The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-10


syria said unto him. Their god is a
rod of tho hills. therefore they were
stronger than we: but let as fight
against them in the plain. and sure
~ we shah be stronger than they --
Kings 20: %.
The SyrianS and the israelltts were
ancient enemies The King of syria
had come down to make WIZ against
the King OF lsrac, and had been de-
featsd. When he returned, his ser
wants gave the explanation Of the
defeat which is found In the words
OF the text This conception was g
common belief among the people of
the Palestinisn world. Each NJ the
lltsis Kingdoms had ils snd.e II Mas
this conception which the prophets
AZ Israel cou1batted, teaching the
great truth that Jehovah is a God OF
Righteousness and God Of the whole
earth.
This ancient conception, unfnrtu-
nstely, we have not Vet ontgro~n'
There are modern Syr1ans who he
liexc that their God IS Goo of the
hills and thai He is not God OK the
plains that He is a God Of certain
circumstances and places and Gus
toms and departments ot life. but -
is this modern conception of To-
Called Deity. Of a cirCumscribed God,
which We must com bat until men
shall realize that there is ny place
or time where We may draw line
and gay: This Is the place and this is
the time in which wc are beyond tho
reach of God, and in which lie docs
not exercise His power and speak
with authority
study Of tho Tie OF Jesus uur
great pattern, clearly shows that tic
did not conane Ills religion 20 q
CERTAIN sphere, but that religion
meant to Him the touching Of every
department of life. that Heine was
right when he said that Jesus was
not a dreamer among the shadows
bat a man among men. There was
no question OF Importance which con
fronted the people among whom
Jesus lived, upon which h" did moi
express his clear-cut opinion. on
matters religious we expect him I,
be definite. When the SaduuCeCs
j. sar4e to him with their question Coia
corning the resurrection lie We arr
not surprised that he sides With th'
Pharisecs and says. Ye do err. no
knowing thu Scriptures or the power
OF God Nor are we surprised whet
he condemns the other religious par
~. saving 10 the pherisees, Why d'
you transgrcss the commandments O.
God hv your traditions" Why do 3ot
1.-THE mint and anisc and "nmmin ant
neglect tbs weightier matters Of tn
law, Justice afd righteousness is@t
faith
II il bat natural that Jesus should
he definite on questions Of religion
but on matters which We call seCu'
lar he IN equally definite. He DID not
sp.salS on matters pertaining Ia th'
great Roman empire because that wpi
outside the realm OF life in which n,
moved, but Ia the little province
where he lived he expressed d"iihit
convictions. There were two politt
cal parties Ia Palestine, one repre-
Sc nted bS the chief priests and pharl
sees who would overthrow the no
man yoke. and tile other represented
by the Herodlans. who believed II
the dominion OF tho Caesars. Wher
representative OF these two pOiitica
parties banded together to sntraI
Jesus saying. Shall We pay Ulbut'
20 Caesar ti&s n3TT HE AttESsH4}f WEI
definite and cl@Ar~cut, Iender mt
ttaasar the things that are Caesar .
When Jesus saw the corruption anI
dishonesty Of the commercial life @
his time. he realized that he shad
ruessago for the commercial world
The dishonest monopoly, which mad
,tprighteous gain through trafTir e"
The temple sacrifice felt the lash q"
his words, II is written, my nous
shall be called al all nations nous
Of prayer but va have made it del
ef thieves When he saw the grrc'
~ gold eating IKE a cancer, he pro
claimed The much needed TRUTH. Tar
heed ana beware of coVetousucss 70
a mans life consistent not ia tn
abundance OF the things which IA