Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-09-03
Two PARALLELS of
Judgment
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. 4, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper


PLACE.-In the courts OF the temple
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Sustaining the Faith of His Disci.
pies. which was so coon to be tested
TO the utmost.-Matt. 21:20-21; Mark
11:20-25. The fig tree on which the
curse for fruitlessness rested on Mon.
day morning, was found withered as
Jesus and his disciples passed by it
Tuesday morning on their way to the
temple.
The Authority of Christ Challenged.
and Christ's Answer.-Vs. 21-2T. MARK
11:27-33; Luke 20:1-S) The Pharisees
came to Jesus and demanded by what
authority he took upon himself to
drive out the money-changers, and the
cattle. and the dealers in them from
the temple. What authority had he
to call himself the Messiah, and to op.
pose those who were the divinely APP
pointed leaders in the ritual of a di-
vinely authorized religion and TEN.
pie?
1t was useless to answer them by
any statement of fact. They would
have denied his authority, and made
his claims means of bringing him be-
fore the Roman court His deeds and
teachings were known, and they could
have learn ID his authority. Jesus.
therefore, refused to answer, bdt said
unto them, / also will ask YOU one
thing" not to puzzle them, but to lead
them to answer their own question in
answering his.
25. The baptism of John, whence
was Il? from Heaven, or of men? That
is, tell me what was Johns authority
for his teaching, represented by bap-
tism, and will tell you what mine is.
for both are from the same source
The rulers were afraid to expres3
their opinion. and said they could nc
tell. They could not do so without
making trouble for themselves. or an
swering themselves the question they
asked Jesus. They were mere politi-
clans and not statesmen, or patriots.
Jesus therefore refused to answer
their question, and they could not COM
plain. 1t was very wise and true ac-
ton on the part of Jesus.
The Parable of the Two Sons. Good
Resolutions Versus Good Deeds.-Vs.
1882. But what think ye?" He
would not answer their question, but
he would give them a parable to think
of. a mirror in which they could see
their own characters, and be led to re-
pentance. "a certain man." represent
ing God. our Father In Heaven, had
4 III
The First Son represented those who
made no pretension to the service of
God. but stood opposed to 1t In doc
trine, IN character and in life.
The Second Son represented those
who had in form at least been carry
ing on the work of their Father, repre-
sented by the elder son in the parable
of the Prodigal son. This class In.
cluded the Jewish leaders, and all
those who joined with them as repre-
sentatives of the kingdom of God In
the world, as his professed servants
in upholding his true religion. They
were particular about ritual and form
and outward observances. They sat
in the chief seats of the synagogue
To both sons was given the same
command. to cultivate their fathers
vineyard All Gods children are sent
into this world to make it bring forth
the fruits of the Spirit, to make ii a
kingdom of Heaven, in their own souls
and lives, and in the world as whole
The first son refused to obey. HE
answered ! will not" Their
whole conduct said Il will not" And
this continued for ages. But after
ward he repented, and went" The Sec
ond son answered and said, go, sir;
and went not" Those whom this
son represented had said by their ac-
tons and professions, Il go. SIR"
Then, before they saw the applica-
ton. Jesus asked them to decide
whittier of them twain did the will
of his father?"
The only possible answer was. 1.-THE
first"
Then Jesus made the application,
and they saw themselves as In a mir
ror
The Parable of the Vineyard and the
Husbandmen.-ys. 33-41. The Vine
yard represented the kingdom of God.
which was entrusted to the Jews
planted by God with the rich and fruit
full vines OF the knowledge of God, his
commandments, the institutions of re-
.igion, and his revealed word.
They Stay the Son, Their Only Hope
Because they wanted to keep their
places. their honors. their wealth
their own pleasure.
The Pesult was that they lost ali
they killed that they might posses;
but 1t was the shortest road to entire
loss. Those who reject Christ In or
der that they may keep possession Of
themselves, their pleasures and hopes
have taken the shortest and surest
yay to lose them.
LIVE WIRES.
The parallels may seem far away
from us, but from them there come
i've wires conveying living truths TO
cur souls and to our nation today
To go on in sin against all the mora
laws of God. is to be like grasshop
ner before a moving machine. The
laws of God viii crush us unless we
get out of their way. by obedience to
mis- will
Though the mills of God grind slowly
yet they grind exceeding small.
Though with patience he stands wait
ing. with exactness grinds he