Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20
for Sunday Scbools.
STAR LESSON FOR OCTOREP ~
BY Rev. ]. e. Gilbert, DID,.
SECRETARY AMERICAN SOCIETY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
THE PARABLE TALENTs"-M.tt -<...aa


m ma.ed and no more, saying Thou has,
-, JUDGMENT oversees 20, 27. sW.-Upon
fnr r servants statement, without waiting
.or any testimony Of others. the lord
passed Judgment. so that in reality the
ment . nan,s,u up his own case. The judg-
$3.50 an ihniction of punishment the latter
o oaseo upon the former. See the items Of
stho}, Ermahou wicked and slothful,"
prohtable servant" These terms tell TIE
mmoie story. A servant, one whose busi-
ness was to render to his master some re-.
him. h mm1 kneW that this was expected OF
t,,n,t Hau inooiently neglected his oppor.
s 4. had proved himself worthless. had,
$500 tacs. ~ this become wicked. See the
out of tie last hast him into outer darkness
ehtit!ed to place. into the darkness Of fhs
nnlSht, there to weep In vain over b,s Ma, Ia
hbUr.bpe \ Does not all this occur, and
ousintti NOT 10 occur. with those who az
qualnted with Gods plan for their lives
nevertheless sluggishly move on dav S,,
Gay, with no serious effort or purposa n
improve His gifts? And after they have
thar, y honoIs that might have come to
lamentl eea' mas oeen their
,o.. I .1-a, Verse 2s) One of the
,aos. striking features of this parable now
,Tas 10 De considered The one talent
mHicn the Improbable Servant had hurled
IN enc earth and which was restored 10 his
t9ro was by order of the lord delivered tn
IRE servant who had ten talents. His es-
an,,., .hen $1,000 nve plus five, plus one,
EQUALS eleven. This transfer was accordins
70 merit, as well as according to the mas
Ter s pleasure. 1t was not an arbitrary, a
capricious act Of unJustifiable favoritism. n
s; INTO ,. the record that one person begin-
nlng with capital Of five had advanced to
eieVen, parity by earning five and lastly NV
bonus or good will on the part of his EN-.
i b,Syet, mere was commingled thus fidelity,
uuslry increase, generosity and other viz!
tues. Such has been the history of men In
our DAY, moving steadily forward to com.
ihandlhe position, while others have sunken
to lower planes. the one honored and use
fui, the other little and unknown.
PRINCIPLE. Verse 30 Jesus then
puts into the lips Of the master words Of
far-reaching import, both to Justify his
course and to show its wisdom. He declares
was according to an infexible rule, by
which he purposed to administer his affairs.
A principle was behind all his conduct.
Unto every one that hath improved" shall
worthy and competent. The gifts of God
are not bestowed for the pleasure of meh
Games iv:3), The one design Is to multiply
the good things OF heaven until they shall
abound to the glory of God and the welfare
Of man. Men are here with God-like capac-
tiles to help advance Gods work In pro-
noting the increase of goodness, and they
who do this are to be trusted with larger
IL.
hand. from him that hath not improved
shall be taken away even that which he
hath" Why? Because 1t Is Of no value In
his hands. 1t is there a dead and useless
thing. 1t might as well be destroyed alto
gether. Besides, the man has despised his
privilege, and deserves not on that account
to be trusted.
CONCLUSION. All men have abilities,
the gift of God. No one may plead that he
is unable to do anything, having talent.
All men are expected and required to use
what they have and nothing more. Faith
fulness in little will be approved as truly
as faithfulness in much. The law of in
crease involves the law of fidelity. He who
gains nothing loses everything The distri-
button of Gods favors may seem to men at
times to be unwise, but He knows men and
knows what use they will make of His
gifts. and has right so to order that they
shall have most who are best able to en1a
ploy. But for all this there will be TIME
of reckoning. We pass on now thoughtlessly
in the routine of life, not knowing that III
that routine we are preparing for approval
or condemnation; that We are building or
wasting our fortunes; that we are advanc-
ing in honor or sinking to shame. There Is
no standing stil-forward and finally all, or
backward and finally nothing. Good ana
faithful or wicked and slothful will be the
verdict upon every life.
Questions Answered.
Any person may send any biblical ques.
ton to DR.. Gilbert, 1903 r street northwest
this city, and receive answer in The Star.
1866 What is the meaning of major
prophets?
Answer.-The term Is used In reference to
the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamenta-
lions, Ezekiel and Daniel only because they
are larger than the other twelve prophetic
books. 1t is distinction In the matter OF
size.
1G7. Who were the evangelists?
Anewer-Those who spoke and wrote con-
corning Christ with the view to make
Him known and to win men to become His
followers.
16S Why are certain books of the New
Testament called episties?
Answer.-The word epistle means letter.
The books so named, twenty-one in all.
were letters some to individuals and some
to churches.