Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-09

by the Master to place before his disci-
pies the duties of trusteeship in the king
dom of God. This parable. like all used
by the Lord. had but one purpose. which
all who will calmly read the same with
out any preconceived notion must recog-
nize as being to place before His disci-
pies their responsibility as stewards.
Paul. who probably had learned the
lesson from this parable. told the Church
In Corinth that lit is required in stew
ards that a man be found faithful. He,
by his reference to himself and his fell
low-laborers as stewards of the mys-
teries of God" has given us the clue to
the fact that Jesus. knowing that the
end of His ministry was rapidly APP
preaching. was trying at this time to pre-
pare men of promise to become ministers
of the gospel. to carry on His work along
the lines He had outlined. after He had
finished His earthly career.
During the closing days of Christ $
ministry in Gal.lee as well as in the
Perean ministry, that was nearing its
close. the Master was constantly seeking
to fit His disciples for their trust. so
that through succession of trained men
the continuance as well as the perpetu-
ity of His work might be carried on and
developed.
Among His disciples were many publ
. cans and sinners. who had become pos
sessed of fortunes that we today, be-
consider tainted. Jesus gave them the
general principles for the use of money
for Gods glory in the presence and hear
ing of the Pharisees, who were lovers of
money and turned. up their noses at
Christ when He sought to teach His dis
ciples how by means of the mammon
of unrighteousness" they were to advance
the kingdom among men, by being faith
full to their stewardship.
Stewardship.
While we have had more than one
problem presented to us as we have read
over this lesson. several are removed by
the revised version, vet the crowd OF
earnest disciples who heard Jesus speak
had no difficulty to comprehend His
message, for each one was familiar with
many steward who had taken adj
vantage of his opportunities to enrich
himself by graft.
Usually the steward was some slave
who had demonstrated his ability as
iinancier so that he was intrusted with
the administration of his Masters. or. as
the lesson says, his Lords. affairs. The
stewards first duty called for him to
make an inventory. Every steward was
apt to be summoned at any time to give
an account of his stewardship. therefore
in conducting the business he had 10
keep his accounts correct and up 10
date
The perpleXity of the steward upon
being suddenly called upon to render
an accounting was due to the fact that
he was unprepared either financially or
morally for a change of service. SO he
fell into an error of wronging his en-
ployer by a series of combinations with
those who had done business with him. SO
that he might have funds to live with
out labor in the future. Many of those
who heard Jesus tell this parable were
pastmasters in the art of grating. who
possibly would be perplexed as to what
use they could put their talents and
money in their new life.
The Master meets their perplexity by
pointing out that the same spirit of
foresight and use of gifts and oppor-
tunity that could give a man worldly
success IL consecrated and used for
higher aims would win divine approval