A J arts/ /cm- THE BIBLICAL CATECHISM, - DESIGNED FOR SABBATH SCHOOLS. BY ■ REV. .1. J/LANSDELL. NO. 1* RALEIGH : IB I. K'Al, BS'OOSDIB PBI.KT 1863. Entered according lo Act of Congress, in the year 1863, By J. J.LANSDELL, In the Clerk's Office of the District Coivrt of the Conl'ed- •rate States, for the District of Pamlico, North Carolina. TO THE SABBATH SCHOOLS CONEECTED WITH THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE CONFEDERATE STATES THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED WHIT THE HUMBLE HOrE THAT IT MAY Rl OF ROME SERVICE TO THOSE WHO ARK ENGAGED IN TEACHING RELIGIOUS TRUTH TO THE RISING GENERATION. /lOtz&yc\ PREFACE. This work, which is now offered to the public, has been called forth by the exi- gencies of the times. The scarcity of Sab ■bath School text books since the beginning of the present war has been a serious draw- back in the efficiency of Sabbath School instruction, and the scarcity of Scripture question books has been especially felt. It is hoped that this volume will supply, in part, the present demand. In its prepara- tion, my object has been to present plain truths in a plain manner, so that the young student may be instructed instead of puz- zled. In teaching, the student should be re- quired to commit to memory such passages of Scripture as are referred to, as well as those copied in the lesson, so as to impress on the youthful memory such Scripture truth as will be the foundation of a sound theology in time Jo come. 4£25??0 That this work may be of service to those who are engaged in the great work of Sabbath School instruction, is the sincere desire and humble prayer of THE AUTHOR kAL-BTou, N. C., May, 1863. LESSOR r ation c/ Man k. Who made you ? Am.' God. In what image was man created i hi the image of God. Genesis 1 : 27. " God created man in his own image, in the image of God created be him." Out of what was man formed: Out of the dust of the earth . Did his soul come from the dust of the earth .' No: his soul came more directly from God. Genesis 2:7. " And the Lord God formed man of tlje dust of the ground, and breath- ed into his nestrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." In what natural condition was man created I "Male and female created he them," Gen. 1 : 27. Wnatwas man's relative position to other porti Cod's creation 2 He was superior to all other. » Gen. 1: 28. "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and Bob- due it and have dominion ovei the the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." • What was man's moral condition < k It was good. Gen. 1: 31. "And God saw every thing that he had made arid behold it was very good." 'Tis fey thy power, Almighty God, The heavens and earth were made ; Thy hand the starry heavens spread, And earth's foundations laid. The teeming millions of the sea, And creeping things of .earth, At thy command j Eternal God, Were ushered into birth. nun chief o'er all thy works below, Man, honored man was. made ; His soul with God's pure image stamp©.), Witli innocence arrayed. ipleted now the mighty work, Go.l, bis creation viewed ; d, pleased with all that he bad-made, Pronounced it very good. > LESSON II. dl and Depravity of Man. . What is the chief purpose for which man was seated ? 9 Ans. To love and to serve God. Dent. 6: 5. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy miff ht," . ..." and him only shalt thou serve/ 1 Mat. 4: 1<>. Does man answer this great end of his creation ? He does not; he hates God, and refuse io serve him. Romans 8 : 7. "The carnal mind i mil y against God." Ps. 53 : 23- "God •I down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back ; .... there is none that doeth good, no, nof one.' 1 ' What wouhlNi'U Bay of man, seeing 'that this is his con Jition '. 1 would say that he is a sinner. Arc all men .-'Miners ' . They are; "for all have sinned, and come short of the glorv of God." Rom '■'> : 23. What constitutes man a sinner? The transgression of the law. ki Whosoever commiteth sin trarisgresseth also the law; for sin is the 1 rahsgression o1 the law." 1 John 3:4. What is meant by tra; It means a refusing to»do those things liired by the Taw 10 W hose law lias man refused to obey < The law of God, and lias thereby become a sinner against God. Does God hold man accountable for hir- Bins? He does ; and unless lie repent lie must perish, and be punished forever. Luke .13 : 3. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Matt. 25 : 46. ' " These shall go away into everlasting punish menfe" How sad ouv state by nature is ! Our sin, how deep it stains ! And Satan binds our captive minds Fast in bis slavish chains. Brit] bark! a voice of sovereign love "lis Christ's inviting word — ; Ho ! ye despairing sinners, come, And trust upon tneLord." .My son! obeys tli' almighty .call, And runs to this relief; I would believe thy promise, Lord o, help my unbelief. To the deai fountain of thy blood, • Incarnate God, 1 fty : I [ere Let me wash my spotted soul. From stains of deepest dye. A guilty, weaic, and helpless worm, On thy kind arms 1 ftdl ; Be thou my strength and righteousness M v - : :iv iour ana Hay all. 11 LESSON III Fall and Depravity (/",. \\, little children sinners! Ans % They are. Whal make them sinners '. They are sinners because they are of a sinful race. What a e some of the first developments oJ the iiion of children 8 Disobedience to parents. Is it wrong for children to disobey tin;: pal It is ; because parents are more likely to know what is good for their children than children are themselves. Can you give any farther evidence that it is wrong and uinful lor children to disobey their parents ; I can. Exodus 20: 12. "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy Godgiyetn thee/' « an you give *tfj farther evidence of the sinful disposi ! i'ii of children \ . I Can. Ps. 51 : 5. ' " Behold, I was slia pen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me, Job. 14:4. ' < *5\ T ho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean I Not one. do these passages seem to teach They teach that t are likewise sinners. i'hey teach that the children of sinners 12 . Who were I Adam and Eve, who were the first man and woman, and from whom all oilier men have sprung. How did Adam and Eve become dinners ' By disobeying God. . What command did they disobey '. " The Lord God commanded man, saying of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat." Gen 2 : 16, 17. Was God displeased with Adam because of his disobe- dience. lie was ; so much so that he drove him out of the garden of Eden, and placed ob- structions to his entering it again. See Gen. .3 : 23, %L Ts God displeased with all wicked persons? He is. " God is angry with the wicked < very day." Ps. 7:11. Did the whole race of manjbecome sinners by reason of Anceivcd in sin. And born unhol\%nd unclean : 13 Sprung from the man whose guilty fall Corrupts the race, and taints us all. Soon as we draw our infant breath. The seeds of sin grow up for death; Thy law demands a perfect heart, But wo 're defiled in every part. Great God, create <>ur hearts anew, And form our spirits pure and true : O, make us wise betimes, to see Our danger and our remedy. LESSON IV. Guilt and Depravity. ijm s. From what we have seen of the teachings of the Scriptures, what would you say of the condition of man i Ans. I would say that his condition is most wretched and helpless. Why i3 his condition wretchod ? Because he is under the curse of God. What is that curse? "The soul that sinneth it shall (fie," Ezekiel 18 : 4, and since all men are sin ners, all rest under this curse. Why is man's condition helpless ? Because h%is in a condition from which it is impossible for him to relieve himself. Can you «xplain this ? I think I can. We can get into difficul- ties much easier than we can get out of 14 them ; I could faU down a precipice that I could not climb up again. Do we experience any oi the evil consequences oi" bin in this world i We do ; all our sorrows, afflictions and toils ; all pestilences, famines and Avars, are the results of sin. What were the temporal curses which God pronounced against Adam when he sinned ? " Cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat of the herb of the field : in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken ; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou re- turn." Gen. 3 : 17, 18, 19. Have mankind universally experienced these calami- ties?' They have in every particular. Are temporal calamities the only evil effects of sin which men experience ? No, by no means. They are but tlie be- ginning, and admonish us of aii eternity of misery after death. Can you give . any Scripture proof of* a 'future state n't misery and torment? " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Ps. 1) : IT. " The rich man died also, and was bur- 15 ied ; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, be- ing in torment," Luke 16 : 22, 23. What do these terrible consequences of sin teach us I They teach us God's great abhorrence of sin, and admonish us to seek a remedy for sin. What does Paul say of the natural condition of man :ib a sinner i That he is " dead in trespasses and sins ' Eph. 2 : 1. Can a dead thing bring itself to life? It can not. Can sinners, therefore, who are spiritually dead, restore themselves to spiritual life ? They cannot; this must be done by the power of God. Eph. 2 : 4, 5. If we are not restored to spiritual life while in this world, what must our condition be in the world t<> come ? We must experience forever all the terri- ble consequences of that spiritual death in which we are now involved by reason ot ctttr sins. Have you any evidence that you have been restored t~ spiritual life? How is our nature spoiled by sin ! Yet nature ne'er hath found The way to make the conscience clean. Or heal tho painful wound. In vain we seek for peace with God By methods of our own ; 16 Jesus, there'* nothing but thy' blood Can bring us near thy throne. The threateniugs of thy broken law . Impress our souls with dread ; If God his s*word of vengeance draw It strikes our spirits dead. But thine illustrious sacrifice Hath answered these demands, And peace and pardon from the skies Come down by Jesus' hands. 