The morning times., 1896-08-24
Jerusalem TO JERICHO
Story Of the Good Samaritan
49, Most -Viyidly Told.
HAD TRAVELLED THE ROAD
Rev. DR.. Horton Illustrated His Ser
mon by His Personal Experiences
in the Holy Land-The Lessons He
Drew From the Parable-The Conn
mand Given Is Clear.

the subject Of a very interesting discourse
delivered last evening at the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church by the Rev
Francis A. Horton, d. D., of Philadelphia,
who in the absence OF the pasto., Rev. DR..
Wallace Radcliffe, occlpied the pulpit
The story of the parable wa5 ma lie dolbly
interesting and instructive because Of
the fact that Dr.IAeFsea has Travelled over
the very ground in which the scenes Of
the story were laid.
His description of the place OF the
| scene and the circumstances on which the
story was based was most beautifully told,
and his argumens=was clear ana forcible.
1t was simple, clear and pointed, unfold.
ing the true meaning of the conani Love
Thy Neighbor, As -ThSself." :.
When the lawyer, after long and secret
thought went to Christ To PROFOUND TO Him
certain questions (which he felt sure the
Lord could not satisfactorily answer, he
was as;oDshed. said the speaker, with the
clearness sand-proInptnesS with which they
Were solved. Instead of answering Himself
Christ asked the lawyer to tell Him what
was the written lay on the subject, and on
being told. said to him, DO you these
thin gs and YOU will be saved" hclawyer
had asked-t tile Lord, What must i do TO
Inherit everlasting life?'' and was made
himself 10 answer, Love thy neiehEor as
thyself"
HIS PLAIN COMMAND.
1t should be DotiCed just here. said DR..
Horton. that Christ did not say you must
be Jew, Presbyterian or CathClic, but
simply that the man" who does this will
inherit eternal life.
This did not satisfy the lawyer for he
was at loss to know who should be
considered his neighbor. Then Christ
told him the story of the man who went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho and
who. on the way. was attacked by thieves
and robbed and left on the roadside to die
DEPRESSING here for awhile, Dr. Horton
gave graphic description of the road
which leads from Jerusalem TO Jericho
1t was while ira averSing this road he said.
that he first fully came to understand
the meaning of the word down." used
in this story Jerusalem is situated about
$500 feet sabaye the level of the Medit-
erranean Sea, and Jericho at least 200
feet below. The road between is rugged
and steep and then, as now, infested with
band of rnurderous robbers. thieves who
will not only rob your pock let's, but will
also take the pockets with them.
The man referred to in the parable, said
DR.. Horton, had started on his way to
Jericho. but was met on the way by
party of these robbers. who. after taking all
he had. left him on the road to die. Shortly
after down the same road came a priest.
but he did not stop To aid the helpless man
by the wayside. He passed on, never
once thinking or perhaps even caring what
would be his fate. Next came along
Levite, and he. too, passed by without
Offering to assist the fallen They were
looking ont for themselves and knew IL. by
chance. any OF the robbers lurking in the
rocks nearby were to see them offer AID
eiIeir doom. too. would be sealed. 1t was
self-interest, selfprotection which prompted
their action. They never once thought
what they would have passcrby do IL
they We're in this mans place.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
But said the speaker, contrast
the actions ofsthese men with those OF the
good Samaritan who came next upon the
scene. And, while we do this, we must
remember that the Samaritans were
but a small sect, who were fast dying out.
They were despiset;b by th:Sews. who would
have no business relations with them.
They lived all alone by themselves apart
from every one else. The Samaritan.
however, had compassion, not in words
and looks like the others, but a deep
feeling of neig hborly affection which
prompted him to act, even as he knew
at the possible cost Of his life. He got
down from his little mule and having
assisted the fallen man to his place, guided
him in safety to little inn some distance
ahead. In doing this he knew that he was
rsking his own life but he knew it was
h is duty it was as he would have any other
do by him.
Having told the story, Christ then asked
the lawyer which of these had acted like n
neghbor, aud the answer was the one who
showed mercy. and Christ said to him go
you then and do likewise
The argument said DR.. Horton, Twas
plain aud simple. and further than this,
was unanswerable: We do not give care
and sympathy aud comfort enough to our
fellow beings. We may live next door to
each other and pass in and out day after
day and year after year. but there is that
wanting which should make us neighbors