وو requires to be winnowed of its chaff. His eager desire for knowledge, his search after it under difficulties, and his self-consecration to Christ, present an instructive example to young men. "Buds of Hope" is the title of the second book, which gives a touching narrative of two boys, natives of Cupar, who manifested a high degree of Christian attainment, and whose remarkable characters and happy deaths are satisfactorily authenticated. We shall always be thankful for books like these latter. NOTES ON THE UNION'S LESSON SCHEME FOR 1870. LESSON LI.-DECEMBER 18. JOSEPH ENTERTAINETH HIS BRETHREN.-Genesis xliii. 1-34. I. The second journey to Egypt, 14.-The famine still continued. It was severe in Canaan; and the supply of corn was again exhausted. Jacob wished his sons to go and buy more corn. They know that it is useless to go without Benjamin, and say so. The old man is naturally very loth to allow him go. He is afraid some evil may befall him, and is angry with his sons for having told the Egyptian governor that they had another brother. They again explain how it all came about. They could not but answer his questions; and they could not have told that he would have asked if they had a brother. At last Judah offers to give his life in surety for Benjamin's, which has the effect of overcoming Jacob's reluctance. Notice how God was working, in all this, to bring about His ends. Man proposes, but God disposes. Notice also how Jacob unites means with prayer. He sends a present to "the man ;" but he also solemnly commends the whole of them to God Almighty. Mark the expression-Almighty. Jacob had had experience already of His power. Had He not delivered him from Laban and from Esau? and could not He, who was the Almighty, deliver Benjamin from "the man?" How safe are those who have the Almighty as their friend!-the Almighty, the All-Powerful, who has control over all men and over all things. No fear of Benjamin if God Almighty is his friend. Read Hebrews xiii. 6. II. The Banquet, 15-34.—On arriving in Egypt, the sons of Jacob were eager to explain about the money which had been found in their sacks' mouth. They apply to the steward, tell him how they had found the money, and how they have brought double money on this occasion. So far so good. They are at least honest men; and the steward calms their fears by telling them that they were not to blame, for he had done it. Learn that honesty is always its own reward. They might have said, "This money is ours;" but they would not do so. They bring it down again to Egypt. So should we act on all occasions. Notice further how Joseph's influence is being felt in Egypt. The steward (v. 23) knows something of their God, and of their father's God. Joseph, though now high in station, has not forgotten his father's God; and, through him, those who are about him are brought to know God. He was a true missionary. But, in this sense, every one can be a missionary. Every Sabbath school scholar can speak a word for God. The steward further re-assures them by releasing Simeon. They had brought down Benjamin, and Simeon may now be set free. They are now brought into Joseph's house, and all due hospitality is shewn them. How different is Joseph's treatment of them from that of theirs to him! He receives them into his house, he causes water for their feet to be given them, and does not even forget their asses. Here was heaping coals of fire upon their heads. When they come to know who it is that is doing all this, surely they will loathe themselves for their cruelty to him, and love him for his generosity to them. But Joseph's love was nothing to Christ's for us. He gave himself for us when we were enemies, and with himself He freely gives us all things. How can we refuse to love Him? Notice how wonderfully Joseph's dreams are fulfilled. They bow down their heads and make obeisance to him, Again, mark the strength of Joseph's love for Benjamin. He cannot say much when he sees him, for his heart is too full for words. He prays that God may be gracious to him, and hurriedly leaves the room, and weeps. How true a man is Joseph! Prosperity did not turn his head. He is not ashamed of his brother. He loves him as tenderly as when they both played round his father's tent in the grove of Mamre. Now, this was the mark of a true man; and Joseph weeping at the sight of Benjamin is greater and nobler than Joseph in the second chariot, and with the chain of gold about his neck. Another surprise awaits them. They are placed at table in the order of their ages; and Benjamin is specially honoured. The men marvelled. They looked at one another in amazement, and could not account for it. Soon all was made clear. Joseph was leading them by a way they did not understand; but he knew the end. So now. God often leads His people in what appear strange ways; but in the end they can say, "He hath done all things well." Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 51.