7 Tis by thy death we live, O Lord ; 'Tison thy cross we rest: Forever be thy love adored, Thy name forever blest. LESSON V. Christ, our Saviour. Ques. We have seen the wretched condition of man w a sinner ; is there any way by which he can be saved from. his sins and restored to the favor of God? Arts. There is ; " God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3: 16. What would you call this announcement ! I would call it the gospel. What does the word gospel mean ? It means good netos. 17 Canyon explain haw this announcement is good news t© the sinner i I think I can. If a man were perishing with hunger, and it should be announced to him that some kind friend had offered to feed him, and thus to save him from death, I would consider it good news to the per- ishing man ; and so the announcement of salvation to guilty sinners is good news to them. What caused God to provide salvation for sinners i His love for them— " God so loved the world/' What is meant by the expression "the world" '. The men in the workl, who are sinners. What did God do to provide salvation lor sinners ! He gave his only begotten Son. Was not this a great gift? It was. I do not sco how a greater gifl could have been made. What would you say, then, of the love which moved the Almighty in bestowing so great a gift? T would say that the love was equal to the gift. Did God love us because we were lovely ? No; he did not, but because we were helpless, and he pitied us. Do you suppose that any thins* less than the i God's Son would have effected our salvation .' I suppose it would not, or God, in hi wisdom, would have pre \ i.icd it* 1? De you suppose that any thing less than the gift of God's Son weuld have been a full expression of God's love to us ? I suppose it would not, or he would have given expressions of his love only through other means. What would you'say, then, of the gift of God's son -for our redemption? I would say that it is the hfgkest ex^ pression of God's love. Ought we not to love God, in return for the greal love therewith lie loves us { Do mankind generally love God .' They do not; hut on the contrary, they hate him, and despise his laws. Do you love* God? Pliiiio'ed in a gulf of dark despair, We wretched sinners lay, Without birth of Christ * A star was seen by certain wise men of the east, and it went before them, until il itoocl over the place where Jesus was. — Matt. 2:9. . When these wise men came into the presence of the Infant Jesns, what i .Christ? The ordinance of baptism being obserx ed by him, he acknowledged it to be of divine appointment, and thereby laid an example for his people in all coming time. When Jesus was baptized, what remarkable occurrence took place as he went up out of the water? " The heavens were opened unto him, and . -30 lie saw the Spirit of Clod descending like a dovej and lighting upon him ; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, this is my be- loved Son, in whom I am well pleased. '' Mat 3 : 16, 17. Did any besides Christ see the descent of the Spirit upon him ? John saw it, and by this he' 4 knew that Jesus was the Messiah ; and therefore di- rected the people to Christ, saying, " Be- liokl the Lamb of God, which taketh 'away the sin of the world.' 7 John 1 : 29 to 34. How old was Jesus, when he was baptized \ About thirty years old. I >id John baptize any one after he. baptized Jesus i Yes ; he baptized " in Enon near to S a Mm' 1 at the same time the disciples of Jesus were baptizing in Judea. John 3 : 22, 23, and 4 : 2, 'What dispute arose about this time between some oi John's disciples and the Jews ? John 3 : 25. A dispute in regard to purifying. What do you suppose was the nature of that dispute I I think it was because the disciples of John had neglected the Jewish rites of pu- rifying since their baptism. (For some of those rites, read Numbers 19th ch.) What did John say aboui Ibis time in regard to bl- own mission and the mission of Ch He said, "He must increase, but I must decrease , ,? John 3 : 30. 31 What did John faith in Christj " He that beleiveth on the Son hatli ever- lasting lii'e ; and he that beleiveth not the Son snail not see life; but the wrath of God abidctb on him." John 3: 36. Do you believe on Christ a* your personal Saviour? How did John end his da}> .' ' He was put in prison by Herod because he reproved him for . his wickedness, and was finally beheaded to satisfy the rerengi of Herod's wife. Matt. U: 3 to 12. What two remarkable tacts are seen in tljje lifg and death of John the Baptist i * He was the first preacher under the gos- pel dispensation, and the first martyr under that dispensation. Come, happy souls, adore the Land). Who loved our race ere time began, Who veiled his Godhead in our Clay And in an humble manger lay.. To Jordan's stream the Spirit led. To mark the path his saints should t read With joy they trace the sacred way, To see the place where Jesus lay.* Baptized by John itf Jordan's wave, The Saviour lel't his watery grave; Heaven owned the deed, approved tho \\ av. And blessed the place where Jesue lay. Come, all who love his precious name, t'ome, tread his steps, and learn of him ; Happy beyond expression they Who find the place where Jesus lay. LESSON X. The Temptations of Christ. Ques. What remarkable thing happened to Chi i mediately after his baptism ? . Jins. lie was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^ of the devil," where he fasted forty days and forty nights. Matt. 4: 1, 2. How did the devil begin his temptations i By saying to Christ, " if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Matt. 4:3..* Is thorc any particular cunning in this temptation? There is. Christ was hungry, and Satan embraced this as a favorable opportunity to induce him to yield to his temptations. What argument did Satan use in this temptation 3 "If thou be the Son of God ;" in which Satan implies that if he did not turn the stones into bread to satisfy his hunger, that he could not be the Son of God. . How did Christ repulse the tempter in th tion ? With the word 6f God; by saying, " It is written, Man shall not live by 1 alone, but by every word that proeeedeth \ out of the mouth of God." Matt, 4 : 4. What great truth is taught in this temptation ? That we should not yield to the tempta- 1 33 tions of Satan and commit sin 'because of present bodily necessities. Wliat was the nexl temptation? tk Then the devil taketh him into the holy city, and scttcth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down ; for it is written, lie shall give his angels charge concerning thee ; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Matt. 4 : 5, G. What was Christ's reply to this? "It* is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (v. 7) Here Christ asserts his divinity,#nd Satan is re- pulsed by the assertion. What important lesson do wc derive from this tempta 'i<>n' That we should not rashly and unneces- sarily expose our lives or persons to clanger, and at the same time rely upon God to pro tect and sustain us. What was the next temptation? " Again the devil taketh him up into au exceeding high mountain, and showethhim all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them ; and saith unto him, all these will I give thee, if thou wilt full down and worship me." vs.. 8, 9. i ■ , M , .1 V ! "Get thee hence, Satan; loi il is writ tliou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and' him only shalt thou serve." v. 10. What is particularly remarkable in this temptation '. That Satan rendered himself so contemp- late by promising to give that which did not belong to him, and by presenting him- self as a proper object of worship, that all that was necessary to repulse him was to -command him to depart by authority of God's word. What do we learn in these temptation's in regard to the arguments to be employed against Satan and error ? les did the bap ■iizing under his authority. John 4: 2. Who arCauthorizud to baptize ? Those who have been baptized thqi£selveSj and have been set apart to" the work of the gospel ministry. Matt. 2S : 10. Why do you say that a man must he baptized lud'ore he is authorized to baptize? Because a man can not i-ive that which he has not received. Bat did not those baptisms of which we haye speaking ; take place before any were chosen to l!i a of the ministry ? * They did; but they were perform* der.the personal' super vis. on oi ''(>[■ Ms direct authority. i u; John tb< Baptii I .;iy that th< ■ Because John's business was, "to ra i< ly a people prepared for the Lord," (Luke 1 : 17,) and we have seen that the first disciples of Christ were those who had been John's disciples. John 1 : 35 — 37. Tint wore not those who had l>ccn baptized by John baptized over again l . There is no evidence that any of them were. Whom did CIu'kI choose as the first mini pel l Twelve, whom he named apostles. What were their names 5 Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Pa» tholomcw, Matthew, Thomas, ''James, the son of Alpheus, Simon called Zelot.es, ,\\ the brother of James, and Judas Iscai" Wire all of these good men? They were not ; Judas Iscariot was a ve ry bad man — so much so that Christ called liim a devil. John 6 : 70. What important lesson do we leans Crom this oil We learn not to judge of men from their I on or office, but from their acts, f To whom did Christ send tho twelve Apostles'* I u To the lost sheep of the house of Israel. r Malt. 10 : 6. What docs this mean ! 