The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-04

OF them. there is usually something |
commendable. The abuse of the
privilege of trading in the Temple at |
Jerusalem had quite naturally devel- |
oped. The need for sacrifices made
1t plausible hat merchandising
should be carried on for the benefit
OF the pilgrims near the Temple
courts; even as today, in the very
courtyard of the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher in Jerusalem. pilgrims may
buy trinkets. In heather temples
this is not at all | have
bought Mecca beads in the court
yard at the Mosque of st. Sophia in
ConStantinOple, and Chinese antiQui-
ties in a Picking emple. Tn closest
parallel to the Jerusalem scene.
known to me is the merchandising in
the great TenOji temple in Osaka,
Japan, where scores of merchants
display a variety Of wares.
On the basis of the pilgrims needs
for foreign money changed into Jeru-
salem currency, and for doves and
sheep for sacrifice. there had grown
up the reign of graft which doxni-
mated the Temple area.
When Jesus. the Reformer. came
with his clear-seeing eye. and his
fearless advocacy of purity and altru-
ism. he overturned this order of
greed. BY the sheer weight of His
personality, and by His own con-
seriousness of His divine mission,
Jesus scattered the merchandisers in
every direction Right and religion
were on His side, AMI when a brave
man Identifies himself with these two
causes, nothing can withstand him.
or course, the discounted Scribes
and priests did not tarry to say.
is this man right? Have we really
become pOlluterS of the Temple, the
Sanctlty of which should be our chief
concern" Not SO. Their first
thought was how they might 'get
even" with this Man. who was inter
fering with their revenues. In lesser
degree. the same condition obtains in
every age. and it is to be confessed
that there is a dull monotony about
the way in which the church has
dealt with her reformers and critics,
quite after this ancient Jerusalem
fashion. The man who shows the
church wherein h is wrong is her
best friend, and to be heard and
needed.
1T is altogether likely that abuses
have crept up in parts and phases OF
the Christian church. With the prop
erty interests and salary solicituds
involved, this is almost inevitable
Most men begin to see red as sOor
as their pocketboOks are touched
President Wilson has candidly point
ed out how this factor has entered
into the Mexican situation. ConcerI
for the welfare of the millions o
: oppressed, ignorant and destitut,
!, people has been overShadoWed by tn,
5 clamor of thousands whose dividend
have been effected.
In like fashion, the recent sudde1
cutlery over hurting business at
! tanned a volume which the temper
ance crusade-a moral question:
, not able to match after decades 0
~ducatiOn In the light of our Owl
+ times it is quite Understandable tina
] these shrewd Jerusalem ecclesiastic
. should howl and plot when Jesus be
gan to hurt business"
The Passion Play at Ober Am
: mergau makes clear the connectio
between this scene and the cruel
f flxlOn. One of the episodes of tn
Passion Play is the cleansing Of tn
Temple. Shortly afterward we fin
the same merchants, who have bee
. driven from their stands in the TEN
pie enclosure by the stern and regs
Christ, foremost in the clamor c
those who cry, Cruelty Him. Cru
Z city Him.
|! The cleansing of the Temple are
reached directly upon the conde1pAa
ton and crucifixion Of Jesus and ha
: 'interfered with business Oye
against hat crime of crimes, the IA
hat Jesus was obeying God. purify
- ing the church and exercising tn
highest office of a prophet. counte
as nothing.
n This is a good time to declare ono
more that Judgment must begin {
the House of God" The churC
must be clean. Whenever she has ar
completely with oppression of Grim
she is denying her Lord. If any |,
or cal congregation. or any denomin;
~ ton, puts the favor of the rich ar
rs the mighty over against her loyal1
:, to clear truth and righteousness. 81
is betraying once again the Reform
er who died on Calvary.
IN -
I'd THE LIBERTY THAT is LIFE