Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-05-05

| 30. two or three weeks before the cruciixion;
Place-Perea, beyond Jordan.
The full text of today's lesson is as follows :.
| g. And he spake this parable unto certain
| which trusted in themselves that they were
| righteous. and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the temple to
pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other q
] publican.
II. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself God. thank thee. that am not
| as other men are, extortiouers, unjust, adul-
terers, or even this publican.
| IL. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes
| OF all that possess.
Is. and the publican, standing afar of.
| would not lift up much as his eyes unto
| heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying.
God me merciful to me sinner.
IA. 1 tell you. this man went down to his
house justified rather than the other: for
| every one that exalteth himself shall be
| abased; and he that humbleth himself shall
| be exalted.
H. And they brought unto him also infants.
that he would touch them: but when his dis
| ciples saw it, they rebuked them.
49, But Jesus called them unto him. and
said, Suffer little children to come unto me.
and forbid them not: for of such is the king
dom of God
H. Verify say unto you. whatsoever shan
not receive the kingdom of God a little
Some explanations are follows:
9. Certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous" There is a gen.
Grafton that are pure in their own eyes. and
yet is not washed from their flthiness." And
despised Others the tendency OF sef-right-
eousness Is to look down upon others.
TO- Two men went up into the temple
the acknowledged place OF prayer. lone a
Pharisee," the highest, most respectable class
among the Jews.
IL. STOOD" the ordinary attitude Of prayer.
Prayed thus with himself" Either by him
| self. apart from Others or he was congratu-
| lating himself on HIS goodness rather than
| praying to God. God. / thank thee" 1t was
| well to be thankful. but his thanksgiving was
| pride and boasting. in the name of gratitude.
That | am not other men," the rest OF
mankind. He is in class by himself and
! all other men were far below him. "Extor-
| TONER'S very common, especially among the
| publicans. "Or even this publican" And
then. his eye alighting on the publican. he
drags him into his prayer, making him to
supply the dark background on which the
bright colors Of his own virtues shall more
| gioriously appear. 83
IL. II fast twice In the week" He thought
he did more than his duty. 1.-The law ap-
| pointed only single fast-day In the year.
| the day OF atonement Q,ev. xvi. 29). The bi-
weekly fast Of the Pharisees a burden
imposed by the oral iav.''-Cambridge Bible.
He made fasting a virtue instead Of means
| OF virtue. and thus DESTROYED all its 1ss,..
and made 1t means of evil. 'I.xfve t,tba, :.
tenth. "of all that possess," rather Or a.,
| that | acquire, all his gains ''HesUpRt oy.
he exceeds the written law. which only COM
| manded titbes Of corn. wine. oil. and cattle
| (Deut. xiv. %, 23) and not of mint. anise. and
| cummin Matt xiii. 23."-Cambridge Bible.
| He was exceedingly particular as to outward
| forms, and made this substitute for real
virtues, as to which he was careless. or which
| he did not wish to practice. He tithed mint
and anise. but had no love to God.
! IT. whoever shall not receive the king
| dom of God a little child" Trusting God.
| as child trusts his parents, willing to learn.
willing to be led. ready to obey. "Shall In
| no wise enter therein" ~ Because he will
not without the childlike characteristics. He
win be self-confident, and go on his way. and
not Gods. ca Because he cannot: for the
| Kingdom of God is a state Of childlike trust
| In God and loving obedience to God: and till
one has these qualities he is by the necessity
! OF the case outside OF that kingdom.