The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-06-09
DEFEATING THE PUFFED-UP
The International Sunday School Les
son for June Ia is 1.-THE Friend OF
Sinners."-Lukc 18:9-14: 1910.
BY William T. Ellis.

ION for June IA is THE Friend OF
Sinners."-Lukc 1924; 1910.
By william T. Ellis.
If the just Teacher who two thou
sand years ago itinerated over Cali
lee, Judea and Perea, may be said TO
hav had any particular a~ntipathy,
1t was surely against the eccleSlas-
teal leaders of his time, the eminent
~churchmen, the ostentatiously pious
Pharisees. From the beginning to
the end Of his ministry, Jesus was
continually puncturing the self
initiation of these religious aristo-
Gratis. He challenged and received
their hostility, and eventually they
won an apparent victory, for they
crucifed him; but today the very
name of Phirisee, which was their
pride and boast, is become a synonym
of shame.
Strikingly, Jesus rebuked the good
and not the bad. He debated the
puffed-up and prideful Pharisees be-
cause of their self-righteouSnesS.
They thought themselves better than
others, which fact, said Jesus, made
them worse than others. He stamo-
ed as contemplate all contempt of
others The basis of our modern
democracy is found in the Masters
stern and radical insistence upon the
sin Of self-righteOuSness, and upon
the possibilities inherent in the COM
mon people who make no pretense to
special merit.
The Democratic Door,.
There is but one door to the fell
lowship Of Christ; and that is a con-
dition which all can meet. 1t de-
bars none who will stoop to it, fol
the door to the favor Of Christ is This
man receiveth sinners" On such 9
basis he accepts all who come to him
1t is the common plea of democracy
we are all alike in our proneness tt
sin and in our need Of salvation.
Every imaginative mind contem
plates, at some time or other, the IN
trance into the eternal life and tn,
credentials to be presented. Thu
claims that admit men to most of tn
privileges of earth are inefficient here
One man says, Il am of distin
guished birth. My family is of til
noblest in the land. My forebear
aid famous service for the State.
To him the answer comes, Earth
distinctions do not avail here"
Another says arrOgantly, Il hav
money. / am accustomed to pa
for what I want. l have given larg
sums to charity. Let me in" T
him sternly comes the answer, "Ther
Is no golden key to the door G
heaven"
Another advances proudly, saying
You know my name. My accom-
pliShmentS ave made me famous.
been one of the great on earth.
This door is built not for the grea
but for the childlike,' is the answe
OIL refusal.
In robes of ecclesiastical dignity an
other advances and says. after props
genufiections, Il have been an EN-
nent churchman. My fame has bee
in all the churches. have shed tt
lustre of learning, of social positiC
and of wealth upon Gods cause G
earth"
Spiritual pride is the worst of I'll
offenses that debar men from heaven
gates is the stern rebuke as the do,
shuts.
None of the credentials which {
earth seem SO weighty avail at tn
portal. But "a timorous, abash.
man, with downcast- eyes comes 70
ward saying. Il am only a slime
and l am saved by the grace Of CT
and the atoning blood of Jesr
Christ To him the gates of heav,
swing gladly inward, and all Il
celestial choir sing a %jubilate; f
the one aid only password to Il
presence of God is this which w
spoken by Christ. Il come not to c;
the righteous, but sinners" T
golden text of this lesson is a syno
sis of all the teachings of Jesus.
Two Women Who Prayed.
Clear as n cameo, Jesus portray
q typical scene in his description
W men at prayer in the temp
The parable has a universal app
cation; as a literary germ it is woI
memoriZing:
And he Spake also this paral
unto certain who trusted in the
selves that they were righteous, a
set all others at nought: Two m
went up into the temple to pray; t
one a Pharisee, and the other
publican. The Pharisee stood a
prayed thus with himself, God.
thank thee. that l am not as the r
OF men, extortioners. unjust, ad
%terers, or even as this publican.
fast twice in the week; l give ii
Of all that l get.
But the publican, standing a
off, would not life up so much as
eyes unto heaven, but smote
breast saying, God, be thou mel