The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-17
? School Lesson and Young Peoples Topics.

eresS! Are the new EXPRESSIONS and
interpretations of the DAYS religious
inood vocalized by others than the
leaoeTs OF the church, the men who
- Imported by the church and
whose whole time belongs to the
church? ~
Ihat was what had happened in
the time Of Jesus. The ecclesiastical
leaders crucified him because he did
Tot conform to their encrusted meth
ods and interpretations, but was a
living voice of vital truth-an
truth is ever expanding and
IKE the kingdom which is its Gus
.oulan. More than once in her long
history, human thought and human
service has outrun the church, and
,t has needed a ~cataclysm to bring
the latter up to the times.
very searching is this kingdom
idea. 1t penetrates the consciences
OF all alert church officials and mem
ters. The kingdom is ever growing.
and aklns on new forms and enlarg
ing Its approach to new conditions.
is the church? Consider how in
stlnctly downtown churches, amid
altered nelghbOrhood conditions, seek
fer an endowment fund, in order
10 perpetuate the old order. If,
as some contend, and as certain Eng
llSh endOWmentS clearly illustrate.
an endowment is the hand of a
dead past on a living present, would
it not be better to turn some Of
the energy that the church now
spends in raising endowments into
vltallzing the present membership :
! A really alive church is always euua1
! to the problems of its own age.
: Contemparaneousness is a charac-
a t~eristic of Christ's gospel. It is al
: ways up to date. He is sufficient 70,
each new emergency. By him al
fresh contingencies can be met.
Il know of a land thai is SUM il
s shame,
OF hearts that faint and tire;
And [ know of a Name, q Name,
n Name.
e Can set that land on fire.
ltG sound is a brand, it's letters flame
But l know Of a Name. a Name,
Name,
5. Will set his land on fire"
The Narrow Gate.
O Some folk are not pleased wit
IS Jesus because he is too much Of
g democrat, He does not make allow
ID anceS' for a mans social or financis
st Importance, but insists upon treatin
10 all men in the same way. Thus, h
er has neglected utterly to provide
a special entrance into His kingdOI
for automobiles and Pullman cars.
He frankly says that the door
III a narrow One-suCh as the little chi
Of dren, and the unencumbered, ma
te pass through easily. But the ma
lr with a great pack Of goods cannot g.
re through. AS for the person who wi
ne rot surrender his bulky holdings
wealth, Of pride, of sin, of self-righ
ms e~cusness, of good deeds made II
IT. mans eyes-well, there simply is +
Of ddmittance for hat a The kin,
n dom is made up Of those who ca
It's PASS through the gate.
or OF course, that is so of all kin|
1t domS-the kingdom of good societ
wv Of public usefulness, of knoWled.
in and friendship. Their must be
giving up before there can be a &
al ing up. Sacrifice is the admissit
Ter free to all portals. They who will n
Of surrender time, ease, self-indulgenC
is ignorance or bad manners. cam
,g- hope to ascend into any Of the kin
doms of success. Otherwise the u
re fit and the uncongenial would swan
an all the places Of responsibility, al
ire chaos would result Heaven mt
be made up Of the heavenly, else
ny would not be heaven. So while
ow cate is open it is also narrow.
in When The Door Is Shut
nd A terrible possibility was sugge:
70 ed by Jesus in this connection. Mo
,dy CT US shrink from talking about
Some superficial thinkers repudis
ary it altogether. But Jesus said TT
there came a time when the gate "
shut. Then the who had spurn
ed. it's open invitation began to hamn
der frantically TOR abundance. But LII
his could only look IN from WITHOUT d
I; know themselves rejected.
Awful, We shudder at the p
in ture. Yet a few minutes OF hon
per thinking SHOWS US nat tI.S - |
only just, but inevitable. If all "
Ally despised and flouteo d houSenoi'
un- were TO De peIiillleed " q
But selves his guests, "nehsNel -" ho
ever they pleased, the home Wo'
in cease to be his and become theirs.
hia would lose the character he gave
a6a and AXE on the laWlessnesS or
enemies. IL n "icheu "e1e ~
Of n.itted to enter hedEeh ~ ht
me- their unchanged way 'nvte' n1,
om would heaven become like hell!
-. .le ;no DlicntiQnS If a moral law