Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-08-14
BIBLES A BOOK
QUITE UP-TO-DATE
Bible Lesson For Sunday Is on a
Nation That Missed Its
Chance
The International Sunday School
Lesson for August 16 is 1.-THE
Wicked Husbandmen." Matt. III:
22-AR

The International Sunday School
Lesson for August 16 is "The
Wicked Husbandmen." Matt. Fl:
33-46.
BY William T. Ellis
/ What Washington's farewell ad-
dress was to the American people, the
final warnings of Christ on the last
day of his public ministry were to the
Jews, and more. 1t was the LORD or
the temple standing in the temple OF
the Lord, uttering the most solemn
abjurations to the people whom he
had loved with a compassionate de-
votion. In the crowded last hour
Jews were speaking the uttermost
things, and giving his message once
more to the nation. After this. there
would be nothing for Him but to in
carnate his word in his ultimate
sacrifice.
To the End he held to his picture
preaching, teaching by parallels. The
one which engages the thought of the
Sunday Schools to-day is elaborate
and vivid and terrible. 1t had all the
sternness of a final appeal for
repentance.
The Bible Down to Date
Some folk never think of the Bible
as being any nearer to their own
times than two-thousand years ago
times than two thousand years away.
Jesus is our example for moderni2-
Scripture to present needs He took
Isaiah's familiar figure of Israel as
vineyard of the Lord, and elabora
ted it into the parable of the house
holder going abroad, and entrusting
his property and work to stewards
and servants. These refused an ac-
counting to the householder's repre-
sentatives, and even slew the mans
only son when he was sent on be
half of his father. Thereupon, fear
full punishment was visited upon the
wicked husbandmen by the house
holder
The story bears amplifcation un-
commonly well. 1t applies In all
points. The vineyard was the house
holders own he had rescued 1t from
the wilderness and made it himself;
ii was his to do with as he would;
he exercised complete sovereignty
over it, Even the Bible clearly
teaches that man is accountable to
God, being His creation.
This pleasant vineyard of Israel
had been planted and tended and
hedged with eompletest care. The
householder had done his part for
the bearing of fruit. All now de-
pended upon the servants While
Jesus was making national appli-
cation of this truth, yet it has a
spiritual significance to the individual
life; for religion is a growth of God,
His fairest garden.
Taking Over Responsibilities
The mark of manhood is fitness to
receive responsibility. Childhood is |
irresponsibility. These husbandmenI
in the story were unaccountable stew
ards. They had accepted the charge
and they must bear the responsibility. |
They were left to themselves with |
freedom of choice, and all the inde
pendence of a man farming on
shares.
P,,t fbe Tauyieb nation as busband |
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 ma
tions. Israel had an obligation to
serve the peoples with new con-
ception 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
a big and grave accountability to the |
whole human race. The tragedy of
tragedies for nation is to miss it's
destiny; to fail to do its highest
work. Some nations like the Chris |
tion kingdom erected in the Holy |
Spain and Portugal and the Holy Ro- |
man 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 |
had committed to the husbandmen. !
These, of course. the hearers of the |
tale recognize as the prophets |
and teachers of Israel. Anyone with
a message of truth is a prophet of
God and one of His 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 |
preachers 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. BILLY" Sunday says In |
one of his pungent utterances, MANY |
of you are listening tonight to your
funeral sermon"
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-wi are
such as loyalty, righteousness, obedi-
ence and loving service to their fell
Dives in hades thought that a new !
preacher could convert his brothers. |
If he could only go with the reek
of hellhre in his clothes. That no
ton persists to this day. Hosts of |
persons who refuse to be true to the
religion they know, are restlessIy |
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
cherised child-the darling Of His
heart-was not withheld from this
embassy of mercy. Even the most
compassionate could do no more. 1T 1
is beyond the power of the Infinite Il
Himself to make a better plan for l
the salvation of the world. than the
one He has already freely given.
The madness of irreligion and sin
is unaccountable and incredible.
These husbandmen thought to de-
stroy the heir and win the VINEYARD
oalx