40 II m^aiib that their labors were to be con- fined to the Jews, for they were specially coin nianded not to go to the Gentiles or to Samaritans. Matt. 10 : 5.. What were they commanded to preach ? That "the 'kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Matt. 10 : 7. What docs Mark say they preached ? " That men should repent." Mark 6 : 12. Was this according to their instructions ! It was ; for the doctrine of repentance is an important doctrine of the kingdom. What else did Christ tell them to do ? r To " heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils." Matt. : 8. Did they do any of these things ? " They cast out many devils,. and anoint- ed with oil. many that were sick, and healed them." Mark 6: 13. What did Christ tell the Apostles in regard to their sup- port and providential protection? " Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your jour- ney, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves ; for the workman is worthy of his meat." Matt. 10 : 10, 11. What practical lesson is derived from this instruction? That ministers of the gospel should he supported by those to whom they preach. I Did Christ choose any besides ilic twelve to the work of the ministry: lie did. lie choose seventy others, and gave them similar authority to that of the twelve, and sent them out two and two Luke lOtli chapter. When they returned to Christ what report did they, bring? They "returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." Luke 10 : 17. What did Christ tell them in regard to their joy i "* In this rejoice not, because the spirits are subject unto you ; but rather rejoice, because your names arc written in heaven, 1 Luke 10: 20. \V hat is" better than all things else 3 An assurance that our names are writ! < in heaven. Broad is the road that leads to death, And thousands walk together tjti But wisdom shows a narrow path, With here. and there a traveller. 11 J)cny thyself and take thy cross," Is the Redeemer's great command : Nature must eouut. her gold but di If she would gain this heavenly hind. ©jord, let not all my nopes be wain . < Jreate my heart entirelj new— "•v hicH \>\ poci Lteja could ne>ei all 111 W hich i'l-, 42 ' LESSON XIII, The Ministry of Christ. Ques, Where did Christ commence his ministry ■ A7is. Ill Galilee, the country where he lived. What advantage does there seem to be in this \ If he had been a bad man, the people could have testified against him, for they knew him ; but being a good man, nothing coil hi be said against him. How did he employ his time': lie u went about all Gallilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people." Matt. 4 : 23. Did Christ continue to occupy his time in this way ? He did ; for we have the same account m Matt 0: 35. What was the clfect of these vfon&crs which Chrii I formed \ " His fame went throughout all Syria ; and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those, which were possessed wTih devils, and these which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy ; and lie heal ed them. And there followed him great; multitudes of people from Galilee, and De-» capolis, and Jem ad Judea, an pond Jordan." Matt. I . 2£, low him ?" It is not, for the people of this country would act in the same way ii' such wonders were peformed among us. \fim- this what did Christ <1<, } lie went np into a mountain, and called Liis disciples unto him, and taught them Matt. .5: 1, 2. Where are the toaetiinge of Christ which h 1 recorded .' In the 5th, *(>th, and 7tb chapter,; <>t' Mad What arc tJie.sc teachings usually called 1 Christ's sermon on the mount. What is the character of Chi. in thi. . i mob '. He first tells us who are blessed, (ch. 5 ' 3—11 ,) and then gives us important instruc tions for the regulation of our lives. Wliat docs he tcU his people Ihcy arc } That they are thusalt of the earth, ihc light of the world, ch. 5 : 13, 14. What is the virtue of salt ? It is preserving, and so christians by their presence in the world preserve society from corruption -and ruin. What is the use of light \ ■ That we may see surrounding objects, and shun dangers, and follow after that which is good. What does Christ tell Lis people to do, as the light of the world? " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 1 ' v. 16, What docs he tell us about swearing ' "Swear not at all ; but let your conver- sation be yea, yea,, — nay, nay, for whatso- ever is more, than these cometh of evil." ch. 5 : 35—37. What docs he teach about resisting evil! That we are not to resist evil, by render- ing evil for evil, but to do good for evil. ch. 5: 38—41. What docs he tell us in regard to our conduct toward our enemies? "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, [tray for them which dcspitcfully use you and persecute you." ch 5-: 43— 4o\ [f men generally would adopt this rule, what would boi i lie effect? The world would be much better oft', and mankind much more happy. Compared with Christ, in all beside No comeliness I see ; The one thing needful, dearest Lord, is to be one with thee. 45 i 1 1 ■ ■ bl ■ . ell will not suffice My comforts to restore : More than thyself I can not crave- Nov canst thou give me more. Loved of my God, for him again With love intense I'd burn ; Chosen of thee, ere time began, I'd choose thec in return." Whatc'er consists not with thy will, < > teach me to resign ; I'm rich to all th'intcuts of b Since thou, my God, art mine. LESSON XIY. The Ministry of Christ. What does Christ teach us about giving alma ? • Ans. That we arc not to give alms to be seen of men, for if we do we will have no reward of our • heavenly Father. Matt. 6 : 1—4. What does ho say ef those who give alms that they may have glory of men .' He says that they are 'hypocrites, and that they have their reward. What is the reward which such persons receive? The reward that they seek, which is the praise -of men. What is the manner in which Christ tells his people that they must yive ulms? That they must nutlet flu u t\ hand 1 at the right hand dofclh What (Joes this mean? ** That they arc tp|f3c~quiet and unpretehd ing in their charities, and bestow them alone for the sake of doing good. If they do their alms thus secretly, what does Chrisl I'll his people will be the cilect ?■ u Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thoc openly." v. 4. Is it -not better to have the reward which (.iod bestows 1 1 1 ai i to have the praise of men ? " What docs Christ teach in regard to prayci ? — - - m That wc are not to pray as the hypocrites do, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, to be seen of men, but to pray to our heavenly Father in secret. vs. 5, 6. What is a synagogue ? A house for Jewish worship. What is a hypocrite ? One who pretends to be - what he is not. Arc not -hypocrites -detestable eharacU They arc; they arc hateful both before God and mas. Do you suppose that Christ forbids all kinds of public prayer in this instruction? I suppose not ; but only that kind qf pub- lic prayer practiced by the hypocrites. What seemed to be the object of these hypocrites in their public prayers ? •To be seen of men, and to be considered very holy. Will it do us any good to be regarded by nun al I very pious, if our hearts are not right in tliu sight ol ( tod ? It may do us some little good in thi world, but it will .be much worse for us in the world to come. What farther instruction doea Christ give in i prayer? That we must not use rain repetition, the heathen do ; for they ' think that they will be heard for their much sperking. v. 7. ' From what we have seen, what does .Christ seem to teach in regard to praj er ' That our prayers are to be simple, plain, and. earnest. Can you give any farther proof of this manner of pray erl | Christ teaches us to pray after this man- ner : " Our Father which art in . heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom-come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And for- give us our debts, as we forgive* our debt- ors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from; evil: for thine is the king- dom, and the power, and the &loi v forever. ■" A num. vs. — 13. * What is this form of prayci usually called i The Lord's prayer. 48 I suppose not ; but it is given to teach the manner of prayer. What does Christ teach in regard to forgiveness § " If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you ; but' if ye forgive not men their trespasses, nei- ther will your Father forgive your tres passes." vs. 14, 15. Is it not a good thing to have the forgiveness of our heavenly Father •? Our Father, God, who art in heaven, All hallowed be thy name ; Thy kingdom come; thy will be done In heaven and earth the same . Give us this day our daily bread ; And as we those forgive Who sin against us, so may we Forgiving grace receive. Iuto temptation lead us not ; From evil set us free ; And thine the kingdom, thine Hie power, And glory, ever be. LESSON XY. The Ministry of Christ Qiies. What doos Christ teach in regard to fasting? Ans. That we should not fast, to appear unto men to fast, as the hypocrite;- do, but unto onr heavenly Father. Matt. 6: Ifi, 17,18 1!) What is a i The fast which God has chosen is this : to loose the bauds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed g< » free, to break every yoke, to feed the hun- gry, to bring the poor into your house, and to clothe the naked. Isaiah 58 : 0, 7. What is the ordinary signification ol foot ? Acts of abstinence and humility. llow does this agree villi what. God describes as n fasi which will be pleasing to him \ In this way : his people should abstain from personal interests and enjoyments, and humble themselves enough to do these things which he requires. Where does Christ tell as to lay up our treasure In heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where theives do not break through and steal. Matt. 6 : 20. Where docs he tell us our hearts will be? Where our treasure is. Matt. G : 21. What is the christian's treasure which lie lays \\\, in heaven ? His hope of everlasting life. HOwr docs he lay up this treasure ? By faith in Jesus Christ. What does Christ teach in regard to mammoi " Ye <*an n<>f serve God and oO The word mammon is the name of the iSyriac god of wealth : it means here, world- ly possessions of all kinds. •What should be our first great cure ? