The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-06
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
uhc International Sunday School
lesson for February II Is The
BOY Jesus in the Temple."-Luke
2:4O-52.

Lesson Tor fcDrudFy IL - Inc
Boy Jesus in the Temple.'-Luke
2:4O-52.
GBy WILLIAM T. EII4IS.)
The wise men who keep an eye
,non tomorrow are disturbed by GER
I'm ominous signs for the future OF
christian sentiment. The big fact has
suddenly been borne into the con
sciousness of a multitude Of persons
mat children nowadays do not go to
,hurch. The average congregation,
rsnccially in the city, is Of adults. The
old condition, when family pews We're
literally filed with families, is now
~ So aroused have the Brit
4sh leaders Of the church become YER
shis condition that following the
modern fashion Of forming u society
for everything. they have organized a
League Of WOrShipDing Children"
There is reason for alarm. II the
children Of today are not reared ia the
nabit Of church-going it is reasonably
certain that they will not cultivate it
in maturity. Eve the Sunday school
ie no substitute for the religious train
ing Of the church and the home. II a
family must make a choice for it's
children between attending church
and attending Sunday school, they
should without hesitation choose the
.hIrch. it concerns the State as we'll
as the Church, hat the oncOning
generation ShOuld not miss the depth
and breadth and height Of intellectual
Iui spiritual vision which regular
church attendance does most to cul-
ttNttr.
The Training Of a Boy.
The first appearance Of Jesus, after
,he night into Egypt, is this M when
Ne IS seen in the temple; which the
sunday schools are to study and which
Is the basis Of this lesson. After the
presentation in the temple OF the six
weeks old infant, which was conSid-
cred last Sunday, there came the
warning OF the impending massacre
II the innocents by Herod. h infant
population OF the little town Of Beth
lch,n1-perhapS a score of children In
AL fell victim to the hate Of q jeal-
ous monarch. They were the first Of
the long train OF martyrs to the name
and cause Of Jesus. Joseph, warned In
4 dream OF the cruel designs, took
the young child and Mary his mother
and vent into Egypt until the death
Ut ItcrOu.
Tie gifts Of the Wise-men afforded
Abe carpenter Joseph means for this
Unexpected journey, and for mainte-
nance of his family while he should
bee away from his workshop. The
length Of the SOjourn was perhaps
only . few months Preachers and
painters have loved to dwell upon the
significance Of the return OF Israel:
second Representative and Deliverel
10 the land from which the first de-
liVerer had led his people. The Babe
IN the arms OF his mother, sleeping a
the feet Of the Sphinx, is a familia
picture. and a striking symbolism.
Back to Nazareth.
IbCn q ~ th~ Mo roth fo
Joseph returned not TO Bethlehem
bat to his own home and shop an.
trade. The town OF the birth OF Jesu
has fewer associations with his earl,
years than his beautiful city, or larg
town, In q cup-like valley amid tn
hills Of Galilee, about midway betweel
me Mediterranean and the Lake o
Hdlilee, n short distance above tn
rounded dome Of Mount Tabor. A
hFout i are hills, and one has no diff
h'uity III understanding the story O
me Precipitation, after looking upO,
thc scene. The natural beauty Of tn
situation is unusual. The hillSides ar
wi OF limestone caves, and l have
photograph which I took of Nazaret
from the interior OF one Of these.
shad gone into wondering Whethe
me Boy who played in the hills {
Nazareth had. perchance from tn.
'efv cave, looked u upon his HON
ana his people, and thouoht the ION,
''h% thoughts of youth.
In" hills are the same as thos
"'Ih Jesus knew. The fountain /
'he center of the town, to which Mar
"Stu 10 so with the other villaf
Mdloens to draw the days supply
water, Is still flowing, though now tt
%IFlhR itself is covered with q churc'
''"y@ SUI play upon the streets 81
~ watched them at a game Of ma
DIS different from the game Y
Fh"", but played with all the cnth,
.''NIn or boys e~verywhere), ] SCENE
80 500 again another o~live-skinne
"'''h-eSed Lad playing in these san
"'''c'S' The women still carry vat
"S 81 old, though the Standard Oil G;
~ many places taking the p,a'
o. Tire Jar.
The Workshop Playroonl.
IN" BOY, who is the hero Of til
~ ana whose life story twenty-fi
blliilOnS or SnnRou cnI1o1 1o~.1