The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-20
Religious World
The International Sunday School Les
son for February 25 Is "Baptism
and Temptation OF Jesus."-Mark
1913.
(By William II. EIlis.)

gospel ana a SOCldllZeO CnuTCN mas
taken hold Of people. AS we read the
reports Of the Men and Religion Move
,nrnt, from city to city, we perceive
that it is the social service end OF
,he campaign that gets most attention
from the press. The church and the
~~UrkingInan: the Church and the
masses; the church and the poor; the
church and social Observation-Disclosures
are the themes that %reSound, as il they
were some new Gospel.
How absurd! What is the church?
il is the company Of Christ's friends,
who are trying to follow his example,
and to do what he wants them to do.
And is this new notion Of q socialized
christianity an Improvement on
The reverse; it is merely Il closer ap-
prUach to his way OF life.
Jesus identifies himself with the big
crowd Of plain people. He was one
III the Masses A toiler and the son
of a toiler; he was in such close fell
lowship with the workingman that he
vas called t Carpenter" DR.. Van
Dyke has written truly:
"I}ut ! think the King of that country
comes out from his t~ircless host,
ana walks in this world Of the weary,
rs if he loved 1t the most;
And here In the dusty confusion, with
eyes that are heavy and dim.
liz meets again the laDOTlUS men VINO
are looking and longing for him.
No Buddha immured in lonely and
nscctic contemplation was he, but a
real man, touching life on all levels,
and yet closest to the duSt-grined and
swcaty crowd Of common people. The
1nodern fashion of preaching Christ
~ the best Brother Of all mankind,
who loved them up to the level Of life
and the limitlesS measure Of death, is
sc Dp4r tn tho SinnDlC 0OSD4l' as
preaching can get.
Lining Up With the Crowd.
4 snob wants to emphasize the
points of difference between himself
ana the mass Of mankind; a Savior
stresses the points of likeness. This
lesson upon the baptism and tempta-
ZION Of Jesus has one great message:
The identity Of the Master with the
lie and lot OF people. He vas at
with the sorrows and tolls and joys
aud hopes and religious aspirations
~ the big crowd Of us.
Th~toiOgianS have written and talk
ed i great deal about baptism, but
most of them have missed the mark.
/! is only a sign or symbol. To Jesus
II meant lining up with the best IN
stitutions in sight, and the one that
had most Of God in it. Johns preach
ms NiJ ~ PCA4CSL IL "a III -
I preparations: non the less, Jesus in
sisted that he be publicly enrolled rs
one Of Johns crowd. 1t was like Join
inE church. A lot of COnceited per-
SON think the church is not perfect,
and not quite up to their standard;
ana SO refuse to unite with It. TIC
All such may be commended h ex-
anlpl OF Jesus: he joined Johns
church. He found the best crowd
~ 1884 -,.IL ~ l1o n
"ritic he. DR.. j. A. Francis was in
trrrupted in a Men and Religion
speech in Philadelphia by a man who
wanted to know why the church does
Eut DO this or that.
Are you n member of the Chris
fan church?" came the instant uuer!
from Or. Francis.
Yes
Then 0 do 0 " part
That is all. Each in his place
Standing for the best he knows, n
not withholding open allegiance tt
the best and most hopeful Organiza
'i"n God has provided, is the pro
gram Of progress. Open and publ
ronfcssion by church membership
IS the counsel conveyed by the ex
ample OF Jesus in his baptism. III
wanted to be counted among tn
trends Of God on earth. That wa.
comes Christian solidarity.
\ Real Mans Battle.
After cxaltation comes depression
fhr ecStatic experience Of baptism
when the heavens opened and tn
Father attested his approval Of tn
Son. was succeeded by the tempta
uon in the wilderness. Jesus wen
apart awhile; to take the measure an
meaning Of himself, his new exper
renee and his mission. Every norma
person understands the mood. Jesu
wanted to get away from the crowo
- be alone with himself and God,
But he did not get away from tn
Ht'll' Modern philosophy is incline
70 ignore h devil; substituting dev
'Ash tendencies in humanity. Per
SohalIy, l prefer to think better Q
man and accept Satan. Everybod
VINO has lifted his eyes six inche
rom the rim Of a book knows thu
mere are forces in the world whic