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." v. 33. What docs Christ mean when he telhs us to " take no thought" for various things necessary to our comfort, in i his life, v's 25— 32 ? . I suppose he means to teach us that wc are to discharge our various duties in the fear of God and not to be troubled about God's providential arrangements. What does Christ teach* in regard to judging one unolh " Judge not, that ye be not judged ; ft r with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; ami with what measure -ye jnecu, it shall be measured to you again." cl'i 7: 1, 2 What is the meaning of this? It seems to mean this: that we are not to ionn an unfavorable opinion of men be- fore WC know anything about them ; for after a while, by. their fruits wc can know litem, v. 17. What are we to understand in verses 3, 4, 5 by 11 and the beanp in the eye ? We are here guarded against a captious spirit of * itfagniiyihg the faults/ while we may ' are. "/ We had beti first, _•. I ii.i oi Qur ;-.ins,. and then we will be much better prepared to assii ( others in re forming their lives. What does Christ loach o ' tng • "Ask, and it shalibq given yon; seek ; and ye shall find ;~knock, and it shajl boo] unto you..' v. 7. For what ai o we i^ For the mercy ofttod, and fhe pardon of fein. Will those be granted- They will. v. 8. For what are we to seek ! "For glory and honoi an tiidM: 23, 24; Whore may we Irani the command i "I Chi Iii fehc New'Testament. Is it not an awlul thing to make'i false profej religion ? It is; for, no matter how many wonders they perform in this world in the name of Christ, yet lie will say unto them in the Judgment, " I never knew you : depart from me, ye that- work iniquity. 1 ' Maw. 7 : 22, 23. What two gates docs Christ tell us oi in the 7(h ch. 61 Matt. The strait gato and the wide gate. 13 (h and 14th v's. What is meant by "strait?" ' . Narrow or difficult. To what way docs this gate belong To the narrow way, which leadeth to life To what way docs the wide gate belong '. To the broad way, which leadeth to de struction. Which way has the greater number in it i There are " many " in the broad way, ai: ! tk lew " in the narrow way. Tn which way arc you? To what does Christ compare thos.c who hem I and Ao them i To a wise man, whieh built his house up- on a rock. v. 24. Wk.. " TIjo rain dosci tided, and Urn and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it foil not: for it was founded upon a rock." v. 25. What arc wc taught in this verse i That genuine christians shall riot be dis- appointed in their hope of heaven by even the most adverse outward circumstances. aristians build theiir hope of heaven upon ;i rock? They do ; upon the rock, Christ. 1 Peter 2 : L * Why is Christ compared to a rock ? ' Because of his iirmiicss, stability anddu- rability. * To what does Ohrist compare* those who hear hi ings and do them not ? To a foolish man, wlio built his house upon the sand. What docs he soy of such a hoii "The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and* it fell ; and great was the faff of it*' v. 27. What do wc learn from this ? That those who built their hope of heav- en upon an improper foundation, will not lie able to stand in the day of trial; and that the loss of the soul is great. Wh cn the people had heard these wonderful teachings oi Chi i ': on the mount, hew VW aife< I ■ They " wore astonished at his doctrine ; for he taught them as one having authori- ty, and not as the scribes.*' vs. 28, 29. lf•• grace, Where'er it i bestowed ; : Is ;i high, I And is the gift of God. .Testis it owns as King, And all-atoning Pri< i! claims no mei But looks for aH in Ch'risl Do bim it loads the soul, When idled with dci Plies to the fountain oi his blood, And trusts his righl tie thy work alone, And that divinely free, Lord, send the Spirit of thy Son. To work this faith in mo. LESS0H XIX r lhe Aliraclcs of Christ. When Christ was in the coast of Tyre and Sidon^ ■aIjo came to Mm ! Matt. 15: 21—28. Ans. A woman of Canaan, of the same coast, who was a gentile. What did she desire ? That he would heal her daughter, who was grievously vexed with, a devil. . Did he immediately grant her request? He did not: "he answered her not a word." v. 23. What did his deoiples desire him to do ?, They requested him to send her away . Why did they make this request ? Because they felt disturbed by her inces- sant cries ; for they said, " she crieth after ns." v. 23. What did Christ then say % lie said, " I am not come but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." v. 24. What encouragement may lie derived' from this saying Lstl That he is the friend of lost sinners, es- pecially of those who truly feel their condi- tion. How did it aifeet the woman? " Then she came and worshiped him say- Lord, help me." v. 25. WhuL did Ohrisl ll n ;n l- Iici u It fa; not mcol to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs." v. 26. What is meant by t 1 By '.'cteldr .' meant the Jews, by "dogs" is meant the Gentiles, and by " bread'' is meant the blessings which I had to bestow. I docs all this put together seem to u- i Tli at it was not according to regular or- der to offer the blessings of the gospel to the Gentiles, until a full oner had been made to the Jews. ■ Why did Christ, who was all goodness, low term as " d<>g" to designate the. Genii'- This being a term of reproach used by the Jews in regard to the Gentiles, he used it, no doubt, to test her faith and humanity. What was the woman's reply to Christ « "Truth Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's ta- ble."' ' What did she mean by this answer '. She meant, no doubt, that when the Jews were well supplied, she. was willing to take the meanest portion of the benefits of Christ. And must not every one who approaches Christ | i lar spirit to this 'I llo mubt. lie must be willing to have just what Christ will give, to receive WfJJ thing at all. G6 What did Christ finally say to the wftmali I afid -vfhal happened to. her daughter? He said unto her, " woman, great is thy faith : be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." v. 28. After this where did Christ-go? and who came unto him? He went up on a mountain near the sea of Galilee, and a great multitude came un- to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others ; and cast them down at Jesus' feet ; and he healed them, v's 29, 30. How were the people affected when they saw these won- derful miracles ? They " wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and blind to see : and' they glorified the God of Israel." v.- 31. How shoul* we- be affected when we see Christ's won- derful works of mercy and grace to mankind ? We should also, glorify the God of Israel. Christ was now in the wilderness, with four thousand people around -him, and they were hungry, and had »o bread but seven loaves, and a few little fishes— what did he. do ?.'■'■ He blessed that bread and the fishes, and broke them, and fed the' whole multitude ; and when they had all eaten they had more left than they had at the beginning ; for they took up of what remained seven baskets Matt. 15: 32—38. How was this ? It was a great miracle. The bread and the fishes, under the blessing of Christ, greatl y m ii 1 tipli ed . What may we learn from this remarkable miracle 1 That Christ can supply our greatest wants, under the most pressing circum- stances. A friend there is — your voices join, Ye saints, to praise his name — Whose truth and kindness are divine, Whose love's a constant flame. When most we need his gracious hand, This friend is always near; With heaven and earth at his command. He waits to answer prayer. His love no end or measure knows, £Jo change ean turn its course ; Immutably the same it flows From one eternal source. LESSON XX. ' TJie Miracles of Christ. Que*. I>id Christ feed any others by miracle betides hie four thousand of which we spake in the proceeding lea- son '. Jlns. He did. He fed five thousand on another occasion, in a similar way. Mark 6: 33—44. 08 How many loaves and fishes had he to begin with on this occasion ? Five loaves and two fishes. How many baskets full of the fragments were taken up on this occasion ? Twelve. After this miracle, where did Jesus send his disciples ? He sent them by ship to the other side of the lake of Gennesareth. Mark G : 45. What kind of a place was Gennesareth ? It was a city, situate at the north end of lake Gennesareth jnst where the river Jor- dan flows into the lake. Where did Christ then go ? He went up on a mountain to pray. v. 4G. What does this circumstance teach us ?. It teaches us the great' importance- of prayer. What kind of voyage had the disciples in crossing the lake ? They had rather a hard voyage ; for the wind was contrary, and they had to toil much in rowing, v. 48. While thus toiling in the ship, what did they see i They saw Jesus walking on the sea, and thought that it was a spirit, and were afraid until he spake unto them, v's 48, 4f>. • What did he say to them ? " Ee of good clieer : it is I ; h& not afraid." v, 50. 