The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-06-01
The Good Neinhbor.


This simple story of our lesson has
a strange fascination for men. When
once heard, 1t can never be forgotten;
yet its very simplicity seems to be its
fatal weakness at least so far as most
people are concerned. The man OF
the world seeking Jesus inquired,
what shall do''-what great thing
shall I do, Ito inherit the kingdom?"
The wise teacher replied-human
duty involves nothing above the easy
ability of all men. There is no new
requirement outside of the old table
of the law which men have had since
the days of Moses, even that code Of
ten rules when read Alright, imposes
only two obligations, the first the love ,
of the Lord and the second its count
erpart the love of men. This do, and
thou shalt live.
But as axes don't chop" and pro
hibition don't prohibit" and laws
don't command" and duty don't do"
this lawyer presumed that he might
get employment from the coming
King to draft a bill for presentation
In the new religious parliament abol-
ishing the Anticipated code and in its
stead enacting an up to date system
for the regulation of human affairs
which by graduated fees and penal |
ties might meet with more favor from
business men.
OF course the lawyer knew that the
new administration would need mon
ey and he was willing to pay any
reasonable fee for the license or in
diligence which he hoped to secure /;
for his old time propensities But to
his amazement and to the bewilder-
ment of the children of men ever
since. Jesus only reiterated the old
Mosaic code in a simple summary
Glove God" and love thy neighbor as
myself"
The infinite, omnipresent, but invis-
ible God could not well be lodged
especially by men with closed eyes;
so catching at the only possible loop
hole for casuistry and evasion, the
woud-be nullifer of Heavens code in
the phraseology of legal hypocricy re-
peated his cantful Interrogation:
''Who is my neighbour" i
Jesus could not be deceived by q
Pharisee, bigot, or a hypocrite and
resolved to answer such then and
forever in a way to mark their clan
with an eternal blush of shame. So
he said, If you want to get the i'm
port Of my gospel, apply It to present
and living conditions. For example,
did you hear Of the latest news item
as announced by The Daily Herald, OF
that unfortunate fellow who fell into
the hands of robbers on the Jeric0
road? In many particulars II re-
sembles the old, old bandit tales es-
pecially concerning the priest who
went up on the other side of the creek
and the Levite who looked at him in
pity, but was IN too great haste to
reach HIS business to minister to him.
but In this latest news item a new
feature enters in, Samaritan peddleP
came that way and actually took uDl
Our wounded countryman and helped
him to hotel and paid his bill for
two days and promised the landlord
to meet other expenses If the poor
Fellow did not recover by his return.
Now to make my religion vital and
common place, which one of those
three. the reserved and prejudiced
priest, the plying and pre-engaged
levite, OF the practical though hereti-
cal peddler would you acknowledge az
a friend, IL It had been your sad lot to
ldii ny the HduuS Oh Inc DdnQ1CS ON
Jerico road?
It was a hard question and impos-
sible of evasion or notification. The
casuist acknowledged that he was
logically silenced; but he was not
converted to its holy charity. Still.
as if to clinch the arrow of conviction
In human hearts forever the Christ
brother concluded the dialogue win
the command: go, and do thou like
wise."-E. A. DeVore, d. d.
1T is an old saying that charity be-
gins at home; but this is no reason IL
should not go abroad. A man should
live with the world as citizen of the
world; he may have preference for
the particular quarter or square. or
even alley, in which he lives, but he
should have a generous feeling for
the welfare of the hole."-Cumber-
land. -
Self cruclfylng Friendship.
The greatest personal disappoint-
ment of my life came with realiza-
L.