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76   THE CONVENTION TEACHER

"Dedicated to Teacher and Pupil"

MOTHER'S LOVE

A Mother's love--how sweet the name!
What is a Mother's love?
A noble, pure, and tender flame,
Enkindled from above
To bless a heart of earthly mold;
The warmest love that can grow old,--
This is Mother's love.
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It is an old custom with the servants of God always to have some little prayer ready and to be darting them up to heaven frequently during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the filth of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruit with little pains.
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The Bible:
"Be thou my star in Reason's night;
Be thou my rock in Danger's fright;
Be thou my guide 'mid Passion's sway,
My moon by night, my sun by day."
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"Tradition says that Jesus loved most of all to be with Lazarus, since they could talk together about the other world. Browning described Lazarus as often lost in thought--

'And oft' the man's soul springs to his face
As if he saw again and heard again
His sage that bade him Rise--
And he did rise!'

Hence, Lazarus was different. His experience made him so. The poet goes on to show how he cared not about the common talk of Roman oppression, or happenings of the empire. But when he saw anger on the face of a child, or an act of disobedience or hatred, he wrung his hands and showed great concern. What happened in the hearts of people moved him greatly; such things tell in the other world.

Christ's test question for you and me is, Are you different because of the experience you have had with Me? A Christian ought to have an attitude toward life so true that men would say, 'He is a Christian.'"

PRAYER HYMN

Lord of all pots and pans and things, since I've no time to be
A Saint by doing lovely things, or watching late with Thee,
Or dreaming in the dawnlight, or storming Heaven's gates,
Make me a saint by getting meals, and washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha's hands, I have a Mary mind; 
And when I black the boots and shoes, Thy sandals, Lord, I find.
I think of how they trod the earth, what time I scrub the floor;
Accept this meditation, Lord, I haven't time for more.

Warm all the kitchen with Thy love, and light it with Thy peace;
Forgive me all my worrying, and make all grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food, in room, or by the sea,
Accept this service that I do--I do it unto Thee.
--M. K. H.
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"Just where you are in the conflict,
That is your place.
Be loyal to God and your duty;
The weakest are strong through
His grace."
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MEMORIAL DAY

Strew the fair garlands where slumber the dead,
Ring out the strains like the swell of the sea;
Heart-felt the tribute we lay on each bed;
Sound o'er the brave the refrain of the free.

Sound the refrain of the loyal and free,
Visit each sleeper and hallow each bed:
Waves the starred banner from seacoast to sea;
Grateful the living and honored the dead.
--Samuel F. Smith

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THE CONVENTION TEACHER   77

Lesson I.
April 4, 1948

A PROPHET AMONG THE EXILES

SENIOR TOPIC: A PROPHET AMONG EXILES
Ezekiel 1:1-3; 3:11, 17-21; 4:1-3
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AUTHORIZED VERSION
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the four month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity.

3 The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not away from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

21 Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

1 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:

2 And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

3 Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
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REVISED VERSION

1 Now it come to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, 3 the word of Jehovah came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Jehovah was there upon him.

11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah; whether the will hear, or whether they will forebear.

17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20 Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand. 21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.

1 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it a city, even Jerusalem: 2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it round about. 3 And take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city; and set thy face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
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MOTTO TEXT--Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel. Ezekiel 3:17.
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LESSON SETTING

Time: B. C. 505
Place: Jerusalem   Babylon

LESSON OUTLINE

I. Ezekiel Shown a Divine Manifestation (VV. 1-3)
II. Ezekiel Delivers a Divine Warning. (VV. 11, 17-21.)
III. Ezekiel Pictures the Doom of Jerusalem. (VV. 1-3.)

DAILY HOME READING
March 29 - April 4

M. Ezekiel Among the Exiles. Ezekiel 1:1-3.
T. Ezekiel's Call. Ezekiel 2:1-7.
W. Ezekiel's Commission Ezekiel 3:4-11
T. Ezekiel Teaches by Signs. Ezekiel 4:1-3
F. Ezekiel as a Watchman. Ezekiel 33:1-9.
S. Ezekiel Teaches Repentance. Ezekiel 33:10-16
S. An Experience of the Captivity. Psalms 137:1-6.