Evening star., 1914-01-17
The True Neighbor.

The vivid picture of the jewish traveller
who OH the journey between Jerusalem
and Jericho. distance of about twenty
one miles, fell among thieves was used
by the Master to show the learned scribe
that the latter lacked love in his own
heart The story was full of local color.
true TO everyday life. and it drove home
its own moral The road down to Jer-
cho is not the only one that is infested
with brigands, for along the modern high
ways of life, just as amid the Judean
ravines. with their almost inaccessible cliffs
and caverns. that furnished hiding places
for the robber bands that would strip a
wayfaring man of everything. beat him
and leave him half dead upon the road
that the priests who dwell in Jericho had
to travel on their way to and IRON the
temple, are found robbers not only OF
cash but character.
The people that today are encroaching
upon their neighbors' rights do not look
like the thieves of ancient times. Under
meath the fine apparel, smooth speech
and polished manners OF modern days
may be found men and women who will
stoop to do lower service than the brig
ands of the Jericho road did TO the cei
tain man that went down from Jeru-
salem to Jericho. Lacking love for their
neishbor. they tempt. betray and strip Of
character, happiness and home their poor
unfortunate victim. Although love is
the law of the Christian life. many pro
fessed followers. disregarding the teach
ings of Christ are going about continu-
ally doing i'll TO others. seeking by sian
der TO destroy and wrong even their
brethren. forgetting that he that hatcth
his brother is murderer.
God had to send three men alonS that
highway before He was able to relieve
the distress of the half-dead man. Tue
poor victim is passed by a priest fsn
official of the law. and then "A Levite tan
inferior servant of the temple) also
passes him and leaves him to die
The laws of the Old Testament abound
in provision for the needy. The Jewish
sense of racial unity strengthened the
feeling of responsibility for the poor. I'M
fortunate and dependent classes that had
survived the tribal and communal stages
in Semitic civilization
This surprises us at the action of the
servants of the law But even here
Jesus does not condemn, except. as 1t
would seem by implication, the conduct
of the priest and Levite. They come
into the parable rather as accessories.
and Jesus makes bold use of them to
throw into bolder relief the central figure.
which Is the Samaritan"
The finest virtues are often found where
least expected. The Samaritan. one of
the mongrel race whom the Jews hated.
from whom little could be expected. turns
out to be the true neighbor. He was
moved with compassion at the condition
of the poor sufferer. SO pouring in the
wine to cleanse the wounds and the oil
to heal. he binds up the wounds. apply
ing first aid to the injured possibly by
tearing up his own garments and then by
an act of self-denial of personal comfort.
the Samaritan stranger places the wound
ed man upon his beast while he walks
beside HIM to an inn, where. after caring
personally for him, the Samaritan makes
generous provision from his purse for the
proper care of the sick man, who, by his
race and religion was the enemy OF the
benefactor.
The lawyer recognized the truth, even il
he did hesitate to mention the hated
name of Samaritan. when he acknoNl-
edged that"the one that took pity proved
himself neighbor to the man that fell
among thieves. By commanding that the
lawyer follow the example of the Samari-
tan, Jesus. who had in his conversation
with the women at the well condemned
the heresy of the Samaritans, took the
position that humanity counts more than
orthodoxy; that the eternal life is love.
and belongs equally to Samaritans and to
Jews" In this parable Christ breaks
Down the barrier of race nationality ami
religion by this message of love that is
as deep and catholic as the nature of
The lesson will need to be repeated
throughout all the ages until men shall
1y a truer conception of the gospel, tn.
record Of missionary progress. the
of modern science and the
expansion of commerce come to give a
world wide meaning to the term neighbor.
10 that they will, following the practice
If the Samaritan. recognize that the true
,eighbor is one who, regardless of race
,r creed, shows an active sympathy that
;eeks to aid the one who is in need with
tut regard to his faith, race or national
ty. There is more of the Samaritan
ervice than the world realizes now being
performed. The test of modern Chris
ianity is being made at this point of
for the world is correct In
Is belief that love without labor, say
ng without service, profession without
practice is like faith without works, dead.
( we carry out in our daily life the
anne spirit that characterized the Sa-
naYftan We will love our neighbor as our.
elves-