The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-20
INTERNATIONAL S. S. LESSON.

Luke Ky, ITO. October 81, 1900;
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
These parallels are spoken In answer
to the Pharlsaical murmuring against
Jesus familiarity with publicans and
sinners. They set forth the sayior's ac-
knowledscd mission. In which he and all
heaven delighted-namely. the recovery
OF the lost. IS II a woman loses q
coin. part OF her dowry, does she desplse
1t because 1t Is lost; because, mayhap,
1t is trampled In the mire somewhere. or
Is corroded by exposure? Not bit OF
It.! On the contrary. her heart Is set
upon recovery. She lights her hand
lamp and thrusts 1t into every recess,
and as a last resort she sweeps the floor
and passes the litter through her fln-.
gers. When the coin Is found her de-
light bears some proportion to the In
trinsic value of the coin. and to the
length and righteousness OF the search.
So the apostate cons OF Abraham are
still dear to God; the publIcans, too;
who ALPHABETICALLY make merchandise
out OF 1srael's servitude and fallen
state. lisa sorry plight. the
dangerous predlcament of the lost
sheep. which touches the faithful shep-
herds heart to pity. In a peerless pas
sage, Frederick ". Robertson graphic
ally pictures the strong bond which
maintains between the keeper and the
flock. In this instance, the true shep-
herd, who Is no mere hireling. secs In
Imagination his dear lost sheep on the
mountains, cut by stores. lacerated by
pltcous beating haunts his very dreams.
He knows that most timid and DEFENCE
less Of domestic animals Will be the easy
prey OF some ravlshing beast.
/" Out on the desert he hears It cry.
Sick and helpless, and ready to de-"
The shepherd heart asserts Itself. Out
Into the night desolation and danger he
goes. None, ever knew
!" How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night that rhep-
herd passed through. sfi5
Ere he found his sheep that was LOST
But the sheep is found. and the Joy is
propcrtionate TO the strength OF tic
shepherds attachment, the perils OF the
search, and the value OF the sheep.
- So each sinner and publican Is
still one of the favored flock. only as
tray and imperiled. To search. find.
and restore such one is Divine work,
IN which angels would fain engage-ln
the contamination OF which they are
certainly permitted to rejoice.
Key and Analysis.
/. Attractive power OF Jesus. Exem-
pliilcd in this Instance. More universal,
continuous, and Divine than that of any
other.
II. Criticism OF Jesus. Ground Of It
his friendly bearing toward the outcast
III. Jesus defense. Parallels setting
forth the need. method and happy re-
suit OF recovering the lost.
". Parable OF the lost sheep. Espe-
cially significant among shepherd folks.
Dangerous plight OF the lost. Emergen-
cy requiring strenuous exertion. Joy
OF recovery. 4
Parable OF the lost coin. Jesus effec-
tive use OF common incidents. Loss,
search, recovery. Joy.
vi. Doctr!nal bearing OF these para
bles. The genuincness and pitlfulness
of the lost condition. Possibility and
blessedness Of recovery.
VII. Blessed mminencc OF heaven.
Inhabitants Observant of human cxpe-
rlences. Joyously affected by moral re.
coverie5.
The Study Lamp.
The primary use OF these parallels
should not be los: sight OF. BY them
Jesus justified his kindly and familiar
bearing toward publicans and sinners
at which the Phnrisces md scribcs
were SO outraged. He showed the YER
lest renegade OF Israel as still the object
Of Divine compassion. his restoration
possible and q thing to be earnestly
sought
The shepherd with the sheep upon his
shoulders became one OF the significant
Christian emblems in the earliest age
OF the church. 1t was repeatedly carv-
ed upon the tombs and affairs and fres-
coed upon the walls OF the cntacombs OF
Rome. 1t shows how the first disciples
loved and appreciated Jesus parable.
The charm of Jesus as q Teacher Is
the way he subllmates the commonest
objects. Incidents and operations. He
T0ve them all with consummatc skill
into the rich arras OF his peerless SER
mons.
Joy In hearcn--that is the measure OF
the sinners. peril. We're sin IL mere
episode. II passing Incicent, q dilemma,
cxtrication from which Is ensy, there
would be nothing in that to set the toy
bells OF the skies a-rlnS!ng. 1t Is be-
cause the sinner stands on the crumb-
ling edge of hell, on the brink OF the
lake that hurneth with fire. where their
worm dieth not and their fire Is not
quenched. because he stands where
there Is no eye to pity, no arm to dcllv-
cr. except the eye and arm Divine;
snatched Gs a brand from the burning
1t Is because OF that. there Is Joy In the
presence OF the angels OF God.
1t was not merely what Jesus snid,
nor the way he said II, TINT attracted
the people to him so piienomenally. 1T
was what Jesus was. Men recognized
In him humanity ut It's best The ideal
renli:ed-wisdom. power, love God In /!
raan--a human life so in tune with the
Infinite MS TO think his thoughts and do
his deeds. This makes Jesus univcr-
sally and permanently attractive to
those who are Intent upon obtaining for
themselves and their fellows the noblest
development possible.
Here's Case of Prosperity.