09 What happened when Christ went into the ship* The wind ceased, v. 51. Did you ever know a man to walk on the water? • What consoling thought may be derived from this cir- cumstance ? • That Christ is often near his people in times of trouble and danger, to protect and comfort them, when they are least thinking of his presence. What wonderful tilings happened when Christ had gotten over into the lana of Genncsarcth '. Wherever he went, into villages, or cities, or country, the people laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the border of his garment; and as" many as touched him were made whole. v50, Matt, U: 36. What remarkable miracle did Christ perform in Beth- saida* Mark S : 22— 2fi. He restored a blind man to his sight, by : spitting on his eyes, and laying his hands on him. Did this man see clearly at first? • He did not ;. for he said that he saw men as trees walking. . What did Christ then do to him ? ' He laid his hands on his eyes again ; and he was restored, ah(J saw -every man clear- What may we leajo lrom this miracle? That Christ will not leave a work half 70 done which he undertakes, but will com- plete it. • There is another remarkable account of a blind man be- ing restored to sight by Christ — can you tell me where it is, and something about it?-. It is recorded in the 9th chapter of John. The man was born blind ; Christ spit on the ground and made clay and anointed the eyes of the man with it ; sent him to the pool of Siloam to wash his eyes ; he went and washed, and returned seeing. Where was the pool of Siloam ? It was near the eastern wall of the temple in Jerusalem. What took place among the Pharisees in consequence of this miracle? »• A controversy in regard to Christ. Some said he was not of God, and others said, "how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles ?" What did the man wheha'd been blind say of Christ S He said "He is a prophet." What did the Jews do in this matter ? They held a long controversy with the man in regard to Christ; and when the man manifested great attachment for. Christ, they cast him out from their soeie : ty. \V ho met the man after this ? Jesus met him, and comforted him ; and revealed himself to him as the Messiah ; and the man believed in liini, and worship ed Jiini. Ought not, allot' us to believe in Jdiua, and worship hnn ! One there is, above all others, ' Well deserves the name of Friend ! His is love beyond a brother'9, Costly, freej and knows no end. Win oh of all our friends, to save us, Could or would have shed his blood But this Saviour died to have us Reconciled in him to God. When he lived on earth abased, Friend of sinners was his name : Now, above all glory raised, lie rejoices in the same. ! for grace our hearts to soften ; Teach us, Lord, at length to love ; We, alas ! forget too often What a friend we have above. LESSON XXI. The Miracles of Chri-sl. What notable miracle did Jesus perform ne city of I\'ainf Luke 7 : 11—18. He restored to life a young man who was being carried to his burial. Whose son was this young man '. He was the only son Of a widow, v. 12. Were there many people accompanying the corpse to the grave ? 72 There were. v. 12. What inference may be drawn from this fad That the young man and his mother were persons of some distinction. What influence would this fact have on the miracle .' It wonld give it greater currency in the community, and place the fact of its per- formance beyond the power of contradic- tion. How was Jesus exercised towards the mother of the young man when he saw her? " He had compassion on her, and said un- to her, weep not." v. 13. What did he then do ? " He came and touched the bier ; and they that bare stood still. And he said, young man, I say unto thee arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him tohis'mother." verses 11, 15. What did the people say-about Christ? They said, " that a great prophet is risen up among us ; and, that God hath Adsitcd his people." v. 16. * Did Christ raise any one else from the dead ? . He did; he raised up Lazarus, after lie had been dead four days, and was buried. John, chap. 11. Where did Lazarus live ? In the town of Bethany. Who were his sisters? Martha and Mary. j«W'hat did Martini say to Chris* when lie told her that her brother should rise again 1 She said, u I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at that last day." v. 24. What did Jesus then wy to her ! He saidj "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, vet shall he live*" v. 25. Hew was Jesus alf'ected when he saw the great distress Loned by the death of Lazarus '. " Jesus wept.' 1 v. 35. What. may we learn' from this fact? That Jesus has a deep sympathy for the distresses and sufferings of his people. . What did the Jews say when they saw Jesus weep mg i They said, " Behold how he loved him." When Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, what did he do to raise him from the dead 1 * " He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth." What then happened I " And he that was dead Game forth, bound fend and foot with grave clothes ; and his face was bound about with a napkin." is not the time coming when all the dead will be raise. 1 it the bidding of (Jhristl It is; "for the hour is coming,, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they that *liave done good, unto the resurrection of life : and tliey that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5 : 28, 29. ' Can you now. name the several kinds of miracles which Christ performed ? lie turned water into wine, he cleansed the lepers, lie gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, he Jpaused the dumb to speak and the lame to walk,- he restored the maimed to soundness and healed all manner of diseases, he fed the hungry and stilhul the raging of the sea, he cast out devils and raided the dead.* What mjist we say 'of one who can perform such mira- cles as these 3 That he is God manifest in the flesh, and is altogether worthy of- our adoration and worship.. Jesus, my Lord, I own thee God, Earth sprang to being at thy nod ; All things were made by thee, the Word, Who wa.-.t, with (!«»d, as* GTocL adored. Before the world's firm base was laid, Thy glorious Godhead was displayed ; And after Worlds have ceased to be, Thy praise shall fill eternity. Thou, gracious Lord, my soul would own The power t<> save is thine aloiir ; < »Vi me assert thy .-.o\ ej-ci.-'n will. And be my God." my Saviour '.till ■ 75 LKSSON XXII. « The Teaching* of Christ. Ques. ll"\v did Christ mostly teach ' Ans. By parables. What is a parable ! It is to compare, or to place side by Bide. J 11 the parables of Christ he compares natn ral things with spiritual things. What is the first parable of our Lord's which is record- ed .' The parable of the sower. Matt. 12, Mark 4, Luke 8. On how many sorts of ground did the seed tall \ Some fell by the way-side ; some on st<> ny ground ; some among thorns ; and some on good ground. What became of that' which fell by the wayside? The fowls of the air devoured it. What does this represent ? It represents those who hear the word of God, and " Satan comcth immediately, and Jaketh away the word that was sown in their Jiearts." ■What became of the seed that was sown on storr hound? It immediately sprung up, because it had LO depth of earth ; but when the sun was Lp, it was scorched .; and because it had no )ot, it withered away.-' ' Wind class of persons does this represent ■' Those who received the 'word with gladl ness, but have no root in themselves, and endure for a while, but fall away in 'times'; of persecution, v's 16, 17. What is meant by " have no root in themselves ."' It means, no doubt, that religion is not truly fixed in their .hearts. What became of the seed that was sown among bhorirt ' It grew up, and was choked, and yielded no fruit. What class of persons does this represent ? "Such as hear the word, and the cares oi' this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in,, choke the word, and it becometh unfruit- ful." . ' What became of the seed that was sown on good ground ? It grew up . and increased, and yielded fruit ; some thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold. What class of persons does this represents It represents genuine christians, who bear the fruits of holiness — some thirty, some sixty and some an hundred fold — and in the end have everlasting life. v. 201 Horn. 6 : 22. Who does the sower in the parable represent '. It represents Christ. How is' Christ now sowing the word 3 77 By his oihjisters, ;ui 79 seed, — the parable of the leaven, — the par- able of the treasure in the field, — the para- ble of the merchant, and the parable of the net. Matt, 13. How do these different naraldes represent one and ilia same kingdom '. They represent different tilings belonging to that kingdom. In the parable of the mustard seed, Matt. 13: 31, 32, what does the little mustard seed represent i It represents ' the word of divine truth, which is very small in the estimation of wicked men, and that the beginning of Christianity in the world "is small. What does the sawing of this seed in the field repre-' sent ? It represents the tact that God has sent down lift truth into this wicked world. What dees the growing up of this little seed into a great herb represent ! • It represents the great increase and ex- tension of Christ's kingdom in the world. What does the lodging of birds in the branehes of this great herb represent i It represents that those who are so dis- posed by divine grace, can find a lodge- ment in the kingdom of Christ, where they may rest from their weary wanderings. Whal does the parable of the leaven represent? Mat- 13 : 38. '• • .This represents, most fitly, the infhr f 80 which the grace of God has upon our entire life, when it 'is deposited in our. hearts. It continues to extend its' influence; until our whole life is brought under the authority of Christ. Can you explain the parable of the treasure hid in the Held, which a man found, and then sold all he had to buy that held 2 Matt. 13 : 44. This teaches us, that when a man has found the true religion of Christ, that he will give up every other religious notion for it. What does the paraMo of the merchantman represent ? verses 45, 40. This seems to represent the same thing ► as the other. What is the difference between the religion of Christ and all other religious? The religion of Christ is true; *it came from heaven, and leads to heaven ; all other religion is false, and leads to perdition. What do we learn from the parable of the net? verses 47, 48. We learn that there are in the church both good and bad. When are the good and the bad to be separated &» At the end of tile world, v. 49. By whom is the separation to be ma4e? By- the angels, v. 49. What will become of the good? .They will fee saved, v. .48. 