The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-15

The International SUNDAY SchOOl 10
son for August 16 il The WlcAeo
Husbandmen.' Matt. 21:33-46.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
What Washington's farewell al
dress was to the American people .ne
final warnings of Christ on the iast
day of his public ministry were 70 'ne
Jews and more. 1t was the Loro OF
the temple standing in the Tempe y.
the Lord, uttering the most solemn
abjurations to the people whom ne
had loved with a compassionate de-
votion. In this crowded last nour DE-
sus was speaking the uttermost Things.
and giving his message once more 70
the nation. After this. there Woulo ne
nothing for Him but to incarnate MS
word in his ultimate sacrifice.
To the end He held to his picture
preaching. teaching by parallels. Inc
one which engages the thought OF the
Sunday schools today is elaborate ana
vivid and terrible 1t had all the stern
ness of a final appeal for repentance.
The Bible Down to Date.
Some folk never think of the Bible
nc being any nearer to their own times
than two thousand years away. Jesus
is our example for modernlzlng tne
parallels and adapting the SGsl I3ah.s
to present needs. He took 1salah
familiar figure of Israel as VINE
yard of the Lord, and elaborated IL
into the parable of the nousenoIuei
going abroad and entrusting MS prop
ertv and work to stewards and ser
varta These refused an accounting
to the householder's representatives,
and even slew the mans only son
when he was sent on behaif OF ms
father Thereupon, fearful punishment
was visited upon the wicked nusoaho
men by the householder.
The story bears amplificat1on un.
commonly we'll. 1t applies In all
points. The vineyard was the house
holders own: he had rescued It from
the wilderness and made 1t himself;
IT was his to do with as he would; ne
exercised complete sovereignty over II.
Even the Bible clearly teaches that
man is accountable to God. being MS
creation.
This pleasant vineyard Of Israel
had been planted and tended ana
hedged with completest care. me
householder had done his part Tor the
bearing of fruit. All now depended
upon the servants. While Jesus was
truth, yet it has a spiritual s1gnln-
canoe to the individual life; for reli-
gior is a growth of God, his fatrest
garden.
Taking Over Responsibilities.
The mark of manhood is fitness to
receive responsibility Childhood Is
responsibility. These husbandmen in
They had accepted the charge and
they must bear the responsibility.
They were left to themselves with
freedom of choice. and all the indie
pendence of a man farming on shares.
But the Jewish nation as husband
men had been false to their trust.
1t failed to keep faith with God. who
trained it to be the missionary to the
nations. Beyond all other nations,
Israel had an obligation to serve the
peoples with a new conception of one
Supreme God, who was also a loving
Father.
In our day. nations are compelled
to accept this teaching of the re-
sponsibility Of one people for another.
This new world to the west has big
and grave accountability to the whole
human race. The tragedy of tragedies
for a nation is to miss its destiny; to
fail to do it's highest work. Some ma
lions like the Christian kingdom erect
ed in the Holy Land by the Crusad-
ers. and like Spain and Portugal and
the Holy Roman empire, have failed in
their mission Of stewardship.
The Warnings Neglected.
In the parable many servants were
sent by the patient householder to
ask an accounting of the trust he
These, of course. the hearers of the
tale recognize as the prophets and
teachers of Israel. Anyone with
message of truth is a prophet of God
and one Of the messengers.
Pity the people, so engrossed In
themselves and their own pleasures.
that they are deaf to the words of
the editors and statesmen and preach
ers and teachers who summon them to
their highest faithfulness. To fail to
hear the highest truth that one may
receive, is the worst of all recreancies.
rr.xsp H. t., - - A.
pungent utterances, Many of you are
listening tonight to your funeral ser
mon."
More than once Jesus had hurled
into the teeth Of the religious lead
ers of his time the unwelcome truth
that their fathers had stoned the
prophets, and that they. too. were
guilty of the same sin in failing to
accept Him and the opportunity which
he brought.
The wicked husbandmen of the
story denied the owner of the vine
yard the proper fruits thereof-which,
considered kingdom-wise, are such as
loyalty, Righteousness. obedience and
loving service to their fellow men.
The Lost Opportunity.
Dives in hades thought that a new
preacher could convert his brothers.
II he could only go with the reek Of
hell-fire in lis clothes That notion
persists to this day. Hosts of persons
who refuse to be rue to the religion
they know are restlessly seeking some
new faith: and our land swarms with
queer cults, none OF which offers a
better conception OF God or a higher
estate for men than the faith once
for all delivered to the saints"
In the parable, God went the limit
to reconcile the wicked husbandmen.
He sent his own child. that they would
honor him who bore the name and
likeness Of the Father. His own cher
fshed child-the darling Of his heart
WAS mt withhold from this ON l,oa ssx