The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-09
TEACHING POINTS.

INTRoDUCTIoN.-The parable, as story,
should be clearly understood -Archelaus, 1t
will be remembered Matt. 2:22). became eth
march of Judea during the infancy of Jesus; he
was, afer a short and cruel reign, banshed !;
and succeeding him were tie Roman procura-
tors Sab nus, Coponius (under Quirinus. project
of Syria), Ambivius, Annius. Rufus. Valerius
Gratus, PoNTIUs PILATE.--It required only
that the story of the accession of Archelaus to
the govern mant of Judea should be cast into
parabollc form. to make 1t convey the e sental
,ssons Jesus designed it to teach.
ID V. 1l-14. The giving out of the pounds.
A nobleman, a prince left his estate to go to
Rome to be made king. To his trusted servants
he gave pound each, telling them to trade
Herewith. Naturally the, e servants al thought
Of the coming time when the prince would be
king and have royal benefits to confer-There
was, 1t is to be noted, party actively oppo ed
to this prince becoming king, and protested to
the Roman emperor against the throne being
conferred upon him. (This, against Archelaus,
was justifiable; against Jesus it was giievous
mistake.)
(2.) V. 1919, The reward of using. When
the prince returns as king, he summons be-
fore him his servants. One has, for the pound
he received, eleven pounds to render. "Ths
man." says the king, ''has demonstrated his
capability of ruling over ten cities" Another
servant has six pounds to return Tor the one en-.
trusted to him, He" says the royal judge, lis
capable of ruling five cities. '-Thfse servants,
we assume. have tesn selfshly ambitious; and
they are now appointed rulers over cities that,
by extorting taxes from the peop'e, they may
exercs the same kind of ability they have al
ready exercised in behalf of their employer
The parallel in the spiritual realm holds only
so far as the universal rule is demonstrated:
To those who have more shall be given.
49, V, 81. Thelo of notusing, The SER
want who gave back to his master exactly the
one pound he received could not, by either dar-
ing or ingenious excu es, hide the fact that he
was not worthy of promotion, The new king
was now In need of active agents; but this inert
servant had demonstrated that he was unequal
to any place of esponsiblity.--H he had
placed his moneYin the bank (Which tt en- served
the purpose of the moGern savings bank, he
would have done better than to hide his pound
In a ndkerchef--Plainly from such SER
want wordy-wise mas er will take away what
ever responsibility and opportunity he has,
A law of human life and a law of the spirit is
demonstrated: To those who have, who have
achieved, who have demonstrated capability,
SHALL BE GIVEN. Those who have lost what
they had, and suffer tt remnant in their pos
session to be unused, WILL SUFFER YET
GREATER DEPRIVATION. The solemn personal
application; OUR FUTURE MUST BE BUILT ON
OUR PAsT.--While We may find hope for all
in the finalities, because all are as children SUBJ
ject TO the Eternal Fathers discipline, no one
can wisely say that tie divine law of Gain and
Loss does not make the natural PENALTY of all
sins of omission and commits on fearful to con-
template.