81 What will become of the wioke< They will be cast away into a furnace ot tire. v. 50. ' • What do we learn from this solemn declaration of our Lorctl . ■ We learn that the mere fact of a man's being a member of the church will do him no good at the judgement day, if he is a wicked man; that then, all wicked men will share the same fate, whether they are members of the church or not. Compare verses 42 and 50. Is this solemn truth taught any where else in the New Testament' It is, Luke 13: 2G, 27— " Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye arc ; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity." What practical influence should these solemn troths have on our lives ? We should constantly examine ourselves, to see if we are in the faith, and pray earn- estly nn to Gocl to suffer Us not to be de- ceived in onr religion. When thou, my righteous Judge, shall come To take thy ransomed people home-, Shall I among them stand I Shall such a worthless worm as I; Wlin sometimes am afraid to di< 'Be found at thyright handl I love to meet thy people now, Before thy feet with them to bow, Though vilest of them all ; But — can I bear the piercing thought '. — •What if my name should be left out. When thou'for them shalt call ? . O Lord, prevent it by thy grace ; lie thou my" only hiding-place, In this th' accepted day ; Thy pardoning voice, 0, let me hear, To still my unbelieving fear,. Nor let me fall, I. pnh . And when the final trump *khall sound, Among thy saints let me be found, To bow before thy fade : Then in triumphant strains I'll situ;-, While hcavenV resounding mansions ping W it'u praise «>f sovereign gratfe. LESSOR XXIV. The Manner of Christ's Livinrj. iii what manner did Christ live ? Akh. He lived as a poor man. He. paid of himself: :"The foxes have holes, and. the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to Jay his head." Matt. 8 : 20. ' What effect did the humble circumstances of Christ have upon sonic wh© heard him h They contemned him, and said, "Is not this the carpenter, the son • of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda 1 and Simoft ? and are not'his Isten here with n r M*A 6: 3. Where did this take p] In Galilee, his own country, v. I. Did not Christ teach with great wisdom on thi MOD i Redid : insomuch that the people wore greatly astonished* that he possessed such wisdom, v. 2. What may we learn from the poverty <>r < 'Ji'rivi . and the manner in which liv was tra I ■ ;' his pover- ty? 1st. That the greatest religious wisdom is often I'miiKl in the humbler walks' of life. 2nd. That men generally are influenced !<><> mueli by external circumstances, in reli- gion, for God s trnth is the same, whether spoken by the rich or the poor. Did Christ choose to be poor in this world, rather than rieh i lie did; for be was God, as well as man. and acted in this matter according to his sovereign pleasure. Why did Christ choose alife of poverty while on earth .' That he might he in nearer sympathy with the largest number of people, and that the truth of his doctrine might be proved, when he said, " my kingdom is not of this world." But could he uot have been in equal sympathy With the poor if he had been rich I It is fcrue, as God, he could, but the poor themselves would not have so regarded him ; for, as a general rule, the rich have hut lit- tle sympathy for the poor. What other evidence docs Christ give of his sympathy lor the poor? He preached the gospel unto them, and mingled with them. Matt. 11 : 5. What class of people gave most attention to the teach - i age of Christ i " The common people heard him gladly." Marh-12: 37, What good reason can be assigned for* this fact .' Christ's manner of life, and his mode of teaching, were both .adapted to this class of people. What practical lesson may be derived from Christ's man- ner of life ? We. learn that those ministers of the gosr pel who would follow Christ closely, and be wise in winning souls to him, must adapt their manner of life to the circum- stances of those for whom they labor. Can you give an example of any of the early preachers of the gospel acting in this way? Paul, speaking of his manner of life as a minister of the Gospel, says: "I am made all. things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Cor. 9 : 22^ Did Christ do any thing-wrong 2 85 He did ii<> sin, Neither was guile found in his month. 1 Peter 2 : 22. D'nl tie mingle with sinners 1 IK' did; and a^o ate with them. Matt. 9 : 1 1". What wa"s Christ ealled on this account? He was called, by way of Reproach, % * a friend of publicans wad sinners." ALatt. 11 : 19. Is i; any reproach to Christ that Uewas a friend of sin . It is not ; but it will be the crown <>f re ipicinghy redeemed sinners for ever. Rev. 'l : 5, 6. ' What may be said of Jhe manner of Christ's lite, spe- cially claiming our imitation ! He was often engaged in prayer. • " Cold mountains and the midnight air Witnessed the fervor of his prater." LESSOJST XXV. Christ rejected by the Jcics. . Were the people who heard the teaohi ( 'linst and sy,w his miracles friendly toward him .' Ari& They were not ; for many hated Li in with cruel hatred} and persecuted him. Who were the leaders in opposition to Christ .' The Scribes and Pharisees. Who were the Scribew and Pharisees '. The Scribes were those who were learn- (•din the Jewish law. The Pharisees were a set of Jews who separated themselves from the other Jews, as well as from the Gen- tiles, under pretenses of great holiness. What did Christ teach his people in regard to the righteousness necessary for them to possess! u Except your righteousness shall exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye slrall in no case enter into the kingdom of heav- en." Matt. 5 : 20. To what righteousness does our Lord "here refer, as necessary for his people ? It, is, no doubt, the same spoken of by Paul — that which is not of the law, u but that Which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 8:. 9. \V3iat is this righteousness called by theologians? It is called, the imputed righteousness of Christ. What is meant by " the imputed righteousness oi Christ" i It means that when we exercise true faith in Christ, his righteousness is placed to our account, and we have the same -benefit of it as if. we had performed it ourselves... What was tlii' righteousness of the Scribes and Phar' j isees \ It was their $>wn righteousness. What is said of this kind of righteousness. Isaiah 04-: 6. It is called filthy rags'; which signifies 87 that it is like a badly torn and filthy gar- ment, which would render us unfit for de- cent company. What did Christ eatl the Seribos and Pharisees .' lie called the. m hypocrites, and fools, and pronounced terrible woes again-sl them. Matt. 23: 13— 19. D'ul not these people perform many outward religious They did,, see Matt. 23: 1—7. , What may we learn from this ! 'That no outward religious services will avail us any thing if our hearts are not right in the sight of God. What was the probable eaat Icribee and Phari- sees' hatred of Christ '. It was, no doubt, on account of his fre- quent* exposure of their hypocracy. Did any other*", besides the Scribes and Pharisees, bate Christ ? They did. The most of the Jews hated him, and spoke evil of him, and persecuted him. What did they say of him \ They said that he was a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, Matt. 11 : 19 — that he was a blasphemer, Matt. 9: 3 — John 10: 33 — that he was a Sabbath breaker, Jokn !> : 16 — and that he had a devil. Jolm V : 2p, s : is. ;>ii, and'k>": 20. 88 . Why did they say that ho had a devil ? Because he accused them of tlieir wicked- ness in going about to kill him, and declared that he was -the Son of God. John 7 : 19, 10 : 7— 21. Did the Jews attempt any personal violence agaiast Christ \ They did. On one occasion they attempt- ed to cast him headlong over the brow of the hill on which the city of JNazarath was built, (Luke 4:« 29,) and, on several occa- sions took up stones to cast at him. John 8: 39,10: 31. ' What does John say of the rejection of Christ by the Jews \ - ' He says : " He came unto his own, and his own received him not," John 1 r 11. - How was Christ affected towards the Jews when they had given such repeated evidence of their rejection and hatred of him ? • On one occasion he said, " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and „stoncst them that are sent imto thee.; how often would I have gathered thy children 'together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, .and ye would not : behold your house is left unto you desolate." Luke 12 : 31, 35. And on another occasion, when he beheld the city, he' wept over it, Luke L9: 11. What is'meant by the cxnfesssion, "Yo.ur house is left unto you desolate'' ? .... 