The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-08-14
International Sunday School Lesson
Third Quarter. Leoson !. Matthew
2l::i'3-46. August Is, 1914
The Wicked Husbdndmen
The Story.

The sp irit of eccIesiasticism rose
10 lis towering stature to crush Je-
aus. The Hebrew Church was will
ing to continue to be a reservoir
Ii refused to he channel. 1t would
take all. 1t would give nothing.
There it missed its high calling, for
it was designed 20 be a conduit OF
blessing to all nations. To admit
the Messiahship of the Galilean
would be the capitulation of eccle-
siasticism. The death OF Jesus
was already solemnly decreed in
the chief councils Of ecclesiasticism.
How TO compass the end was the
only question. On the third day
Of Passion week, when Jesus ap-
peared in the temple, he was, in
the most public manner pOssIble,s set
upon by pompous commission, rep
resenting all the authority and wis
dom of the Sanhedrin, an imposing,
and dumfound the rustic icOnoclast.
1t is the Waterloo of ecclesiasti-
cism. Jesus answers the quo war
ranto with an unanswerable ques-
ton. They could not claim his
query irrelevant. He had a right
to bid them pass judgment upon
his forerunner before they passed
Judgment upon himself. Confessing
their inability to decide upon the
claims of the subordinate, quashed
their inquiry concerning the princi-
pal. Now there flashes out an
inimitable word-picture, for which
night and hell furnish pigments. Be
hold a vineyard-the property in
the East that may justly be ex-
pected to make the richest yield.
The proprietor leaves no stone I'M
turned toward its completeness.
Thick-set hedge, watchtower, press
and vat-all is complete. This pro
ductive estate is leased, the prop
rietor going abroad. The full man
agement is left to the lessee. The
proprietor is patient and good; but
when his portion under the cove
nant is fairly due, he sends to col
lect it. In the long interval, the
tenants have taught themselves to
believe that they are proprietors,
not tenants. The true proprietor
makes a CLIMATE appeal. He sends.
first, servants; then more servants
servants not merely superior in
number, but in rank as we'll. But
there is a climax in opposition as
well as in appeal. They beat kill
ed, stoned Finally he sends his
only son, thinking they will revere
him, and be overcome by thjSuFx-
\eme eYi6ence of forbeaIn Burt
OK the son, disloyalty goes
its full length in the deliberate
proposition, deliberately carried out
to kill the heir, and possess them
selves of the estate. The unlovely
outlines of Hebrew history past
and current were easily discernible
through the veil of hte parable. The
kingdom of God is that vineyard.
The provisions of the old covenant
are not merely adequate they are
| abundant Providence, like a wall
of fire, hedges his people round
about. If you wish to carry out
the figure infinitely, you may. Or,
better, in genrela terms, 'The de-
scription of the arrangement of the
vineyard is intended to express the
care and pains bestowed by God
in founding his kingdom" The
vineyard was let out. That is the
Magma Charta of the Hebrew
Church. They had a leasehold on
| ly. For a long while God let his
| people work out their destiny I'M
der conditions of his own planning,
and most propitious. Then he sent
the prophets of the middle period
to gather the fruit of penitence and
righteousness. But the Hebrew
wished to forget they were only
Gods tenants, and they mistreated
his collectors. Then came the pro-
phets of the captivity; but they
Jared still worse. The last appeal
of Infinite Love is in the person of
| the Son. But instead of blushlng