The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-18
The International Sunday School Lesson
March 10. 1899. John Y 1.10.
Christ tho Good Shepherd.

March 10. 1899. John Y 1.1o.
Christ tho Good Shepherd.
Jesus had lately used those lndispen.
sables. light" and water" as en-
blems Of His office and function. He
now employs q new figure. almost rs
familiar, for the Hebrews were always
a pastoral folk. This. with the story
Of the vine and branches (chapter XIV,
is said to be the only instance Of allie
CORY in the New Testament.
The Jewish church had grown into
great ecclesiastical establishment, fur
tnishing numerous offices OF honor. pow
err and emolument. These were natu-
rally sought by the ambitious and held
tennciously by the successful. Ono OBJ
Ject OF this allegory Is to set forth the
character OF these mercenaries. Like
thieves they have effected an entrance
In such way that their true charac-
ter has not been discovered. But,
though they have obtained the garb Of
office, they do not have the following
Of the true members. The latter. In
stead of following. flee, and do not hear
them. The character OF these false
shepherds Is further delineated. They
work havoc In the highest interests of
men. They steal. kill. and destroy In
the realms OF spiritual values. Their
purely mercenary spirit Is indicated by
the epithet "hlreling.' In the tlnul
crisis. when the very life OF those men
whom they serve Is at stake, they would
iiv like arrant towards. Thus. with
steady and courageous hands, Jesus
held the mirror before the hierarchy Of
his day.
On the dark background Of the false
shepherd. Jesus now projects the ideal
OF the true. He Is one who enters
upon his function In the appointed way.
The Holy Spirit (the porter) approres;
the church recognizes Him (the sheep
hear his volce). His life Is spent In care
OF the flock; he callelh, leadeth, put
teth forth, goeth before.
Jesus makes n decided turn In the
allegory when He declares Himself to
be Inc door" Entrance to the church
is by the person and work of none other
than Christ. There is none other
name under heaven given among men.
Through Him We come TO salvation and
spiritual sustenance (iind pasture) and
the more abundant life.
Again, there are shepherds and shcp-
herds. but Jesus Is pre-emlnenty the
ut tNlutHCt VI lllS 10
voluntary surrender of life and the re-
clprocal and perfect recognition sub
sIstlng between shepherd and sheep
analogous to that which maintains be-
tween Father md Son. nv
Finally. Jesus burst the shell of Jew
ish sectariansm in the generous and
courageous words: "Other sheep have
which are not of this fold" 1t was 4
hint Of this kind which had led these
sectarists. on former occasion, to ask
scornfully, "Will He go and teach the
gentIles?" Alas! how they dissolve
the pearl Of charity in the acid OF sect"
The zone Shepherd" exalts persons
above institutions. when He says there
shall be 'one flock" not zone fold" us
In the authorized version. which gives
precisely the opposite sense. The refer
ence Is to the .'invisiblc church" made
up of the faithful OF every age and land.
The Teachers Lantern.
~ Every one who enters by this
door Christi Is saved and becomes in
turn 4 minister OF grace to others "a
shepherd, not the Shepherd. as In a. W
The pattern Is Jesus. Every good shep-
herd lives for the flock.
(2). He who. stunning the door,
climbs up from some other quarter, by
that very act reveals hisdishonest char
ncter and unworthy purpose.
(3) TO steal" and ito have life" The
contrast Is that of the false and the
true religion. Phariseeism and ecclcsi-
asticism fleece and kill They have al
ways done SO everywhere and by what
ever name they have been known. But
true religion always gives the present
life a more abundant development.
Whatever form OF religion tends to de-
prive mankind OF It's free, natural and
joyous life is anti-Chrlstlan. The con-
slant tendency of Christs teaching and
influence Is to make the whole life, So
clal. intellectual. moral and spiritual.
more abundant"
%. Lay down life, take It again"
The mother lays down her NE in the
birth and rearing OF every child She
takes life again in the maturcd man
hood and womnnhoOd of her offspring.
The analogy maintains in the suffering
and sacrifice OF Jesus. He voluntarily
surrendered His life. No one took It,
Now. with joy He "sees His seed" His
spiritual offspring, and prolonss His
days In them, AZ the prophet said he
would. uSaiah llii.).
No). lncy unuerSlOpu not. IloW
their worship of the letter had destroy
cd all commerce between their minds
and the relations which II SGT forth.
(Maurica.) "rhe sheep did NOT hear
them" 1t Is the preachers OF Christ
who alone have secured the worlds at
tention. And shall be safe" The
extent and assurance OF this safety are
expressed in the parable. Go In and
30 out" An Hebraistic phrase to de-
note the whole OF life. 1.-THE hireling;"
not everyone who Is hired is IL hirclinE,
but he who serves only for hire. 'lie
gCcth before them" Jesus tests In His
own person the experiences of His dis
cinlcs. 1.-THE other sheep also shall
hear Jesus voice" They have already
heard fragments of His teaching
through their noblcst fellows. but they
shall now have His doctrine entire.