El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-02-14
Christ's Hatred of Shams Is Shown
Aragnment Applicable Religious
Today; Religion of the Spirit Needed.
By T. ELLIS.
q WILLIAM q. ELS.

The International sunday School Les
son for Feb. 10, 1914, is e.ChriSt's Hat
red Of Shams,7 Luke 1875.
IT HE most popular novel Of the
present season is Winston
Il ChurchilPs "The Inside of the
Cup" The title is taken from words
of Jesus which are a, part of the pres
ent Sunday school lesson. The entire
story is designed to be an exposition,
in modest FORM Of the teachings of the
Master as here set forth. Whatever
the defects OF "The Inside Of the Cur"
it is certainly intended to teach one
Of Christs own lessons, and in his
favOrite form of a parable. That such
a discussion should be the favorite book of
the hour argues well for the serious-mind-
edness Of our day.
The background Of the utterance, and
the lesson story, was a dinner party. Then.
as now, the social leaders were fond OF
capturing every Zion" that came along,
be he a religious icOnOclast, a picturesque
socialist, famous writer. or what-nOt. Any
thing to relieve the ennui of jaded folk
tired Of their own company and at the end
Of their own resources There was a dis
tant similarity between the motives which
led the condescending pharisee to invite
Jesus to his table, as entertainer for his
cant-minded society folk to give a mon
key dinner"
In the CeremoniOus East.
This fresh-spirited western world has had
the vigorous good sense not to let its re-
HgiOn become a mere matter OF ceremony.
There have been attempts to fix upon GER
tain practces-as card playing, dancing.
theater-g going, for instances the sign and
test Of gOdlfness This has failed, because
Christianity is region Of the spirit, and
the wholesome sanity Of the church has
recOiled from these attempts to label out
ward forms and Observances, however good
IN themselves as vital Christianity.
We have all seen too many instances Of
men who do none Of the doubtful things,
such as smoking, card playing, etc. who
nevertheless show none Of the spirit Of the
gospel II IS altogether possible for one to
obey all these prescriptions and yet be too
mean to live with human beings.
This sort Of thing is the essence Of phari-
saism- Conformity to outward ceremonies
as distinguished from a religion Of the
spirit begets insincerity. The old Jews had
added to the forms Of the Mosaic law
DeWlluerlng array or detailed requirements.
Then, as now, the east loved a religion Of
ceremonial The Koran is full Of it Even
as Moslem may observe the intricate rit-
ual Of motions and washings and drawings
and hastings and pilgrimage, and still re-
main cruel blood-thirsty, lecherOus Op-
pressor OF his fellow men, so the pharisee
could keep the ceremonial law, even down
TO giving 1.-THE out Of the mint patch in
his back yard and yet remain a moral
monster.
And to be wholly frank we are not m
acquainted with the type OF church off
Ger who has lncarnated in himself the Grim
inal practices Of "big business" who has
been IN unholy alliance with corrupt politf-
clans, who has rented property at high
rates for evil purposes, who has underDafd
his employees and kept child laborers under
the yoke.
nat is the sort or man whom this
ged, truth-telling carpenter arraiened
= r1nly, thereby causing social CONSERVATION.
Every active church worker should ex-
anime himself carefully in the light Of this
tremendous passage of Scripture, remember
ing that the blistering 'woe unto your was
TO the professionally religious,
and not to the outcast and Gisreuutabie
The Sensational Speech.
NO comments upon It can have the force
and pertinency Of this utteranee Of Jesus