The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-01
FINDING \ LIFE LAW THAT
WORKS.
The International Sunday School
Lesson For September & il. Tho
Great Commandments" Mark IL:
DS-AA
UsY WILLIAM Il. ELLIS.)

land, recall the famous
maze in the gardens there. The
stranger canno find his way out. 1t
is amusing 10 watch persons turning
this way and that, and forever go
ing over the same ground, and never
really getting anywhere. Outside of
the maze is a high platform on which
an official stands. When the visitors
tire Of trying to find their own way
out of the maze, he shows them the
clear, short path out.
That is What most OF US are look
ing for: a sure clue out of LIES per
plexities. We want the master word
for the mysteries which beset us.
Creeds and PHILOSOPHERS there are in
plenty. but they only add to the plain
mans confusion. Who will show us
the sure route out Of the maze!
Few questions are older than this,
or more natural TO man. 1t was IN
the mind of the scribe who, standing
in the background of the crowd
which surrounded Jesus in h courts
of the Temple, on the last day of his
public teaching. noted that the
Nazarene spoke with a wisdom above
hat Of the doctors Of the law. So
he carried to Jesus the races old re-
ligious question, which was also his
own. He wanted to know mans first
and highest and clearest duty. What
is the supreme obligation resting upon
mortal intelligence?
A sincere seeker, he got a straight
answer. In contrast to the hypocrit-
zeal p~ettifoggers who had been try
ing to ensnare Jesus, here was "a man
troubled in his own spirit who want
ed really to know. The maze OF
paths and bypaths into which tht
law had been divided by the theolo-
gians perpleXed him. Religion haC
become "A matter of Journalism ant
ritual with most Of the Jews of hi
day. Perhaps, thought the scribe
this fresh. fearless Teacher from tn
North could aid him.
\ Straight Path Home.
And he did.
WHO goes Il step to Christ, through
doubtings dim,
Christ goes a mile, through blaZin
light, to him
To that anxious Jew in the Tempt
courts, the Master laid down a sim
pie. understandable and workabl
law of life. 1t was a religion RI
duced to it's ultimate simplicities. .
child could comprehend it: but all {
"A strong mans powers are needed t
fulfill it. The twofold answer of Je
sus. setting forth the greatest CON
mandments, is portable truth, to /
carried away as a permanent posse:
sion, by every student of this lie.
son.
AS an Introduction. though Jes,
recited the magnificent first formuI
of the Jewish faith, the Hebre
races bequest to the world, concerl
ing the unity of the Deity. To us
the year 1914 this is a commonpla'
phrase, almost meaningless. But
Christ's day, as in Abraham's. it W:
the most radical of all religious b
liefs. They, be it remembered, we
environed by the countless gods
heathendom. Polytheism was Il
popular faith. There We're almost
many gods as people. The conce
ton that there is but one God al
that he is supreme over all, al
therefore worthy of allegiance, w
the Jews" religious gift to mankin
We, who know the affirmations
science concerning the unity of n
ture, find it easy to believe in the 9
over all; indeed, it is difficult to
leve otherwise. We have to. visu:
iZe for ourselves the Old Testame
background before we can RICH,
understand the emphasis which 4.
sus, and all of the prophets who we
before him, laid on the oneness
God. his truth must be postulat
before anything else that Christ So
can be understood.
The Twin Duties.
Four words the MaSte
great definition of the supreme d,
of mortal: Low God: love m;
Look up: look around; reach up,
up. The house of life has heav,
ward and w
dows. The two oars that propel
boat OF character-either inadequ
without the other-are Love to c
and Love to man.
b W are twins. One is inco
plete without n other. What c
hath Joined together, let no man
asunder." The danger in our day
a goddess conception Of brotherho
which will neither work nor last.
the Masters time the danger wa.
brotherless conception Of goblin
which was disloyal both TO God
man. Each Is an essential conn
ment Of the other.
There is nowadays no danger I
we shall make the mistake Of