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6
THE CHRISTIAN
NATION.
Vol. 59.
because the vast majority of the people of
this coimtry, irrespective of Churches or denominations,
are convinced that it depends
not on human law, but upon a bigher and a
greater law, which we are all bound in conscience
to- obey." The visible Sabbath desecration
which we would restrain by human
law is not tbe great source of this sin. Long
Ibefore a person openly breaks the fourth
command, he has broken it many times in
thought and desire. The unnecessary work,
the entertainment, the game, the pleasure
ride, only give men an opportunity to display
-that which is within their hearts. Only
by checking the evil desires of our hearts
in this matter, w-iill we be able to avoid
the larger and more open forms of Sabbath
desecration, to set an example of rectitude
and to influence others by our words.
Cyrus going to fight against Scythia, coming
to a broad river and not being able to
pass over it, cut and divided it into many
arms and sluices, and) so made it passable for
all his army. So the great flood of Sabbath
desecration • is made up -chiefly of small, individual,
invisible offences against the Divine
command, "Remember the Sab-bath day to
keep it holy." If each' one will reform his
cwn small offence against the Sabbath we
shall soon be past the great flood itself. All
the profanations of the Sabbath can not be
•conquered at once, but they can be conquered
one by one by persistent faithfulness.
We
submit the following resolutions:
I. That Synod renew its condemnation
of every form ofl Sabbath desecration and
urge our people to keep the Sabbath as a
day sacred to the worship of God.
II. That our ministers, be instructed to
preach frequently on the subject of Sabbath
observance, emphasizing the fact that the
Sabbath is a primitive, a permanent and a
Divine institution and giving praictical and
timely instruction as to its proper observance.
III. Thatj the sessions be urged to exercise
a watchful oversight that members do
not yield to any of the prevalent forms of
Sabbath desecration, and when it is known
that any one has turned aside from the
strict observance of the Sabbath, reproof be
administered before the offence becomes notorious
and the conscience becomes seared.
IV. That parents seek earnestly to impress
upon the hearts of their children, by precept
and example, that the Sabbath is a holy day,
and sacredly devote the day to their Christian
instruction at Ihome and in the sanctuary.
and to strengthen them against yielding to
the prevalent forms of Sabbath desecration
about their homes.
V. That our ministers request the ministers
of other denominations who live in
their community to unite with them in
preaching on Sabbath observance.
Signed Iby H. G. Patterson, Thos. Mc­
Fall, H. H. George.
^^'^^ Sabbath School
Lesson VI. August lo, 1913.
By the Rev. W. A. Aikin.
THE PASSOVER.—Exodus 12:1-42.
Golden Text.—The Son of man came not
to be ministered unto, but to minister, and
to give his life a ransom for many.—Matt.
20:2&.
Psalms.—85 :i-4. L.M.; 51 -.S-g.ys.; 91:9-i3.
C. M.
Time.—B. C. 1491. Shortly after the plague
of darkness. The fourteenth day of the
month Abib. This month was called Nisan
after the Babylonish captivity. It came at
the earing time of -the barley and) about correspo-nds
to April of the Christian calendar.
It was the first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical
year.
Place.—Goshen, in Egypt.
ANALYSIS AND COMMENT.
In the account of the instituting of the passover
and the exit of Israel from Egypt, recorded
in the twelfth chapter of Exodus, we
have in type the first full statement of the
gospel. The story of tbe Cross is here told
in the rich and simple terms of ceremonial
type, with, all the beauty and attractiveness
of "apples of gold in pictures of silver."
I. THE PASSOVER, INSTITUED OF
GOD.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, etc." As
Paul was directed of the Lord in the institution
of the Lord's Supper, so- "Aloses received
of the Lord the instructions for instituting
the Passover. It was "not of men,
neithier by man, but by Jesus Chrlist, and God
the Father." The appointment of the use of
certain types and' ceremonies belonged to
Him, who was to accomplish by the shedding
of his own blood, those things which
were signified by the types.
II. THE PASCHAL LAMB.
"Tbey shall take every man a lamb, according
to the house of their fathers, a
lamb for an house, etc." The paschal lamb
and the manner in which it was to be killed
and eaten was of deep significance.
1st. It typified Christ. Christ is in
-scripture called, "the lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world. Because
of its disposition, color, habits and use, the
lamb is of all animals best fitted to typify
Christ. And the paschal lamb being without
blemish and without spot" forshadowed
his complete sinlessness.
2nd. It foretold the strength of the Messiah.
The lamb was to be "a male of the
first year." It was then in its prime. Christ
was not offered! up in infancy but at the
time when he was in the exercise of the
full powers of manhood.
3rd, It foretold the coming of Christ "in
the fulness of time." The lamb was to be
held in readiness for some days, but not to
be slain until the appointed time. "And ye
shall keep it up until the fourteenth day,'j
4th. The slaying of tbe lamb foretold J
death of Christ. "He was led as a lar
to the slaughter." Again, "Christ, our pas
over, is sacrificed for us."
' j
5th. The saving of the shed blood in
basin signified tbe conserving of the beneii
of Christ's atoning work through the co
enant of grace.
6th. The roasting of the lamb mj
foretold the exposure of Christ to thej
suming wrath of God.
7th. The unbroken bones of the lamb'd
clared that the strength of the Savior w
not to- be impaired by his sufferings at
death. As the divine nature of Christ'w
to him in his work as Savior what fihe strt
ture of bones are to the body, the no'
breaking of the bones of the lamb may:!
nify that his divinity was not to be impai
in his death.
HI. THE SPRINKLING OF T]
BLOOD OF THE LAMB ON THE L]
TELS AND DOOR-POSTS. 4
"And they shall take of the blood, <
strike on the two side posts and on the •
per posts of the houses, wherein they^ si
eat." A few of the things may be ne
which this act signified.
d
1st. It signified the sealing of theo
enant of grace. The passover was of '
natijra of a covenant. And as the scai
thread which Rahab placed in the wind
established tbe covenant between her andl
spies of Israel, so the blood sprinkled on*
door posts was a seal of the covenant betwi
God and Israel. Thus in sprinkling t
blood on th,e door posts Israel saw befi
hand "the blood of the new testament, wh
is shed for many for the remission of sitii
2nd. It signified Israel's faith in Gc
promise. Their obedience evidenced tl
faith. Belief on Jesus Qhrist declares f;
in the promises of God.
^
3rd.
It signified the making of a pu
profession of faitb. God has made no pn
ises to- those who desire the benefits-
Christ's salvation but who fail to coni^
him before men. The blood was tof'
sprinkled in a place where passers-by';mi'
see it. * A#!
4th. It showed the necessity for the *'
plication of the blood of Christ. It was^'
sufficient that the blood of the lamb sin
be shed. It must also be sprinkled. Witt'
the work of the Holy Spirit in applying"
blood of Christ, his work must be in vaii
Sth. The sprinkling of the blood upon
lintel above. the door and on the side p
but not upon the threshbld signified theSJ
tity of the blood of Christ. It was not^'
trampled underfoot. "Of how much: sc
punishment, suppose ye, shall he -be thou
worthy, who hath trodden under foot
Son of God, and hathi counted the blood
the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,