89 It means that (-Jod had forsaken them. What do we learn from the-»cofcduct of Christ towards the Jew after such evidences which ho had of.thefr re jection and haired* of him i We Learn the tenderness of his heart even towards! his worst enemie What national calamities came upon the Jews on ac cpnul of their rejection of Christ 4 ' Their city (Jerusalem) and their beauti- ful temple were destroyed by the Romanes, and they have been dispersed among all nations of the earth, even 1<> this very time. What will-bo our doom it we reject Christ ? We will be rejected by him in the great Judgment day. Did Christ 'o'er Bounds weep, And shall our cheeks be dry ! Let Jloods of penitential grief Burst forth from every eye. The Son of (rod in tears The wondering angels see ; * Be thou astonished, my soul ! lie shed those tears for thee. ' lie wept that we might weep ; • Each sin demands a tear; In heaven alone no sin is found. And there's no weeping there. 90 LESSON XXVI. Sufferings of Christ. Ques . -At what time did the Sufferings ami doath pi ( hrist take place? Ansf. At the feast of the Passover. What is meant by the- feast of the Passover ? It was a feast of seven days continuance, kept by the Jews in memory of their deliv- erance from Egypt. Exodus, chap. 12. Did Christ keep this feast? lie did. He kept it with his disciples in an upper room in the city of Jerusalem, Mark 14: 10—18. •What memorable thing did Jesus do at this least 3 He instituted w T hat is called the Lord's Supper.' Matt. 26 :' 26—30, Mark 14 : 22— 25, Luke .22 : 19, 20. Where dfd Christ and'his disciples go after supper was over? ■ ■ They went to the mount of Olives. Where was Christ next seen ? At Gethsemane, in great agony and in earnest prayer. Matt. 26 : 36—45. What did Christ say to his disciples" on this occasion ? He said unto them, " My soul is exceed- ing sorrowful, even unto death." What does Luke say of the manner in which Christ was ■ affected on this occasion ? " And^cing in an agony, he prayed 91 more earnestly : and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.. 5 ? ch. 22 : 44. Did you cvar sec or hear of such intense suffe this in ;m\ one besides Christ ! Why were his sufferings BOgrea,t was he afraid of death '. lie was not afraid of death, because he had frequently declared that he would rise from the dead. Why then was lie so agonized : Because the Lord had laid onr sins upon him, and he was then bearing them in his own person, that he might cancel them by offering up himself as an everlasting sacri lice unto God. Isaiah, 53rd chapter, Heb. 9:li. VV^io appeared unto Christ while he was in his ureal An angel from heaven, appeared unto him, strengthening him. Luke 22 : 43. Who came unto him after this i Judas, with a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people. Matt. 26 : 47. Who .betapyad. Christ 1 Judas betrayed him with a kiss. v. 4&. Where did these wicked people take Christ? They took him first to Caiaphas, the high priest, where they brought false witness •92 against him, and spit upon him, and smote him with rods. Matt. 26 : 60—67. Where did they take him the next. morning? They took him to Pontius Pilot, the governor. Matt. 27: 1. What did Pilot ask' the Jews ? Tie asked them whom he should release unto them, Jesus, or Barabbus. Whom did they prefer? They chose Barabbus, who was a murder- er. Luke 23 : 19. What did the Jews say must be done with Christ '. They said let him -be crucified, v. 22. What did Pilot do with Jesus ? He sent him to Herod, who at that time was in Jerusalem. Luke 23 : 7. How did Herod treat him ? He set him at nought, and mocked him, and.arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilot. Luke 23 : 11. - After Pilot had heard all that the Jews had to say against Christ, was he Willing to release him ? He was, but the Jews cried " crucify him, crucify him." Luke "23: 21. Did Pilot find any cause of death in Christ? He did not ; but the voices of Christ's enemies prevailed over his judgement, and he delivered' Christ into their hands. Luke 23 : .22—24. Ought men to do wrong to please the multitude ? They ought not, but they should do right at all times, and under all circumstanc Dark was the night and cold the ground On which the Lord was laid ; • His sweat like drops of blood ran down : In agony he prayed : " Father remove this hitter cup. If such thy sacred will : If not, content to drink it up, Thy pleasure I fulfil." •Go to the garden, sinner: see Those precious drops that How ; The heavy load he bore for tlicc ; For thee he lies so low. Then learn of him the cross to bear ; Thy fathers will obey : And when temptations press 'the* near, Awake to watch and pray. LESSON XXYIL Christ. Crucified. 'J«<:s. Where was Christ crucified? Ana. At the place called Calvary and Golgotha, which latter name sign Hies " a place of a skull." Matt. 27: 33. , Vv' here is Calvary situated? A short distance west of Jerusalem. At what time in the day was Christ crucified ?' m . It was the thircj hour of the day, ' which 94 corresponds to nine o'clock according to our time. Mark 15: 25. What is meant by being' crucified? It was tlie Roman method of executing those who were condemned to die. What is the manner of crucifying ? There was a long beam of wood pre- pared with a cross beam near the top end. . This made the cross. It Wats laid on the ground, and the person to he crucified was laid on it with his back next to .the wood. His arms were then extended on each side,, and his hands nailed to the cross beam; and his jeet were extended on the long beam an derailed to it. Then the cross, with the person so. fastened to it, was lifted up in an upright position, and the foot of it placed in a bole in the earth prepared to receive it. Who earned the cross on which Christ was crucified/ He first bore it himself and afterwards it was borne by one Simon of Gyrene. John 19-: 17.- Matt. 2.7: 32. What did Christ do when he was crucified ? He prayed for his persecutors, " Father forgive them, for they know not what they do?.' Luke 23: 34. ' What, dreadful exclamation did he make while on the cross?' He cried with a loud voice, " My Gfod, 95 my God, why hast thou forsaken m'Cjj"— Matt. 27: 46. DM he say anything more than this on the cross : lie did. lie said, "It is finished," and "Father; into thy Land- I commend mv spirit," (John ia: 30, Luke 2S : 46,) and then bowed his Lead andgaveup theghost. What was the superscription Pilot wrote f —'THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." Luke 23: 38. What is meant by superscription I It was a Writing placed over, the person who was crucified to show who Le was. In how many languages was the superscription which was placed over Christ written i In three — Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. Luke 23 : 88. . • Why was it written in these three languages I So that all present could read it, for there were persons present who spake and read these different languages. Were the Jews satisfied with this superscription '. They were not ; but wanted Pilot to write, kt IIe said, ' I am king of the Jews.' " John 19 : 21. What was Pilot's reply to this request of ,the Jews ' 'Pilot answered, " What T have written, I have, written." John 19 : 22. How long did Christ hang upon the cross before he died ? OG From the third to the sixth hour, (Mark !;> : 33,) making three hours. What remarkable thing occurred at this time I There was darkness over all the land from the sixth to'the ninth hour. Luke 23 : 14. ■'■ .■'...' WastMs darkness noticed by any other people except those of Judea? It is said to have been noticed by the Egyptian philosophers, and that they said, " Surely the God of nature must be suffer- ing;" Who were crucified with Christ .' Two malefactors, who were thieves, and condemned to die for their wickedness. — Matt. 27:44, Luke 23: 39. What did these thieves do ? One railed on Christ, and the other pray- ed, " Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." , Luke 23 : 39—42. What did Christ say to the thief who prayed unto him? He said unto him, " To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23: 43. Stretched on the cross, the Saviour dies Jlark ! his expiring groans arise ; Sec, from his hands, his feet, his side, Descends the sacred crimson tide. And .didst thou bleed ?— for sinners bleed And could the sun behold the deed? N.o ; he withdrew his cheering ray, And darkness veiled the mourning day. 97 LESSON XXVIII Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. Ques. "What other remarkable things occurred at the crucifixion of Christ ? Am. There was an earthquake, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, and the rocks were rent. Matt. 27 : 51. What is an earthquake]? It is great shaking of the earth. What is meant by the vail of the temple being rent in twain 3 A certain vail or large cloth in the tem- ple which separated the priest from the people during certain religious services, was torn from top to bottom. Of what does this fact seem to bo a type ? Of the great fact that Christ as our great high Priest, having dffered himself as a sac- rifice unto God for our sins, every man may now approach God for himself through the sacrifice of Christ, without the mediation of any earthly priest. When the centurion saw these things what did he say? He said, " Truly this was the Son of God." Matt 27: 54. Who was this conturion ? He was in all probability, the officer who had command of the Eoman soldiers on the occasion. 