is in our school system,
must be placed to the credit to the
female teachers. Moreover we have
never beard the fact denied, that the
female grades of schools in this city,
which have been for over a quarter of a
century exclusively in charge of female
teachers, have been and now are fully
: the male
schools, which Lave been in as mall part
under the charge of male teachers,
We think Mr, Sheppard should either
furnish statistics based on actual results
for his statement or else reconsider and
revise it,
The Way to Spoil Girla,
1st, Be always telling her, from her
earliest childhood, what a beautiful
creature she is. Children understand
quite well such flattery even when in
their nurse ’s arms, and the evil Is dons
to the character in its earliest formation.
2nd. Begin as soon as she can toddle,
to dress her out in fashionable clothes
and rich dresses,
Put upon her all the artificial adorn-
ments of jewelry, feathers, flowers and
curls, spare no effort to create in
her a fondness for dress, which will
soon usurp her whole attention and be
# long step toward spoiling her,
Sed, Be careful that her education
includes a good deal ot the foreign
languages and the fine arts, and only
# mnattering of her mother tongue and
the wsefal arts and sciences, and fnoth-
ing of household work and duties, In
i a op
in 8] ww.
she was designed to be useful,
DRIVING a street oar 1s not a very
bigh calling, but it can. scarcely be
gia AS AMODK lower walks
$a
|
lustratexi,
a
ANALYSIS
TACY
1.E8SON
I LI'L
I. Queried :
| Who do
Who is this that comet
Isa 63:1).
FifiTin
IaBiEtR
oy Ji
men say |
of man ist
1 8:
i Who say ve that
| All the City was stirre«
Matt, 2] : 10).
. Misapprehended :
ohn thn Baptist: a
3
AT »
Iam? (Matt, 16 : 15).
1, raving, Who 1s
t1.4
MIST
tt Jie ’
OU JAS
i § x
i We
thie »
Vel: 1s Geen
HL Recognized:
{ Thou art the Chu
i Thou art the Christ, th
Ma
i 3 Hie
y of the liv.
» Moen
© dn
ing God { 16 : 16),
it, Jesus, from Nazar
God (Matt,
ed
ai 3 00
| My Lor xX + 28),
{ 1. J nt forth, and
cipies, Into
and my God (John
| his dis-
we villages.’ {1) The
d . I'he INISSONS
INISSIONAry
¥ das
in Wh
nissionary ban
whi (3) The
I he missionary harvest,
. “Who do men say that I am?” (1)
sources of information concerning
Jesus; (2) Varities of opi 8 col
ry
ay
field; (4
ng Jesus:
in 15 concerning Jesus,
“Thou art the Christ.’ (1) J
prehensive acknowledgment;
confident declara ion,
IL. SELF-SURREXDER DEMANDED.
I. Self-Sarrender in Jesus:
The Son of man must suffer.....and
be killed (31).
Asa lamb that
Isa, 53 : 7
things? (Luke 24 : 26).
For this cause came 1 un!
{Jolin 12 : 27).
When he was reviled,
(1 Pet. 2:29
IL Self-Assertion in Man:
Peter took him, and began
him (32).
Let us break thel
2:3
Be it far from Lord:
never be unto thee (Matt, 16 ; 22
We will not that this man reign over us
{Luke 19 : 14).
Crucify, crucify him (Luke 23
HI. Seli-sarrender in Man:
Let him deny himself, and take up his
3
reviled
1i0st
BO
to rebuke
r bands asunder (Psa.
il
thee, this shall
« BY
3 921).
He that loseth his life for my sake shall
find it { Matt, 10 : 39).
I am ready to go both to prison and to
death {Luke 22 : 33).
1 am ready....to die at Jernsalem for
«ov. the Lord Jesus (Acts 21 : 13).
They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder (Heh, 11 : 37).
1. **The Son of man must suffer,” (1)
The exalted Sufferer; (2) The myse-
" terious suffering; (3) The fllimitable
results,
2. “Get thee beliind me, Satan.” (1)
An instantaneous detection; (2) An
emphatic repulse,
. “let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow me.” The
conditions of Christian discipleship:
(1) Self-denial; (2) Cross-bearing;
(3) Christ-Tollowing.
11, SELF-SURRENDER REWARDED,
IL Lite Saveal:
Whosoever shall lose his life for my
sake. ...shall save it (35),
He shall receive. . . inthe world to come
eternal life (Mark 10 : 30),
Whosoever shall lose his life shall pre-
serve it (Luke 17 : 33).
He that hateth his life... shall keep it
unto life eternal (John 12 : 25),
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee the crown of life (Rev.
¥:10).
IL Profit Secared:
What doth it profit a man, to gain the
whole world, and forfeit his life? (36).
Better is a little that the righteous hath
(Psa. 37 : 16).
Better is little with the fear of the Lond
(Prov, 15 ; 16).
He shall receive a hundredfold now
Gedline Ds ata for all things (1
Ness ole for t
Tim, 4: 8),
HL Acknowlasdgment Gained:
nie ied of mie, .. ashamed of him
Sn. .. Who shall confess me, .... hm
will I also contess | Mati, 10 : 83),
Ha the Son of a iui
#3
!
before the angels (Luke 13 : 8).
% ® Mos oh ae
With the mouth confession 8 made
unto salvation (Rom. 10 ; 16),
If we endure, we shall also reign with
him (2 Tim. 2 : 12).
