The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-01
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taaght bY Stady Of the Inter
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed 70
July III. St John. 10 LIS

We now study two of our Savior's parallels.
The first pictures Christ as the Door. Tvs. l-10)
The second represents him as the Shepherd.
(Vs. l1-1S.) He uttered these parallels Nov.
y, A. ID. %, or 1855 years ago. When speak
ing, he was probably on some street of Jeruss-
lem. %: 35.l The hearers were certain Phari-
Sees (9:40,) Jews, 90: 49, Tire blind man
cured (Chap. 81 was also hearer. (9:3S)
The occasion of the parallels was the restOra-
ton TO sight of said blind man on the Jewish
Sabbath. The Pharisees were provoked at
Christ, nominally because he gave sight to
blind man on the Sabbath, but really because
they were filed with envy Of the miraculous
power Of Jesus. They showed themselves
negligent shepherds indeed. They did moth
ing for the poor man. Instead Of rejoicing at
his good fortune in seeing, they took him 20 do
because he was restored on the Sabbath. Had
they been in the right spirit, their happiness
over the cured man would have blinded them
10 any recognition of possible infraction ofany
law, divine or human. Our Savior draws, IN
contrast, beautiful picture, not OF a mere pro-
fessional, but of real, faithful shepherd. We
get great comfort when We realize that Christ
in fact but described himself. He is the Good
Shepherd. Weare wandering sheep, very blind
to our chief interests, beset by enemies.
knowledge of eastern customs Is very neces-
sary to one who would explain the Bible. This is
specially the case with the present lesson. The
sheeplolds were not like the shed-like build
Jugs one sees on ordinary farms of our Middle
States but avail Of loose stones with an opening
protected by two or three rails or boards. Some
thorn bushes were cast over the tOpof the walls.
In some cases instead of stones there was a
palisade. The sheep of the different shepherds
were led for the night into the Enclosure. One
shepherd remained as porter and watched
through the night. Knowing the porter woald
refuse entrance TO them, robbers at times broke
through the wall or leaped over and stole the
sheep. Wolves, too, avoided the door, and
sought to reach the sheep without attracting
the attention of the doorkeeper. The real shep-
herd had no objection to applying to the porter.
Shepherds never drove their locks, but led
them. Sheep could not be deceived by stranger
pretending to be their shepherd. They reeOg-
nize person and voice and manner. The first
proof OF genuineness on the part of shepherd
is interest in the good and safety of his flock.
Tried by this rule the PharIsees were grossly
wanting. The fold is the Church. We all be-
come Christians and enter the Church through
belief in Christ, obedience TO mis- will. Hence
he is the Door. All elergymen are under-shep-
herds, but they must first enter the fold through
Christ the Door. Men who would lead sinners
into holiness must first be holy. The first OBJ
| Ject OF every minister must be the salvation OF
| bis congregation. III he consider mainly his
salary, he is hireling. The meaning is not
that he should not be on pay, but that he should
not think of that save as a necessary incidental.
/ A man who has entered the Church and minis
| try save through Christ is a thief in the sense
| he has position not secured in an honest way.
All the credit given to him is stealth on his
| part His pay as a minister Is based on his
sincerity, and, if taken by a hypocrite, il so
much money stolen.
But Christ is the Good Shepherd, the beau
tiful, lovely, noble. His whole life was q sac
riice, danger, a toll. At length he literally
4 lof1 - So A
| feeling exists in the Father God shown in the
1 fact the Father and Christ were in perfect
sympathy with each other, ". 15,l and further,
/ by the fact the Father was pleased with Christ 8
| efforts In the interest Of his flock. tV. H. 1t
| is noticeable the death of Christ was voluntary.
| (V. 49, Hence its virtue IL was not wreRehed
from him, but was a free-will offering. Then,
see the harmony between the Father and the
Son. Not only was the crueifxiOn met volun-
tarily by the Savior. but it accorded also with
the will of the Father. There is nothing in
| the way Of our salvation. The plan originated
in Heaven; so must DO wise, and therefore
also effective. If Christ was so obedient to the
| Father and that in matter involving such
suffering on the Sons part, we surely ought in
all ordinary matters, certainly in all concerns OF
personal interest, TO obey our Father n Heaven.
