The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-09
The Lesson In Everyday Dress.

their SICK tndI ne mlEnt near Lueth'
and their own hungry hearts that he
might feed them. Tneae vast thronSs
weighed heavily upon the Masters
heart. They seemed to HIM one mo-
ment as sheep having no shepherd.
faint from thirst and aimless wander
ing; another moment. as the over
ripe grain, with bowec heads, wasting
away for want OF readers. The har-
vest Is plenteous." said he to his dis
ciples but the laborers are Few.
Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the
harvest, that he will send forth Ia
borers unto his harvest" And then
Ne proceeded to answer the prayer,
as he has so often done since then.
by sending into the neld those who
asked that reapers might be sent.
1t Is pleasant to read that In send
ing them out he does not content him
self with giving them authority: he
gives them power also. They will be
able to cast out the evil spirits which
sometimes take possession of men and
they will be able to heal the sick OF
every sort And then he shows his
sympathy and thoughtfulness by d.
recting them to avoid the roads which
lead to the Gentiles and to Keep away
from the Samaritans, and 60 only to
the sheep of Gods ancient flock that
have wandered from the fold. AND
as they go they are to announce that
the kingdom of heayen-the kingdom
which he has come to set up in the
world, that Is to be governed by heaV-
enly 1aws--is at hand, and that the
people should make ready by re-
pentance to enter 1t. II is only the
a, b. C of the gospel, but 1t is lis far
as they have learned, and they arc
not required TO preach more than they
know II they do simply as they are
commanded, they will have divine en-
dorsement, and will be able to per-
form miracles as "A sign OF their ALL
thority, and the miracles themselves
will be feretaste OF the kingdom
that is at hand. And what yoa do.
adds Jesus, you must do freely: the
power which l have bestowed upon
you Is a free gift, and you must use
it in the same spirit in which 1t IL
given you; you must not use II for
selfish ends"
Then he goes on to tell them that
they must go forth unhampered by
the things of the world. being careful
for nothing, but casting their care
on him who has promised to care for
them: they are TO be object lessons of
perfect trust The hospitality of the
people of the country is sufficient to
supply their simple wants and they
are to make ne extra provisions for
the journey. IL they labor faithfully
they viii be worthy of their meat, and
God will see that Their get Il. When
they enter a town, they are to In
quire for the house of some worthy
malone who loves to entertain
strangers as angels OF tsod-aud there
they are to abide; not going from
house to house to be entertained after
tho fiFna consuming manner of "a
East II their host proves to he
worthy, the blessing of peace which
they are 10 pronounce upon entering
the house viii rest upon Its inmates.
If in any place the people refuse to
receive them, they are oy symbolic
act To renounce all responsibility for
them. Such place VIII have a poorer
chance. says Jesus, IN the flnal judg-
mont than Sodom and Gomorrah: for
the grossest immortality is not more
heinous than the rejection Of the
light from above. The sin OF sins is
unbelief. for it strikes at God him
self, and in cold blood.
Continuing, Jesus tells his disciples
OF the trials that await them, bu; en-
courages them by reminding them OF
their Fathers loving care, and as
surfing them that IL they confess him
before men he will confess them he
fore the Father. and that he that
loses his life for his sake shall find
ii. In concluding. ne declares that
receiving those who go forth in his
name Is the same as receiving him
that he that receiveth them. whether
they are prophets or simply good
men, or mere beginners-"little ones
shall be rewarded for his kindness.
though his service be nut the gift of
cup OF cold water.
T4ie Heart of the Lesson.
The apostles had sat long at the
feet of Jesus. They had prayed that
the Lord might send forth laborers
into his harvest. They had received
authority to go and share with others
what they had learned about their
blessed Lord. and to tell the glad news
for lack OF which the world was starv-
ing They had been endowed with
power to heal the sick and cast out
demons-tn word, to scatter sun
shine wherever they might go. They
were rich in opportunities and In
spiritual POSSESSIONS and all their
wealth had come to them as a free
gift fepm Jesus. Suppose they had
declined to go? Or suppose. having
gone. they had used their endowment
of power for selfish ends? Suppose
they had tried to make money out of
1t? Suppose they had refused to heal
the sick without pay? Or suppose
they had kept the glad news a secrei
from the masses. and shared it only
with few persons OF their own set?
Would We not condemn them7 II God
has been very liberal toward a man.
do we not feel that he should be
very liberal toward those whom God
loves?
Now. you and have sat at the feet
of Jesus We have learned some
things about him which we would not
exchange for the whole world. We
have been taught how a poor sinner
may have his sins forgiven and wash
ed away. We know the plan by which
a man may make friends with God.
We know all the precious truths that
sinful men need to transform their
darkness into light. There are next
door ghbors whose souls are lit
orally starving for want OF the knowl-
at the feet of Jesus. we know how
to point men to a Saviour who will
satisfy every worthy desire of the hui
man heart. And like the twelve dis
ciples, We have prayed that the Lord
might send forth laborers into his
harvest. We have prayed tyr home
missions and for foreiAn missions We
have prayed for our next-door neigh
bors. We have prayed that our loved
ones who are within speaking distance
might be given the saving knowledge
which we ourselves have had for years
and have neglected to impart. More
over, we have received authority to