1. “Whosoever would save his life
shall Jose it.” (1) The servant's
effort; (2) The Lord's decree,
Earnest striving ; (2) Grievous
failure,
, “What doth it profit a man, to gain
the whole world and forfeit his
life?'?(1) The supposed gain (2) The
fearful forfeit; (8) The irremendi-
able loss,
, “Till they see the kingdom of God
come with power.” (1) The coming
kingdom; (2) The peerless King; 13)
The welcome sight,
Se ——————————
LESSON BIBLE READING,
BELY-DENIAL ILLUSTRATED.
Abraham (Gen. 13:9; Heb, 11
B-10),
In Moses (Heb, 11 : 24, 25).
In David (2 Sam, 23 : 15-17),
In Daniel (Dan. 5 : 16, I7).
In the apostles (Mark 10 : 28.38).
In Barnabas (Acts 4 : 36, 37).
In Paul (Acts 20 : 24; 21 : 13).
In Jesus (Matt, 8:20; Rom. 15:3;
EE ——————— _
LESSON SURROUNDINGS,
The interval between the preaching
tour of the twelve and the occurrences
at Cesarean Philippi covered several
months, During this period our Lord
wade a number of journeys, the pu:-
pose of which is not in every case un-
derstood, but which stand closely re-
| lated to the remarkable ehange in pon
| ular opigon manifesting eel! in Gali-
{ le at the beginning of the last year of
{our Lord’s mimstry,
{ How long a time the disciples spent
| in their preaching tour we do pet know,
| During their labors Herod heard of
| Jesus, and deemed him John the Bap-
| ist risen from the dead (Mark 6 : 14.
{ 16), The murder of the Baptist seems
| to have occurred but a shert time be-
{fore (Mark © : 17-20), On the return
| oi the disciples (possibly alse on oc-
{ count of the death of John) eur Lord
{ withdrew with them Jo find rest [Mark
16:30, 31); but the multBudes followed
| to the east side he lake, and there
| were miraculously fed (Mark 6 : 32-
44... The crowds wished to make him
| a King {John 6 : 15), but he sent away
{ the disciples hile bimsoif with-
drew, Daurir the stormy night oui
{ Lord rejoined his disciples, walking on
of
18
w
Vi
or
”
45-02), Reaching the olber shore, a
number of miracles were wrought
| {Mark 6 : 52-56); but the chief incident
| was a discussion at Capermaum which
turned the tide of popularity (Jolin 6 :
| 26-71). From this timeonward ths op-
| position in Galilee was pronounced, A
| conflict with the Pharisees (Mark 7 : 1.
led to a withdrawal te Tyre amd
Sidon, where the Interview with the
Syropheenician woman ocourred (Mark
(7 : 24-30). By a circuitous route our
| Lord then journeyed 1o the east gide of
| the Jake, performing a gradual mir-
| acle, narrated by Mark only (Mark 7 :
| 31-37). In the same region a second
miracle of feeding occurred (Mark 8;
| 1-8), after which there was a return to
the west side of tbe lake, where fresh
opposition met them (Mark 8: 16-12),
Recrossing to the neighborhood of east
ern Dethsaida, the discourse about
leaven was uttered (Mark 8: 13-213,
followed by another gradual miracle,
peculiar to Mark (Mark 8 : 22-26),
Thus Galilee was virtually against
{ our Lord. The account of Matthew is
parallel, and presents no additienal in-
cidents, except the attempt of Peter to
walk upon the water (Matt, 14 ; 28-31).
The place was in the meighborbood of
Caesarea 'hilippl, an important city,
| pear Lhe head-waters of the upper Jor-
dan, at ie base of Mount Hermon,
| now called Ban:as, It is about twenty
miles north of the Sea of Galilee. The
time was probably about midsummer
of the year of Rome 782 (A. D. 29),
|
wid ]
EE
A Story With a Moral.
| A few years ago, when the gamb-
| ling houses were running wide open, a
young man who held a goed position,
| with more responsibility than salary at.
| tached to it, in a promiventdown town
office, fell a prey to the gambling pas-
| sion, His salary quickly exhausted at
{ the fascinating game of fare, il was
| but a short step to the cash drawer of
| his employers, and he soon feund to his
| dismay that be was mn the hels to the
{extent of some hundreds of dollars
| Exposure seemed inevitable and he
| visited a friend and solicited a loan of
1820. Asked why he Jvanted it be told
{ the friend all and said he desired to
leave town to avoid arrest and humill-
ation! The amount was forthcoming,
| but like many others, he sought to win
| back his losings with that small stake,
| and, finding this Impossible, he sought
{to drown his sorrow in drink. The
| friend who loaned him the money with
{ which to leave town saw him in a
| maudlin state in a hell on West Mad-
ison street, and gave him up as lost,
| Here endeth the first chapter.
The young victim of faro awoke the
next morning with a very large head
and in a fit of desperation. Taking a
sudden resolve, he visited hisemplovers
and made a clean breast of his follies,
temptations and crime. They liked
the young man, as be was bright and
talented, and they treated him kindly.
They agreed that if be would sign the
pledge and abstain from gambling
they would put him in a position where
he would have no temptation and
would deduct from his salary $20 per
month until his defalcation was made
good. Well, he the proposi-
tion and held manfully to his pledges,
In a litte over two years he had dis.
charged the debt aud was attending
strictly to business in a way that gain-
ed for hun the admiration and good
will of the firm’s senior member, Last
year the junior member drew out and
the young man was given the partner.
ship. A few months ago the head of
the firm died, and now the business is
controlled by the same young man
whose whole life was nearly wiecked
by an unfortunate mistake, This isa
true story, and there are a Yow who will
be able to furnish the characters with
their proper names,
One police patrol wagon in Boston
tL tsi during a Saturday