The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-09-13

ltsell readily to morbid and distorted
and curious views. A fayorite catch
question of the Sadducees. who did
not beileVe in a resurrection which
they had often doubtless used to the
confusion of the Pharisees had to do
with the marriage relation. It was a
hypothetical question Of seven broth
ers, dying one after another and each
l9hlng the same woman to wife, and
none leaving children. Whose wife
would h woman be in the resurrec-
ton.
That was what John Elliot used to
tell MS Indians was "a papOOSe cues
ton 1t was only a smart" bubble.
IN the same class with the common
one of scoffers, can God make a stone
SO big He cannot lift it," The corn
mon sense OF people revolts against
such a trifling state of mind. These
Sadducees missed the glory and great
ness of the future life in their zeal
to defend q theory. They thought OF
the infnities of heaven in very small
earth terms. ] remember as a little
boy weeping when told by my mother
that there was no night or sleeping in
heaven; and she had to reassure me
by saying that there would be a little
bed for me in heaven if / should want
It! The anthropomorphism of all
Christian teaching, made necessary by
our crude understanding put limita-
tons upon the great conceptions Of
God and eternity. Heaven is more
than earth perpetuated, purified and
perfected. The problems that perplex
US here will be 10 problems there.
The wise word about the future is that
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart
of mar the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him."
Mans Supreme Duty.
Despite their malign we
annOt but be grateful for these CUES
tons. They throw a flood of light
upon contemporary conditions and
which was the greatest command
ment. Jesus answered by the word
which all evout Jews wore in their
phyceteries, "Hear, O Israel the Lord
our God, the Lord is one" That les
son of monotheism, sorely needed ii
a land partly peopled by and entirely
surrounded by p~olytheists, has beer
learned by C~hristendom. The unity OF
God is accepted by all who accept God
at all.
Society today reverses the divine
order as to the greatest command
ments-for Jesus enunciated two:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy Coo
with all thy heart and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and witt
all thy-strength. The second is this
Tho shalt loV thy neighbor as thy
SELF The present fashion IS to pu'
the second commandments first. There
is q glorious emphasis In our time
upon mans duty to man. The gospe
of brotherlv love is being preached
from a wonderful array of modern
pulpits, in many tongues understood
of the common people. Every Chris
tan must thrill with exultation over
the way in which Gods great wore i
echOing throughout the world, II re.
shaping human society.
Nevertheless, that is not the frs
commandment. OF this new and no.
BILE mood we may say, as Jesus sale
concerning the scribe, Thou art no
far from the Kingdom of Cod Blu
there is deep need hat we Mould pu
into first place the premier com
mandment: Thou shalt love the Lore
thy God with all thy heart, and witt
all thy soul, and With all thy mind
and with all thy strength More hu.
manitarianism is a fruit Of the gospel
but it is not Christianity. Religion j:
more than the relation Of man to man
It is first Of all, and essentially, q per
sonal relationship existing between
the individual and Jehovah. The
watchword of the e~vanSelists, &c
right with God" is eternally trne anf
supremacy important. Our times vii
be out of joint until men give Goo
first place in all things.
Baffled and routed, the enemies O.
Jesus turned away. They could no
trap him in his words. Their lnQulSi
tons caught only themselves. SO they
gave up as hopeless this line Of pur
suit. Meanwhile, "the common people
heard him gladly" The vindicatior
of Jesus is not in the learned apollo
gists Of the sages, but in the devotion
Of the great mass Of ordinary men ano
women who have proved him anC
found him true.
lRORRED RANDOLPH FARMERS