The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-04


 JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Jesus had lately used those indispensa- bles .iight' and water" as emblems of his office and function. He now employs
 new figure almost as familiaS Tor the
 Hebrews were always pastoral folk Tnis
 with the story of the Vine and Branches
 is said to be the only instance of allesory in
 the New Testament.
 The Jewish Church had grown into a great ecclesiastical establishment turnish- ing numerous offices of honor. power. ana
 smolunent These were naturally sought by the ambitious. and held tenaciousiy by the successful. One object of this allesory is to set forth the character Of these mer- cenaries. Like thieves. they have ettectea an entrancee in such a way that their true character has not been discovered. Sut though they have obtained the garb of of-
 flee, they do not have the following of the
 true members. The latter. instead or fol- lowing. flee. and do not hear them The
 character ot these false shepherds is fur- ther delinested. They work havoc In the | highest interests of men. They steal, kili and destroy in the realm of spiritual val ues Their purely mercenary spirit is indi- cated by the epithet. "hireiing" In any | final crisis when the very life of those whom they serve Is at stake. they would ny | like arrant towards. Thus. with stsady
 and courageous hand. Jesus held the mir | TOT before the hierarchy of his day. On the dark background of the false | shepherd Jesus now projects the ideal Of | the true. He is one who enters upon his
 function in the appointed way. The Holy | Spirit (the porter) approves; tho Churcn
 recognizes him (the sheep hear his voiee) | His life is' spent in care of the flock; ne l caIIeth, leadeth, putteth forth, goeth De- | fore.
 Jesus makes a decided turn in the ale
 sory when he declares himself to be "the | Door" Entrance to the Church is by the A a lie | ern sheepfold has but one door, so the l Church has none other than Christ There | Is none other name under heaven given
 among men" Through him we come to
 salvation and spiritual sustenanee uind | pasture) and the more abundant lire. | Again, there are shepherds and shepherds l but Jesus Is pre-eminently the shepherd.
 The evidence of this is his voluntary surren- | der of life and the reciprocal and perfect 1 relation subsisting between shepherd ana
 sheep-analogous to that which maintains | between Father and Son.
 Finally Jesus bursts the shell Of Jew | ish sectarianism in the generous and cour- | aReous words. 'Other sheep l have which are not of this fold" It was hint or thls l kind which had led these sectarlsts. on | former occasion. to ask scornfully. VIII ne | po and teach the Centiles?" Alas! how they i did dissolve the pearl of charity in the | acid of sect" Tho ''ono Shepherd eXaitS ! persons above institutions. when he says ! there shall be "ono flock not "nne fold | as i'm the Authorized Version. which gives | precisely the oppOslt" sense Ihe FeIerehc~ | is to the invisible Church. made up oi the | faithful of every age and land
 l THE TEACHER's LANTERN, Tho division of chapters k arbitrary. and, | in this instance, unfortunate. One must look | tn inc closing verses Of the preceding l chapter to find the circumstances which l led to the speaking of this allegory. Jesus | had said that he had come for Judgment; | that those who saw not might sec ana that l those who saw might be made blind. Tn" official pride of the leaders was touched
 bv that saving. To parry his blow. they 1 cried Are We blind also" As if such thing was impossible and even unthinkable
 Jesus practically said, in response, Il Will
 now hold up the mirror and show you what kind of shepherds you are Ills merciflnl purpose was to awaken some of the best of the ecclesiastics and put the people on
 guard against the rest
 Evervone who enters by this door (Christ)
 Is saved and becomes in turn minister or
 grace to others la shepherd. not the Shep- herd. as in Authorized Version.) The pat torn is Jesus. Every good shepherd lives for the flock.
 He who. stunning the door. climbs up
 from some other quarter, by that very act reveals his dishonest CHhFdCteI dHu uh"Oi-
 thy purpose
 ITO steal" and ito have life" The con trast is that of the false and the true re- Ireion Pharlseeism and ecclesiasttclsm fleece and kill. They have always done so everywhere and by whatever name they have been known. But true religion all
 ways gives the present life a more abund- ant development. Whatever form of re- uRion tends to deprive pankind of its free. natural and joyous life Is anti-Christian. The constant tendency of Christ's teaching and influence is to make the whole life
 social. intellectual, moral. and spiritual more abundant.
 "I.ay down life. take 1t again The mother lays down her life in the birth and rearing of every child She takes life again in the matured manhood or woman hood of her offspring. The analogy main tains in the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus.
 He voluntarily surrendered his life. No one
 took it. Now, with joy. he sees his seed"
 hts spiritual offspring. and prolongs his
 days in them. the prophet said he would,
 '-They understood not" How their wor
 sl,ip of the letter had destroyed all com merce between their minds and the rela- liens which is set forth The sheep did | not hear them" II is the preachers of Christ who alone have secured the worIds atten-