The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-21
In the Religious World
What the Church Folks IRE Thinking
About and Doing. Religious NeWS
From Everywhere.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON AND YOUNG PEOPLES ToPIo.

unto thee, her sins. which are many,
are forgiven; for she loved much but
to whom little Is forgiven, the same
/ loveth little.
The Hallmark of Ffneness.
Crestfallen and confused over his Sc
we're Indictment of inhospitality. yet
angry with the Rabbi who had rebuked
him, Simon was silent. Out of his own
mouth he had been condemned. He
had failed in courtesy and ne had fall
ed in religion. Yet only bitterness, in
stead Of penitence, filed his heart.
Doubtless he later became one of the
most rabid of the prosecutors of Jesus;
for nothing inspires to hatred like be-
ing found in the wrong ourselves. It
IS the persons whom we have Wronged
and not those who have wronged US, to
whom we show our worst side.
The pridefulness of the pharisees all
along come in for the severest condem-
nation of esuS. He utterly condemned
elf-righteousness it really seemed
more heinous in his sight than the
grosser sins Of such as this woman. All
narrOwness. unsympathy, self-right-
eOusness and censoriousne ss-which
are always the peculiar temptation of
the really VfrtuOus"are utterly repre-
hended by the great-hearted Christ. He
taught a democracy of love that would
break down all artificial barriers be-
tween man and man, substituting in
stead a tender-hearted, comp passionate
and forgiving brotherhood He who
knows all knows that it is ever posi-
bic for the best to become worse than
the worst And He does not rate Gull
pability by any conventional standard;
IN His sight the correct and self-suffi-
Gent ariStOcrat may be greater sinner
than the miserable slave Of passion.
Contrast with the conduct of the
pharisees made the attitude of Jesus
toward the lowly. the needy and the
sinful seem all the more tender and
tactfui He cared for human hearts.
even the bruised and blackened. AS he
did for this poor woman of the town,
so he was ever doing for the outcast.
So pronounced was this aspect Of his
character that it won for him the
sobriquet, Friend of publfcans and sin
ners''
Gentleness is hallmark of fine
ness. The truly refined person is al
ways considerate. None ever had his
feelings hurt by the gentle Jesus ex-
cept the proud, arrogant and self
righteous. The little children, the
women, and all whom suffering or a
consciousness Of sin had made pc
cudarly sensitive, found in Jesus a del
icacy of feeling and a congeniality
which made it possible for him to help
them.
A Big Black Fact.
No philosophy of life is adequate
which omits the fact Of sin. The re-
ality and presence of sin is apparent
person. It underlies as a foundation
all the problems of our time Because
men and women sin we have the over
whelming variety of perplexing social
and economic and religious questions
which vex the world. One reason why
the teachings of Jesus are regarded
as the final solution Of all these Is
that he deals squarely with the fact
or sin; his remedy is radical, resting
content with nothing short Of the
elimination of sin from human hearts.
The release and reward which he
gave to the weeping woman whose
lavish love had so moved him was
forgiveness of her sins This boon
granted, she went forth trustingly and
assured. The old fear, the old shame.
the old suffering of spirit were all
dropped as a CASTOR garment; she was
a new being. in the sweet sense of for
g1veness and peace. This is the gift
which Christ, differently from all 9th
ers has for the race. He can cleanse
It from sin. And this he is doing; so
that. as result of the winters evan
gelistic preaching, there are rising UP
IN all parts of the land men and wo-
men. until recently in as bad a way
as this woman of Galilee, who now
joyfuily profess the peace of pardon
and the strength and sweetness of sal
walton.
In a Word.
Great desire greatly dares.
Who loves much gives much
righteousness is unrighteous
Loves offerings are all fragrant