--Psalm cv. 21-24. Text for Non-Reading Classes. "And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birth-right, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another."-Genesis xliii. 33. LESSON LII.-DECEMBER 25. THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.-Matt. xiv. 1-14. This incident comes in as a parenthesis in the life of Jesus Christ. The powerful words and mighty works of the Saviour, together with the preaching and miracleworking of the twelve disciples, when sent forth by Him, (see Mark vi. 12, 13,) had created a stir-a fame, of which, among others, Herod the tetrarch heard. Instead, however, of hailing the advent of the Messiah, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, his conscience suggests another prophet to his mind, namely, John the Baptist; and with this explanation the Evangelist proceeds to give an account of the death of the forerunner. I. Refer to John, and recall his work and character, predicted in Isa. xl. 3, and Mal. iii. 6, fulfilled in his preaching, which gathered around him crowds from all classes of society. His greatness was mentioned by the angel, (Luke i. 15,) and testified to by Jesus, (Matt. xi. 11.) II. Speak particularly of Herod. (1,) He is not to be considered as an ignorant heathen. He was an educated man, and he had listened to the preaching of John. The evangel of his day (see Acts xix. 4) was made known to him, and in outward circumstances he was brought near to the kingdom. He had, however, permitted great and outrageous sin to gain the mastery over him, so slighting the teachings of conscience, and outraging all the dictates of education and knowledge. (2) Refer here to his relationship to John, whose courage and faithfulness became specially conspicuous. It was comparatively easy to preach to the crowd of Pharisees and Sadducees, of Publicans and soldiers; it was much more difficult and dangerous to denounce and rebuke individual sin, and, before kings, to testify in behalf of purity and truth. See Luke iii. 19, also Mark vi. 18, where the "had said," implies that he had done so more than once, and that, in fact, it was the burden of his exhortations to Herod. Herod could not endure this. Aware that his life was wrong, he would not so battle with his favourite sin as to put it right. He therefore smothers conscience, and immures John in the dungeon, that he may sin in quiet and at pleasure overhead. (3,) Still he cannot get rid of the matter so. He would satisfy conscience if the matter would but admit of compromise. He restrains Herodias, who would have made short work with John, (see Mark vi. 19.) He fell in with the common estimate of John, that he was a prophet, (v. 5.) He feared John himself, and when he heard him, did many things gladly, (Mark vi. 20;) perhaps from a desire to compromise and atone for his great outstanding sin. (4,) Sin was meanwhile cherished, and, as a necessary result, increased its power over him. In the circumstances, his conscience could not but be weakened and darkened, and evil could not but be gaining force and momentum in those assaults upon him, which might at any time sweep him away. (5,) Evil at length triumphs. The struggle had been going on. John was still alive, and Herod conversing occasionally with him. Herodias knows of it, and lays her plans accordingly. A "convenient day," (see Mark vi. 21,) a day with circumstances suitable for her fell purpose, soon comes round. The feast, the dance, are all contrived and arranged by her. The sinful oath, the request, the compliance, although reluctant, are all parts of the sad tragedy, all downward steps to that point and state, where the restraints of principle and conscience are finally snapped, and sin and evil are triumphant, (see v. 6-11.) III. Connect all this with the history of Jesus. The fame of Jesus reaches Herod; and conscience, which had been smitten in John's dungeon, rises, we might almost say, from the dead, and assails him with its terrors. V. 1, "He," that is, he himself; he, and no other, has risen from the dead; and Mark vi. 16, "whom I beheaded." In both there is the emphasis which conscience, goaded by fear and guilt, compelled him to give. Still he does not accept Jesus; and in the latest scenes of the Saviour's life, the guilty part which Pilate performs with a reluctance which almost gains our sympathy, certainly our pity, Herod commits with a ready flippant malignity, (see Luke xxiii. 8-11,) which shews how evil had gained upon him. In closing, refer again to John,—his work, his faithfulness, his martyrdom for truth. Dwell specially upon sin in connection with Herod-its nature, its danger, its power. Warn specially against only one sin, "that rotting inward slowly moulders all;" and, in closing the lessons of the year, point to the Saviour, who was called Jesus, because He was to save His people from their sins. Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 52.-Paraphrase lix. 1-4. Text for Non-Reading Classes. "But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask." -Matthew xiv. 6, 7. M'LAREN & ERSKINE, PRINTERS, GLASGOW. |