The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-03
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE LESSON.
Luke xvi, lib, Nov, 4, 1900-The I'm
just Steward.

just Steward.
This is one OF the most spirited parallels OF our
Lord. Its scenes shift rapidly. Its very sur
prises sustain the interest TO the last word
We seem TO the sleek and afIiuent
major-dorao. manager. bookkeeper and treasurer.
ali in one So absolutely is he trusted by his
master that he can steadily enrich himself by
populations from the revenues OF the estate
through a series Of years. He would never have
been brought to the book at all had IL not been
for the jealousy of some party who peached upon
him. The next scene pictures him dis
graeed. discharged. a reckoning demanded.
Then comes that picturesque monologue
reminding US, in way. Of Hamlets soliloquy,
Ito be or not to be-" The dilemma, dig or
beg" alike repugnant. impossible, Then the
happy. shrewd hit, The alteration OF contracts.
the scaling down of rents and bills rendered. as
a means of placing debtors under obligation and
securing them shelter and income in the future.
In come the debtors and tenants b.
one, each bearing his contract account upon
a bit of parchment--in Hebrew letters. which
also numerals. and are easily altered by any
clever penman The fraudulent changes are
quickly made, TO the satisfaction OF both parties
But Nemesis is still the stewards
track. The proprietor is Informed OF this last
DEAL OF his confidential clerk. He cannot but
admire the quickness and cleverness With which
he has relieved himself from awkward situa-
tion lie has actually escaped both horns OF
the dilemma, has steercd between Scylla and
Charybdis. This vivid parable is fol-
lowed by some diamond pointed aphorisms. They
are provocative of thought They the chal-
lenge OF the Divine Sentinel. He must be an
swered. Why should Christians be less skillful
in the selection OF the right means to effect good
ends than worldlings to effect evil ends?
Is there not a right OF riches? .
Fidelity in small way is the advance guard of
fidelity in a larger way. InfdeIity in the
employment of material wealth marks as
unworthy of having spiritual riches intrusted
him. An unfaithful steward cannot be-
come a faithful proprietor A dual serv-
ice is as impossible dual life. 1t is
always God or Mammon; never God and Nam
mon
THE STUDY LAMP
There arc several incidental lessons In this
parable They TO be noted; but If undue
prominence is given them. the proportion will be
lost. Above all. it is not TO be spirituaized OF
allegorized
The main intent OF the parable is to show that
species and degree OF wisdom is necessary 10
success in religion.
One of the faults Of current religion-happily
not now great II has been-is TO think of
the sphere of Christian experience as a hap
hazard region where ends come without means
CduSeS-Wnere
fects of violation OF law can be set aside IN
some supernatural way.
Drummond gave epoch-making phrase:
Natural law in the spiritual world
We succeed in religion exactly in other
things. in proportion TO the skill and constancy
with which the means which produce
success.
How much planning. scheming and devising
| there is in things material and temporal, Men
| case demands. but in many instances more.
| The children OF the light" should in their
generation show more wisdom than the children
| OF this world Too often they do not. Hence
| Jesus condemnation.
II the things for which men strive were ar
ranged in the order of their relative Importance
things relating to the soul would certainly come
| first. Hence the philosophy of Jesus command:
Seek first the Kingdom OF Cod
| This parable has given commentators heap
| of trouble. They have tried TO foist a
| negative in order TO make Jesus say the oppo-
site of what he Is recorded as saying. Julian
| the Apostate asserts that Jesus praised an i'm
| moral act. He says he ''commends and sanctions
| cheating Nothing like it. For example. prais-
ing theater- builders for their ingenuity does no;
/ involve appreciation of the theater Canon Far
| rar says; THE lesson conveyed by this parable
| H. enforced by the principle of contrast like
| that OF the unjust judge. and involves no com
| mendation OF the party whose conduct conveys
! the lesson
The affairs of a large establishment. CONNER
cal manufacturing, other, cannot be con-
Quoted without trusted officers of various grades
To take advantage of this necessity con-
| temptible. Yet it is almost a characteristic Of
! current commercial history. It's the era rl
''rake-offs'' false entries, and what not Happy
| Is the firm that has such jewel as Abraham
had in Elezer.
The Bible abounds in short sentences that stick
in memory like arrows in a target I've cannot
| serve God and Mammon'' is one of them II IS
| mathematically true that lines divergent in
| fnitely extended, cannot parallel. Write on one
| ideal line Cod the other ''Mammon," and
| you have geometrical figure of the impossible
| ity Of the double service
Key and Analysis
| /. Jesus gets parable out OF his Mammon-
| serving auditors J. The informed proprietor
1
/ IN p0ieilv ba ha G