98 What act of cruelty was performed upon the bodj of Christ after he was dead ? The soldier pierced liis side with a spear, and there ran out blood ar«d water. John 19:34.- Who buried Christ ! Joseph, of A rimathea, who was a disciple of Christ, and a rich man, and a counsellor. Matt. 27 : 57, Luke 23 : 50. How did Joseph obtain the body of Christ? _ He begged it of Pilot. Matt, 27 : 58. How was the body of Christ buried ? Joseph wrapped it in a x clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of a rock, and rolled a great stone at the door. Matt 27 : 59, 60. Who assisted Joseph in the burial of Christ? Mcodemus, who came to Jesus by night to converse with him. He brought myrrh and aloes, which were used in the burial. John 19 : 39, 40. What request did the chief priests and Pharisees make "of Pilot in regard to the tomb in which Christ was laid ? That it be -made sure for three days, least the body of Christ should be taken away by his disciples, and they should then report that he had risen from the dead. Matt, 27 : 64, What did Pilot do, in compliance, with the request ? He directed them* to have a watch, and 99 «to make the sepulchre sure, which they did. v's 65, 66. Who composed the watch which was set over the tomb of Jesus ? They were Roman soldiers. How long did the body of Christ lay in the tomb '■ From Friday afternoon until very early Sabbath morning, according to our days of the week ; 'but according to the Jewish days,, it was from s Saturday till Monday. What day do christians keep as Sabbath '. The day in which Christ arose from the dead, which is the first day of the week. What Is the meaning: of Sabbath \ It means rest. What is the proper name of the day which wc call Sab liath, and how should it be observed? The proper name is Lord's Day, and i I should be observed by christians as a day in which to assemble for the public wor ship of God. What was the Jewish Sabbath in memory of? It was in memory of the completion of creation. God made all things in six days, and rested the seventh. What is the Lord's Day, as kept by christians, in mem- ory of ? It rs. in memory of the resurrection of Christ, which is the completion of redenip lion. 100 Unto whom did Christ first appear after he had risen from the dead ? Unto Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Luke 19 : 9, ch. 8 : 2. Unto whom else did he appear ? Unto the eleven apostles, Luke 16 : 14, and after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once. 1 Cor 15 : 9. . What remarkable thing took place at the resurrection ot Christ ? "The graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrec- tion, and went into the holy city, and ap- peared unto many." Mat 27 : 52, 53. Why did Christ die and rise from the dead? " Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, be- ginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24 : 46,47. lie dies ! the friend of sinners dies ! Lo ! Salem's daughters weep around ; A solemn darkness veils the skies. " A sudden trembling shakes tho ground. Come, saints, and drop a tear or two For him who groaned beneath your load ; He shed a thousand drops for yon, A thousand drops of richer bloofl. Hero's love and grief beyond degree, The Lord of Glorv dies for men ! 101 But lo ! what sudden jows wo see, Jesus the dead revives again ! The rising God forsakes the tomb ! Up to his Father's court he flics ; Cherubic legions guard him home, And shout him welcome to the skies. Break oft" your tears, ye saints, and tell How high our great Deliverer reigns : Sing how he spoiled the hosts of hell, And led tho monster Death in chains. Say, "Live forever, wondrous King ! Born to redeem, and strong to save !" Then ask, " O death, where is thy sting?" And, " Where's thy victory, boasting gra v« LESSON XXIX. Christ after his Resurrection. '- Ques. Whore did Christ promise to meet hig disciples after his resurrection ? Am. In Galilee, his native country. Matt. 26 : 32, and 28 : 6. What remarkable circumstance occurred on the day of ' Christ's resurrection, between Jerusalem and Emmaus? Christ joined himself in company with two of his disciples who were sad, and were talking over the things which had happen- ed to him. Luke 24 : 13—29. Did these disciples know Christ? They did not, but supposed that he wai a itranger in Jernsalyw. v. IS. 102 . • - What did .Christ do while in company with these two disciples ? He expounded the Scriptures unto them, showing the necessity of his sufferings and death, verses 25 — 2T. When did Christ make himself known unto these dis- ciples ? When he sat down with them to meat, and took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave unto them, according to his usual custom, verses 30, 31. What may we iearn from this narrative ? That Christ is often nearer to his people while they are talking or meditating of him, than they think he is. What may we farther learn from this narrative I That it is good for those who love Christ to talk and to meditate of him. What did these disciples say one to another after Christ made himself known unto them ? They said, "Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scrip- tures ?." v. 32. What is meant here by " the Scriptures ?'.' The writings of the Old Testament. What did these two disciples do after this \ They hastened back to Jerusalem to toll the eleven apostles that Christ had risen from the dead . verses 33 — 35 . 103 While these disciples wore telling the others What things they had seen and heard, what happened S " Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, Pea # ee unto you/' v. 36. IIov,- were the disciples affected a1 this sudden maft tation of Christ I _ Tliey were terrified and affrighteiiecLand* .supposed that they had seen a- spirit., v. 37. Which of the disciples was absent oil this occasion '. Thomas,, who is called Didvmus. John 20: 24. How was Thomas affected when the disciples told him that the Lord had risen from the dead and that they had seen him ? ,He did not believe them; and said lie would not believe unless he saw and put his fingers in the prints of the nails, and hi hand into the side of Christ. John 20 : 2& When did Christ next appear unto his disci After eight days. v. 29. Was Thomas present on this occasion? He was. What did Christ say imto him i He said unto him, " Reach hither thy linger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust into my side ; and be not faithless, but belie ving." v. i J 7. What did Thomas then say ': He said, u , My Lord am! mv Qlod.'J v. 28. 104 What did Christ then say 1 . - He said, " Blessed are they that Lave not seen, and yet have believed." v. 29. Have you seen Christ ? and do you believe in him ? What do we*receive in consequence of faith in Christ I We have life through his name. v. 31. At what place did Christ next meet with his disciples ? At the sea of Tiberias. John 21 : 1. What remarkable thing took place there ? He caused Peter to confess him three times, who had denied him three times. John, chap. 21, Matt. 26 : 34. How long did Christ remain on earth after his resur- rection ? Forty days. Acts 1 : 3. What was Christ's last command to his disciples ? " Go ye into all the world, and pieach the gospel to every creature. He that be- lieveth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Do you believe in Christ ? and if so, have you been baptized since you believed? Qo preach my gospel," saith the Lord ; u Bid the whole earth my grace receive ; He shall be saved that trusts my word, And he condemned who'll not believe. I'll make your great commission known ; And ye shall prove my gospel true, By all the works that I have done, By all the wonders yo shall do. " Teach aJl the nations my command)* ; 105 I'm with you till the world shall end : All power is trusted in my hand? ; I can destroy, and I defend," He spake, and light shone round his head On a bright cloud to heaven he rode : They to the farthest nations spread The grace of their ascended God. LESSON XXX. Ascension and intercession of Christ. Ques. From what place did Christ ascend to heaven *. . Arts. Luke says lie ascended from Beth- any, Luke 24: 50, and also from mount Olivet. Acts 1 : 12. How can these two statements be reconciled ? Bethany was situated on mount Olivet, so that when he was in Bethany he was al- so on the mountain. What was Christ's last act before he ascended to heav- en ? Blessing his disciples. "And it came to pass,' while he blessed them, he was part- ed from them, and carried up into heaven. Luke 24: 51. How did Christ ascend to heaven '? It seems that he arose from the earth some distance, and was then received into a cloud and so passed out of sight. Acts 1:9. What was this cloud into which Christ was received '? IOC It was, in all probability, a multitude of angels, who had descended from heaven, and were poised in the air, waiting to re- ceive Christ, and conduct him up into heav- en with great honor. What are the conducting angels represented hy David to have said on this occasion ? " Lift up your heads, ye gates ; and be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in." Psalm 2L What was the response to this ? "Who is this King of glory?' 1 What reply was made to this ? u The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle ; the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.' 1 AVho appeared unto the disciples as they stood gazing up into heaven at the ascension of Christ? u Two men stood by them in white appa- rel." Acts 1 : 10. - Wlmt were these two men? They were angels. > What, promise did these two angels make to the disci- That this" same Jesus whom they had seen ascend into heaven should return again in .like manner as. they had seen him ascend. Acts 1 : 11. Where is * %tinad .now t I i.' is exalted ft1 the risrht hand of < fr>d 107 ■ llir Father, to be a Prince an