The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-09

that illustrated tire theme There arc
three types % rsen." the preacher said.
represented In this story. F3rsf. taoss
WA5 ~ relation 70 human misfortune SUI
fering % sorrow pass by on me other
side. i was a priest who fiTsT saw the
man who was IN trouble. and then pre-
tended not 20 see. showing. as Jesus IL
tended It should show. the possibility o.
ore wearing the garb OF religion % fall on
some point OF religious practice. here
vas high 5fdclal IN The church VINO
proved wanting a. a critical moment, IN
that very spirit Of love without when
the church and ali of its ordinaces are
worthless
1T sometimes happens that even Chris
tan ministers get on the wrong side Of
human trouble. For example, II a bishop
or minister OF our Own church or any other
church thanks God for crop failure.
even OF hops. an intolerance that would
arouse righteous anger were Il not 50 lu-
cicrOus, We feel that he has not found out
the answer 70 the question Of the scribe,
Who Is AIy Neighbour
But the priest IN the parable stands
for all who give the misfortunes Of their
fellow men a wide berth. II is the want
OF bensyolence. wishing well, and OF ben
eficlence. doing well. that Is largely re-
spousi6le for the deep undertones or So
cial discomfort. The man who passes by
on the other side IS he who ignores the
poverty and pains OF his fellow men. who
viii simply not have anything 20 do with
others distress. Too many there are who
coolly put away from them any case of
injustice or oppression They certainly
don't know the meaning OF 'neighbor;'
they need to study the story of the Good
Samaritan.
The next man that came along that
rugged road near Jericho was a Leylte:
and who was he? one next in rank 70 the
priest. another religious official. and he.
too found it convenient 70 get out of the
way Of the man who needed a friend.
But there was one difference between the
Levite and the priest. The Ievite came
first and looked on the poor fellow. That
was something. He had an impulse TO
help but il did not lest. He weighed
the matter OF expenditure. OF loss OF
time. OF the annoyance Of the whole bus
mess and some trumDed up excuse let
him Off. Perhaps he said ii was the mans
own fault, just as persons today relieve
themselves OF any responsibility toward
the poor by false excuses. The man had
no business going down 10 Jericho, or he
should have taken a bodyguard, or Il may
be he drank. That certainly would pre-
clude any sympathy from this deacon in
the church. or the Levite may have said
20 himself: This is not my business Let
the associated charities of Jericho or the
county commissioners attend to it, as
though organized charities, 50 indiSpeusa-
bic 70 every community, or public relief.
can do away with the privilege of personal
service to ones neighbour or the mat
ter Of cost: That often stops the impulse
OF charity. Sydney Smith said, There
would be many more good Samaritans
were Il not for the toll and the two-pence'
So the Levite went by, and those whom
he represents are .they who though they
first incline toward benefcence. beat re-
fxFka N fapG = dc m nd Of self
sacrifice and service.
Finally. another man comes, and
who was he2 Only a Samaritan. one who
did not belong 10 the church one whose
people were regarded by the Jerusalem
Jews with scorn. Yet this man is chosen
by our Lord TO represent those who know
something Of the meaning OF 'neighbor'
The Samaritan gave personal service
something more important even than aims.
He took care OF him. gave thought.
time: showed himself a friend lie gave
money. too. about s. in our money. and
oil and wine; took him TO the hotel and
told the proprietor to look after him until
ne returned What an illustration Of love!
What a lesson OF benehcence. No wonder
that even the smart lawyer who tried 10
trip up Jesus on the question Of ind.vid-
ual responsibility for human woes should
have exclaimed IN answer TO the summing
up OF Jesus: who was my neighbor?
lie that showed mercy on him
d" Go and do likewise is the lesson for
us all. Every man Is our neighbor who
needs in us a friend"