The farmer and mechanic., 1914-05-19
STUMBLING BLOCKS OR STEP
PING STONES.
The International Sunday school Les
son For May "a is 'Unprofita bic
UBy WILLIAM T.. ELLIS.)

lives help and other lives hinder. The
seriousness Of being the sort of person
whose conduct keep others from be-
ing their best. is dealt with in plain
speech by Jesus. His teaching hits
Squarely at big business, if it is bad
business. 1t indicts the saloonkeeper
and the mistress who oppresses her
servants. IL reaches out to the OSten-
tatiouS rich who put bitterness into
the heart of the poor, and the Chris
tan homes which give their ser
wants "a distaste for religion. The
purveyor of suggestive literature or
immoral art or debasing entertain
ment comes squarely within the range
of this terrific attack of the gentle
NaZarine.
Things Worse Than Death.
1T were we'll for him that mill
stone were hanged about his neck and
he were thrown into the sea, rather
than that he should cause one of these
little ones to stumble That is ter
rifle. II holsters the immemorial be
lief Of Socity in capital punishment.
There are some things worse than
death. Jesus, who looked forward to
a kingdom Of social Solardity. includ-
ed among these, offences against life
and the social order. Whatever hurts
people-and especially the weak, the
helpless and the defenceleSS who have
no protectors, except the inevitable
truth of GOd-comcS within this
sweeping condemnation. The sacred
ness of life and of human welfare
hat passion which burns brightest in
the noblest breasts of our time-waS
lighted by one who had himself been
under the harrow of inequitable poll
tical, social and religious conditions.
We find Jesus arrayed on the side Of
all who need.
There is "A great deal of talk now
sdays about property rights and
some Of ii is needed. Every teacher
OF truth, however. must speak clearly
the Judgment that weighed in the
scale against the rights of life, the
rights of property are inconSdera BILE.
our day sees clearly the worth of hu-
man life. In one of his profound pa
pers, What l believe and Why"-nOw
running in The Independent'-Dr
William Hayes Ward says, in touch
ing upon the puzzle of Infinite space
and infinite time, While | believe
there are innumerable inha bite
worlds. yet if the earth We're the only
ono the service to use on this little
world of all the radiant heavens
would not be unworthy. for / believe
that an infants single will is of more
value than the sum of all cOsmiC
forces through all the celestial ages
SO much is mind superior 10 matter
Caring For the Little Ones.
y new and larger and important in
depreciation of the teaching of Jesu.
il being given in this generation
There never was such an intense ant
general solicitude for the little ones
az life. This is the meaning of tn
new British law that is changing an
cient estates from game preserves 70
the nobility into small farms for tn
common folk. The cry Of ''Safet
first" which in Varied forms is bein
written into legislation and wnicl
holds human life above dividends, i
but an echo of this teaching of tn
Master. child labor is being drive
from the earth even as was slavery
because the Masters mind concernin
the little ones" is becoming world
dominant The principle is every
where being accepted, that any bus
ness which is not good for all i,
workers and for all the people. is
bad business, whether it be a colt o
mill or a gin mill
This distinctive principle Of nh
gospel - in our town time coming
have a national application. 1t is @,
planation for Americas concern f,
the welfare of Mexico. President Wi
son. at the funeral Of the America
sailors slain in Vera Cruz laid dow
the new extension Of this Christie
teaching, namely that a nation ms
even 20 TO war for the service al
help of a needy neighhor. 1t was tn
word Of Christ that freed the Cons
slaves and recently saved the villa,
ers in Armenia from slaughter by {,
kurds. 1t is making world-prote
against the intention of certain heat
en- powers to exploit China. tt
formal message of the Master
reechoing in the sacial battle CT
Each for all and all for EACH Wha
ever hurts the least of these often
nation.
A Unique Doctrinct.'
In the budget OF utteranceS
Jesus, which make up this Sun0
school lesson. there are four distir
messages. The first deals with stu,
bling blocks and helpers. The seco
touches upon the unique Christi
teaching, which differentiates it ire
other religions. that men should {,
give one another. Retaliation v