The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-28

q - 60
The Teacher VINO Knew How.
The International Sunday School Les
son for March % Is "Rev1ew--Jesus
the Great Teacher."-Matt 7:21-2s.
(BY WILLIAM T. EI.LLs.)
-..Yes: it 10 true: that brilliant man.
with all his vast learning, was unable
20 interest a class Of students. When
he stood before them his Lectures were
mere catalogues OF authorities and
names and dates" So said minister
the other day concerning one Of the
ablest theologians of America. tho
characterization IL true OF many other
great scholars. The dryness OF their
books shows it. They are learned au-
thorities, but not wise teachers.
On the other hand, there are some
really thorough scholars who have the
lift OF making vivid and popular their
feachinE, Henry Drumnond was sucn
An one. DIR. Smaller Mathews 10 anotn-
~. President Hyde 10 another. Tney
write and speak SO that the oroinary
reader ia charmed, enlightened and IN
This ability to illuminate . subject
A the mark OF the born teacher
Some pedants, who can only leao Q
weary class through a droutn emltten
labyrinth Of names and dates, anece 20
despise the scholar who can make nie
work popular" but the judgment Oh
time il against them.
Jesus the greatest Teacher OF AL
ages. made his messages TO glow WIN
light and warmth; so that they nave =
greater interest today than they mao
centuries ago. Contrast the vivid, ut
ferances of the Master with the dreary
stretches of the Koran, or the Anaiects
Of Confucius, or the nebuious e1panSo
Of the Zend-Avesta. or the puenAe
winding Of the Vedas. or the 49,
Here. in the words of Jesus, u nfes
nvarrnth. pulsing, present life. The great
ness Of these teachings IL that they
are comprehensive by the comno"
people.
A. the Roman conquerors bore their
cantiyes in triumphal procession a1tef
their chariots, so we may hken the new
victories of the philosophy OF Jesus IN
this present day to q triumpnaA pfuS
ress. The dominant democracy OF ING
world today follows meekly IN tn1 tha4
Of the Carpenter Of Nazareth. All tnAs
commemorative modern MOOD caneu
"Social Service wears his mark upon
a. Or,r new standards OF child WehaFe
follow in the train OF him who was =
babe at Bethlehem: . me .n% 1 nnwn
movement
or to Mary's Son. The vast new sp1i1t
~ the world brotherhood acclaims HIM
Master. who said, "All ye are oretn-
rem" ,.4,.r ~
this. The crowds which thronged the
No1.rene Of old are not comparable TO
the mvriads and millions who now &C
cent his leadership. Our day IS the
dav Of dominance OF the teachings OF
Jesus Christ. His philosophy is being
written into our civilization. In a ora
matte and wholly unexampled fashion.
this skeptical world Of the twentietn
century is running after the Teacher
whose words the Sunday Schools OF
the world have been studying for the
past three months.
The Urgency OF tho Doomed.
"Great Caesar, we who are about to
die salute thee!" That ancient Woru
of the gladiators has lived. because II
Is fraught with the dramatic and vital
element. Last words are commonly
deemed most important. ., These les
sons Of the past quarter have posses
sed especial significance because the
tremendous urgency OF one doomed
shortly to die is in them. Jesus was
in the last six months Of his life when
he gave utterance to the teachings
which have made up the quarter
lesson. So much to say-and SO uttie
time in which to say 1t! The shadow
Of the cross falls athwart these words
Another notable circumstance about
this course of lessons was the place OF
their delivery. The scene is laid east
of the Jordan, in Perea. The Jordan
was a sort Of Jewish Rubicon. On
the other side of it were the heathen
Perea was predominantly Greek. This
tour meant that Jesus was going out
side Of the Hebrew fold. He preached
a world-gospel. His Perean ministry
was foreign missions. It definitely
gave notice that the limitations OF the
rabbis could not hold him. Traditions
weighed less with him than human
need and opportunity.
DIR. Luke, the Story-Tel1er.
Journalism never had a brighter
star than DIR. Luke, the young Greek,
who was trained in the company and
by the teachings of Paul of Tarsps. He
IL the human interest writer of the
New Testament. His narratives. the
third Gospel and the Book OF Acts. are
the most vivid writings in the canon.
He had an eye for life. His stories are
the most realistic Of all in the New
Testament. His account of a storm
at sea, in the Book of Acts, is the best
description of ancient seafaring that
has come down to us from antiquity.
This Is the man from whose pen
came all except one of the luminous
stories which have held the interest
of millions of Sunday school members
through the past quarter. The teach
err who would keep q class attention,
should look well to Luke's methods.
Each lesson Of the quarter Is cast
In the form Of story by or about
Jesus. Therein is a message for all
prosy teachers and speakers. with
out a parable q story spake He not
unto them" Not to be interesting
is to be recreant to the example OF
Christ.
An admirable rephrasing OF the
titles of the u Lessons is made by
Peloubet's Notes. an follews:
The Story Of Jesus and the Chill
dren.