Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ANO
YOUNG PEOPLES MEETINGS
News of Interest to Church Goers By a
Writer Who is An Authority on Religious
Subjects. The International Lesson for
Next Sunday

eousness is more than a command
ment obeyed. Law is spirit of JUS
tice and benevolence, underlying all
human relationship Jesus brushed
aside the technicalities of his legalis-
tic times and penetrated to the spirit
OF the divine ordinances He looked
not upon outward conformity, but
ciated the great truth that 8 man
could be q murdered at heart, while
his hands were free from bloodstain;
that he could be an adulterer at heart
while conforming to the command
ments. "As man thinketh in his
heart, so he is"-that is the Jesus
way of measuring character.
This is high ground, That was the
mission of Jesus, to lift life up to high
levels. His ideal was truth in the
inward parts" He abhorred pharisa-
ism. He had little patience with for
mality, Simple sincerity was his own
practice, So he interpreted the law
of the ages in the terms Of genuine
ness and brotherhood. Only thus. he
declared could the law--the immuta-
bly, eternal law-be fulfilled.
What is Crime?
1t is not an occasional death that
counts so much as 1t is the spirit of
murder in the hearts of men. Jesus
pointed out that the heart of anger
and unlovingness is essential crime.
To hate ones brother is to enter muir
der's row. To treat fellow man con
temptuously and provokingly is to in
cur real judgment.
More manifest is the principle as
Christ laid it down In the case of adul-
terry. His piercing vision discerned
that 2 state of rotten-m indedness IS
equivalent to the sin of adultery itself.
The merely careful, shrewd and self
regardful ones who abstain from sin
and crime for fear Of the conse-
quences get small consideration from
him. We look with horror upon the
outbreakings of social evil as recorded
in the newspapers. Far worse is the
moral laxity which these represent.
Who can look beneath much Of the
days news without shudder?
Religion has not taken sufficient
cognizance Of this 1t Is needless OF
the coarse jests heard along the
streets; and of the meaning of the
looks and words Of the corner loafers
and strolling dandies. The church
has not weighed the significance Of
the low stories that are common talk
in some clubs and Offices and shops
and social gathering places. There
is mass of putrid thinking which
needs the direct, burning application
of the words of our Lord His gospel
is the only hope Of our times because
it goes down to the springs Of con-
duct His ideal is Blessed are the
pure in heart. for they shall see God"
But for the impure In heart he has
only repro5ation.
Getting Square"
The way of the world Is to get
square" with ones enemies It is the
crude way of the earlier stage, when
IAN eye for an eye, a tooth for
tooth was the law. But that was, as
Jesus was quick to point out, even at
the risk of shocking his correct hear
ers, little better than heathenish. The
Gentiles did that they hated their
enemies and loved their friends. They
were kind to all who were kind to
them: life was adjusted to a give-and-
tame COuS DlOOO-NSuSSduCS dlu SdlI-
hospitality ruled.
Now there Is a better way, declared
this radical teacher. Then he pro-
ceeded to declare the high-water mark
of Christian teaching, save only that
set by his life. For the example of
the Master ever went beyond his
words. Here is the new and tremen-
dous and Transforming ideal which
Christ erected for the new order of So
ciety which he called the Kingdom of
Heaven-'Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you and perse-
cute you"
AS if that amazing standard were
not enough he went on, BE We there.
fore perfect. even as your Father in
heaven is perfect" That leaves no
room for self-satisfed Christians.