The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-07-26
PhOtO0raPF7ir1Q,
EPWORTH LEAGUE.
Topic For the Week beginning July
20, "Cumberers of the Ground"
Text, Luke xiii, 60.


"Tie came and sought fruit thereon
and found none" PLATE, the Roman
governor, had with stern authority re-
pressed one of the many instructions
or mobs of the Jews occurring ut the
season of their great festal gatherings
III Jerusalem. That which seemed to
shock the people most deeply was the
disregard OF the sanctity of the courts
of the temple, so that Roman soldiers
had rushed past the barriers In the
partition balustrade which foreigners
were Oh penalty of death forbidden to
pass and had slain the Galilean plot
ters In the sacred upper courts while
Offering sacrifices, so that their blood
mingled with that of the beasts they
were Offering.
To the superstitious ones of the times
ii was n sign that God refused their
sacrifices and as Il mark of signal dis
pleasure on their wickedness allowed
them to be so killed. It had long been
n belief that God would protect His
sanctuary and all who fed to it for
refuge and would not allow any enc
my of Israel to violate its sacred pre-
cincts. The same superstitious rever-
ence for the Sabbath prevented the
Jews making any defense in war ON
their holy day, preferring death to vio-
lating the command to keep it holy.
Bodily Ills and all physical disturb
ances had come to be regarded as
signs of Divine dspleasure until the
real working of God in the natural
world and religious life was completely
mystificd and the true nature of even
His ethical precepts lost under mass
Of false and supcrstltious traditions.
Jesus tells them plainly that it was
not prc-eminent wlckedness of the Gal
lilean fanatics which was empha-
sized by their horrible death, but It
was Il natural consequence Of their
disregard of their duties and the rights
and powers of orderly government. SO
would it be with themselves If they
did not change their own course. The
same temper of mind and intention
was smoldcrlng in their breasts and
would work the same results unless
ubuuuOucu, utll tollltS tllt lliIuDlc
of the text. Fig trees ought to bear
figs. That Is their true function and
end. If they do not do this after
proper age and care, they will be con
demned as useless and removed. So
men are fitted to do justly and right
eously and conduct their lives with
due regard for the rights of other men
and the institutions of society. If
these are violated persistently, the
| transgressors will summarily suffer the
consequences of their warfare on con-
stituted authority. Human conduct is
under the direction of law, and govern
ment is orderly and not capricious.
! Reason and not favoritism or fear
| directs in the processes of life, both
| human and material. Fate is not blind
chance, but orderly result from adc-
quate cause.
The fig tree must produce figs or go.
So men must do right or he removed.
AS to the mode in which the govern
ing power acts, you can view it as nat
ural sequence Of events in unbrokeI
chain of cause and effect merely ol
| you can give attention to the persona
element back Of. above and in the
whole course of events as the rea
author. The result Is the same so fal
as the practical lesson for conduct Il
concerned. 1t is figs or fire, bear ol
burn, righteousness or removal.