Il is very common in the Scriptures to speak
of ministers as shepherds.
The word shepherd is used in six senses l.
To indicate real attendants on sheep-those
who feed, guide and care for foeks. 2. Rulers
military leaders, etc. & Jewish priests. 4
| Prophets. 5. Christ. 6. Gospel ciergymen
The following are mentioned by name jhep-
herds in the first sense: Abel, Jacob and sons
Lot, Moses, NabaPs, David, Job, Absalom, Ra-
chel (shepherdess). Then, there is Likeness
between real shepherd and any guide. The
people follow leader, look 70 him, depend on
him, are to an extent at his mercy. So the
Bible often calls military officers and civil
rulers shepherds Moses and David were shep-
herds in both senses-the real and the fgura-
tive. Joshua and Cyrus were such in the second
sense. Then, our Savior is repeatedly styled a
Shepherd. MAT, 26 81; Mark. IA: q; Heb.
1920; Pet, 2 %, 5:4; Rev, IL. Compart
Ps., %; Isa, 40; IL; Jer, 81: l0) The Church i.
the flock, Christ is the Chief Shepherd, clergy
men are under-shepherds The ministers Of the
Gospel are often spoken Of under the figure o.
shepherds. (Jer.. 23:4 Matt, 8 30; John, 81
Is II; Acts, 20:2S; Eph., A Ill Some famili
arity with actual shepherd life would doubtless
be an aid to the minister. God so prepared
Moses and David 10 be shepherds of the people
VIM. Penn, speaking Of George Fox remarks
He took great delight in sheep. an employ
ment that very well suited his mind in some
respect, both for its innocency and its solitude
and was just figure of his after-ministry and
service"
The duties Of actual shepherds are mentioned
in the Scriptures as follows: /. To cause thu
fiOcks to lie down. (Ps., 23:2; Jer., 80: H.
To keep the sheep from straying. (Jer.. so: s..
3. To pity the injured or distressed. Zee, IL
81 A. To water the hocks. (Gen.. % 3; Ps.
%: p 3. To feed them. Gen, 29:7.) 8. II
go before them as leader. John, I0:4.)
work titled Eastern TraCel so finely set
forth shepherd life in the East, we give a quo
tatiOn:
Travelling day I rode down from a bar
mountain ridge into the wild and beautiful vale,
Of Helbon. aud dismounted beside little fountain
group OF some Is or 20 shepherds were there, toe
resting during the heat of the day. aEd their Oes
: amounting to several thousand sheep and goats
filed nearly the whole bottom of the valley. Whei
the time came to lead the fiocks away TO pastur
again watched their motions with intense inter
! est. The shepherds rose went into the middle c
the dense mass Of animals, and then separating
walked away slowly in a different direction. A
they went. each peculiar cry call the shee
heard, and they, too, began TO separate from eac
other. i observed that the whole mass was agita
ted as IL the sheep and goats had been drive
. hither and thither by some unseen power. Gradu
a ally they formed a series OF dense moving columns
following closely in the footsteps of the shepherds
and drawn after them by their voices. also oh
served that while each shepherd wound his wa
through the united focks, of the animals fe
l AT his approach, frightened by his voice, other
: fastened toward him, " for they knew his voice
In "a short time they were all led OFF, and the foun
tain completely deserted not q solitary shee
! or goat tagging behind.
2 In The Land and The BOoE DIR. Thomson says
Some sheep always keep near the shepherd an
! are his special favorites each has a name to Whic
IL answers joyfully, and the kind shepherd eve
and anon, distributes to such choice portions whie