The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-11-26
RELIGIOUS
WORLD
RELIGION THAT WILL NOT WORK
The International Sunday School Les
son For December ! Is The Luna
sic Boy" Mark 9:i4-29.
iBy William T. Ellis

m picture presented LII tOuhy , COh
day school lesson. 1t turns ones
thoughts TO the similarly desolata
picturAs TO be seen Gil over the land.
The impotence Of much formally or
sanizcd Christianity Is the adde's
truth OF tho worlds religious hori-
xon. There are congregations in all
parts OF the land which have a
form Of goodness, out deny the pow
81 thereof"
there are communities like coates
Vile, who boast OF their religion but
which when put to the test OF citizen
ship or morality Seem TO have ohly d
thin veneer of oioSitV Over rank par
bayts,n. The countIy's attention has
been called afresh 10 this little Fenn-
s~ylraUia city by the widely circulated
story Of n New York poets attempt 10
rail- Gainesville to It's knees on the
frs. anniversary Of the worst lvnch-
ing America has ever seen. lie IouiiN
nc shred of penitence in the town
made infamous by a TnOnstrous crime,
she state OF mind at COatcsvtlle con-
iinues the same as when the in'nls-
lars returned from their vacations
and instead OF CONCERNING the
i~ynchins. issued public statements In
Condemnation Of the press which had
reported the lynching.
In all this COateSvilIe is not singu-
Tar. Throughout the land there are
communities whose self-complaceut
religion shows none OF the normal
proofs Of fidelity. This whole sub
ject Is q matter Of profound public
concern. for it affects the very FUN
damentals OF society. When relig-
Ton does not do its work. then the
state suffers. This present story of
the group Of disciples impotelt IN the
face Of o social need is most peril
,,eHt 10 our day.
After the Revival. What?
III, setting OF the incident is dra-
matic. Jesus and the three had been
on the mountaintOp; there they a
undergone the marvellous transfgu-
ration experience. With the costa
TIC glow Of that hour still sufsusing
their beings, they descended to the
plain below. 1t was a rude awaken
ing for them to find awaiting hen
the sick and the needy. and the sOr-
did Much with all it's ~littlenesses and
1enohiIiticS.
What a jolt that was for the cSalt-
&c three disciples. Their heads We're
still in the glory clouds; the voices Of
Moses and Elijah. and the greater
Voice out OF the cloud. We're still
ringin: in their ears. Tho trans
i,eUration vision of the revealed
Messiah was before their eyes. Ther
Of a sudden they were plunged into
tiC tll'h ~ az XXI tIC W "a SNH-J
World.
Their experience is like that Of {
Han who goes from ardent reviva
services to the scoffing associates aEt
petty details OF his daily tasks In tn
W0rk-a-day world. Il Is SO easy L
be religious in h atmosphere OF
revival meeting. Nevertheless, tn
proof Of genuine religion is ability t,
live and thrive and DO the wor]
proper Of q Christian in the atmos
uhcrc Of this present world. It |
vain to tarrv to withdraw f"Or SO"iet
or to rail ut society In. self-righteou
detachment. The leaven belongs /
the lump. The proper sphere Of god
illness Is the world, to make 1t godly
The transformation experience Of Jc
gus and John and James and Pete
was to demonstrate its power RICH
down on the lOWlands amid the IN
sympathetic crowd who had not see
the cloud or heard the voice or bs
held The TRANSPORTED Christ.
\ Fathers Indictment.
Grim and is the suGge:
lion Of the episode as the father lie
his stricken boy to Jesus Iimscl
and, pointing to the disciples sal
These your disciples have fatle'
Ih.ey could not do the work while
everybody supposes characterizes W
and NOur diScir'nS.' AS n chorus
me LdtIlci : lnulCllllCI1t can De near
the open reioicings OF the scribes or
ScOffers. The healing power
Christ's Church had failed in the e,
Of the multitude.
The father himself was in a so
plight. His son. an epilepttc, call.
a lunatic In ono version, was drea
fully afflicted. All other help h,
Railed, and he had been brought
Jesus. His own story IS, Master,
brought unto Thee my N. whit,
hath q dumb spirit; and where's
ever Il taketh him. It dashelh hi
down; and he fOaIneth, and grin
eth hts teeth. and plneth away; a
spoke to Thy disciples tina tn
should east 1t out; and they were n
able"
P~resent-day parallels present tnel
selves to our recollection. Here is
minister who preached for years to
eminent bank president who prov
70 be an embezzler and : roE