The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
REV. NM. PELL on "rRUE LOvE 10
ONES NETGHBOR."
Interesting Dissertation on the tnterna-
tional Sunday school Lesson Tor
To-morrow-The Object.

March s-True Love to Ones Neighbor-
Luke T.. 1881.
as the time drew nigh for JESUS TO be
received up. he steadfas;ly set his face
to 20 to Jerusalem" II was while he
was on this journey-we do not know JUS,
where-that he gave utterance to the
great parable. which the world Is studying
with fresher interest to-day than at any
time in the past.
For this parable we are largely indebt'
ell to the Efforts of ! critic. who sought
TO entangie Jesus in his words. tto"
many good things have come down 10 az,
because Jesus mad his criticsD This man
came in the garb OF an inquirer CON
corned about the way 20 enterrai ne, put
Jesus saw through the artihce. and quick
/ ~ turned the tables upon his opponent
/ Are you not a teacher OF the law? why
should you ask mo when you have the
answer In the law VIVA; does
tho law say?' OF course. the lawyer
could not feign ignorance OF the Jaw. anu
there was nothing 90 DO but 10 repeat inc
familiar commandment. which was bound
up IN the phvIacteries which ne was ac-
customed TO wear on his head and LETT
arm. every morning during the time OF
prayer And now he began 10 feel very
foolish lie had been caught In his own
trap.
lie had been placed in an absurd posi-
ton before Jesus, and the people, and ms
I own conscience. II was necessary Tor nm
20 Justify himself lie had not only acted
/ fooHshly. but he had been compelled 10
give an answer that condemned him. and
/ ne felt that those who heard him knew
/ his secret There was but one hope Of
escape That word "ueighbor" had always
| been a matter Of dispute among eccieslas'
/ Teal hair-splittcrs, and he would try 10
secure from Jesus an Interpretation,
which would either approve his own con-
| duct or give him chance 20 hold up the
Galilean teacher as a hereto.
| In answering, Jesus might have made a
purely logical statement. which shreW1
/ teacher of the law could have twisted to
suit himself. ne preferred to paint pic
+ ure which would appeal TO the heart
and which no man could distort.
\ certain man was going down from
Jerusalem 10 Jericho. and fell amonS
/ thieves. There are teachers who must
/ stop here 10 discourse upon the dangers
which beset the man who leaves the holy
city TO 20 down and dwell In a wicked
/ place like Jericho but there Is more IN
this lesson than We can get out in an
/ hour. and 1t is folly 10 waste our time III
I fauciful Interpretation. The fact remains
/ that an roads I'm this world are infested
by thieves. and that every DAY men arc
being set upon. and stripped. and wound
ed and left bali dead-and in need OF a
neighbor
The poor fellow lying I'm the road COW
/ cred with blood ana dust awaiting death
or a neighbor-was not an uncommon
a.. hat at IL
an uncommon scene to-day anyWhore'
/ Look al him and look about you. Is there
not a poor widow on the next corner, whose
present pitiabie plight dates back 30
time when she was set upon by thieves
not ferce.iooking highwaymcn In shabby
/ clothes. but genteel, kind -hearted citizens,
who have tender concern Tor tho he-
reaved. and are ready 10 help them Tor
/ the sake of the dear dcpartedf Was tt
not said OF that good man who died yes.
terday that ne was driven 10 the wall anu
/ literally crushed 10 death through the
/ avarice Of men who owe an they have to
him2 Are there not whole communiilc1
! even nations stripped OF their rameni
and wounded and left half dead;
The first man 90 Ind the poor fellow IN
the road was a priest. he was not look
/ ing for him. II was not his business SO
look for people In trouble. IL was his
business TO 20 up 10 Jerusalem in the or.
der OF his course attend 10 certain duties
in the temple. and go back 20 jericho
again. He was strictly "a professional,
as most Of the priests I'm that day Were.
He stood between God and man for
a consideration. and knew little about
either The picture is OF selt-centred'
clOsc-hsted cOid-hiCoded professional
whose religion consists IN looking out Tor
number one" and who absolutely re-
fuses 20 be interviewed on the subject or
other peoples needs We have him re-
incarnated to-day i'm the professional pas
tor who has an eye 90 business ana
shrinks from contact with his fellow men.
and the professional layman who entered
the church as a special partner and is
working out MS own salvation on the Da'
sis Of the prOvcrb that every tub must
stand on its own bottom.
This priest passed by on the other siie.
lie simply declined, "a he had always
done, 10 accept any responsibility Tor
other peoples affairs. He-but the moro
We think OF this man the more indignant
we become. and We find ourselves growing
uucharitable. Let him pass.
Tho next man ~ Le,ito There Is a
conscious flush on the cheek Of the law
Yer. for he. il seems is OF the Tribe OF
Levi. This Levite differs from the prieste
I'm the matter OF feeling. Apparently his
sympathies are aroused, and he crosses
over 10 take a look az the poor fellow.
Ina ry-day lie we make a wide gulf
between tile priest and the Ltyitc. We
despise the cold blooded professional; We
put our arms around the man whose heart
IS so fun that 10 is always Overlooking
through his eyes How we love 10 SIT
down and think OF our sympathetic ma
lures. We feel SO deeply. We suffer SO
much on account OF the bigness Of our
hearts, But the Leyite did no more FOR
the poor fellow than Che priest We have
small opinion OF the man who refuses 10
interest himself ia people who are IA iFou-
bic. but we have less opinion OF the man
who can 20 10 see his nelghhor I'm trouble,
asd then refuse 20 lend a helping hand.
The next man was a Samaritan. The
Samaritan came and looked on the poor
fellow, saw that he was Jew and
promptly kicked him Ia the ditch; That
Is the way Jesus would have put 81 II he
had wanted TO curry favor with his hear
ers. But no. ne makes the Samaritan the
mans neighb0r. That was daring thing
10 do. but IN was the thing that needed TO
be done The priest, who was supposea
10 stand nearer the man I'm trouble than
any one else, had passed him by. The
Tcvite who haA hlWayF preached the
doctrine that all Jews were neighbors,
had passed him by. The Samaritan, re-
narled By the Jew as dog. under less
obligation TO render help 10 A jew than
anyone else IN the world, came and bound
up his wounds. after having cieansed
them with wine and sOOthed them with
oil, and put him on his own beast ana
carried him 10 an inn and paid his bin
(Which now Of these three" said Je-
sus. ~thinkest thou was ueighbor unto
him that fell among thieves And now