Evening star., 1914-04-04
Hospitality.

Hospitality is not condemned by the
Master. We miss the meaning of his
injunction we take it literally. for
Christ is not condemning the family
reunions or the entertainment of
friends at Il dinner party, but he does
cersure those who seek by social en-
tertalnment to obtain for themselves
any seward, because il takes from
hospitality the spirit which encouraged
US to extend courtesies without amy
Expectation of recompensation.
There is an excellent paraphrasc of
this passage. which brings out It's
teaching, given us by Malleson: When
thou mak.st dinner or II supper, call
not only thy friends or thy brethren.
Look not, seek not a reward fer thy
kindness that they should bid thee
again. But remember the necessities
of the poor. and dispense to them suctl
bounti"s may be for their true in
tercst" thrysustoln truly SAYS: 10
not troubled at receiving 40 rcWar rd or
acknowledgements. but rather he dis
appointed If YOU do. lest Your reward
should be found in this life only"
The heart of Christ has always beat
III sympathy with the needs of melt
He rated mon not 10y their lneaE.;. but
by their manhood: not by the condi-
tons of poverty in which they We're
compelled by financial and economir
conditions to dwell, but by the possi-
bilities that their dcstitution opened
to Him of service. The man who fee 3,
in presence of the want of society. the
call to help. aid and assist his fellow
men is the ono who '"ill receive PAY
ment in the kingdom OF heaven. tor the
gift of even a cup Of cold water in the
name of the Christ viii not be over
looked by our Lord.
These principles that touch the
hearts of men today by their appeal
for practical philanthropy. moved
Of Christ's hearers. who held the or
dinary Jewish belief concerning the
kingdom. that when the Messiah had
set up His throne on the earth TIE
saints of former days would rise from
their graves and share in the gl'ries Of
His kingdom, for He exclaimed:
Blessed is he that shall eat bread in
the kingdom of God
This led Jesus to tell the parable of
The Great Supper" which must have
run terribly counter to the .prejudices
ont the truth that no people had a
monopoly of the divine favor and there
fore, their spiritual dynasty was doomed
as they were without hope. because
they had rejected their opportunity
There be but one lesson drawn
from this parable and it is evident that
Jesus sought TO correct their false con-
ceptiun that they possessed "A MONOPOLY
of religious privileges. The kingdom OF
heaven was not to be a place of priyi-
lege reserved for d religious caste. He
proposed to build up His kingdom out of
the wrecks of humanity. The wealth of
ms fealfn would De CONSTRUCTED ana de-
veloped out of the class that the world
had considered unfit.
In the natural world We have the law
that teaches the survival of the fittest
but in the spiritual realm through Gods
law and grace VIC have the survival Of
the unit renewed 10y His grace and
filed with His glory. Our lesson reveals
the social sympathy and democratic
spirit of Christ Jesus, who was always "A
critic Of 'tunearIed privilege, of unfet
devotion of unused ability"
Those who heard the Masters voice
and refused to listen to His gracious In
vitation were left without hope. IL we :.
do not respond to His request TO share
His salvation and enter his service will
not our. end also be one of hopelessness: