The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-07-07
LOOKING DEATH IN THE EYE.
THE International Sunday School Les
sON for July II Is "GreatncSS
Through Service" Mark 1O:32-45.

Through Service" Mark 1O:32-45.
(By william 4. Ellis.)
Barrie's great story, The Little
Minister" reaches it's climax when the
pastor of the Aud LIGHT" church as
sailed by an infuriated congregation,
battied with a flood which apparently
means inevitable death. In this hour
ne played the man so splendldly with
no thought OF fear or Of self, but only
OF his work, of his Royalties and CT
his love. that the tide of sentiment was
completely turned. The highest hero
ism shows itself in the presence OF
clearly perceived and i~nescapaDle
death. The galleries of memory hold
as treasures the pictures of the brave
men board the Titantic who died like
gentlemen, rather than seek lie Ike
cravens And now we come upon a
picture Of the greatest Hero of all,
eyes of near death.
The final battle between Jesus and
the p~riestly and Pharisaic party had
been Joined at the grave of Lazarus.
The victory. humanity speaking, clear
ly lay with his enemies. There could
be only one result. He was dOOmeu
to die. There was no escape for Him.
He knew that he must suffer and die
in ignominy. The cross was fixed on
the retina of the soul of Jesus. Hear
Him describe what lay before him:
Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and
the Son Of man shall be delivered unto
the chief priests and the scribes; and
they shall condemn him to death, and
shall deliver him unto the Gentiles:
and they shall mock him, and shall
spit upon him., and shall scourge him,
and shall kill him; and after three
days he shall rise again
Striking IA False Note.
That is the background of this les
u-1 70 tho moi
dents which the Sunday schools ARE
now studying. The latter Can be UNI
derstood only in the light of their set
ting. The words are those Of a man
abou to die. The parting counsel is
the exalted admonition of a Friend
and Teacher who was more than {
father to the group about him. The
scene was as sacred as a death cham
Der. The atmosphere was sur
charged with the spirit of the ap
preaching tragedy. In his hour, i
ever. any little souls might be eX
pected TO rise above petty interests
TO intrude trivial or ignoble theme
into this occasion. Woul be like talk
ing millinery over a mothers bier.
Nevertheless, the opportunity wa
sei2eo by the nearest disciples 0
Jesus TO gain honors for themselves
Here again, and in the other mos
sacred hours of the Masters life, am
bition thrust its ugly head forward
The disciples who should have bee.
the most tender and syInpatheti
Sharers of his passion, were USING thi
hour to assure their own future posi-
tons. Whatever the nature of tn
Kingdom that the Lord meant t
found They wanted. the chief seat
THE POLITICIANS PETITION.
Shortly before President Wilson
election. a well-known politician tol
me that he was an applicant for a
office under the administration, ar
when I asked him concerning the pa
ticular post, he said. well, anythir
from a place in the Cabinet to a pos
ton in the Internal Ravenue Service
The man saw no absurdity in h
statement. He thought he was fittt
tor the highest post. His ambition
outran his ability. He did not reali
wha he asked. In like manner the
disciples, James and John, made
preposterous request of their Maste
Selfish interests had blinded the
judSment-as 1t commonly does. WI
they asked was nothing less thar TIL
Grant unto us that we may sit, o
on Thy right hand and one on T.
left hand in Thy glory.
AmeZement at this vaulting ami
ton is obscured by the thought
how slight was the real understan
ing of the character and work
their Teacher and Friend with who
these men had companied intimate
for three years. This astounding
quest makes clear that they had I
for a moment really apprehended I
nature Of their Lord and his missi,
All his efforts to ~enlighten them h
fallen upon closed and carnal ears. L
what James and John asked enter
into the very councils Of eternity a
sought to overlap the plans OF the
finite.
Had clustering and ~excoriat
words Of b fallen from the |
of the Leader, we would feel that j
tice was being done. Yet with c.
sideratioh and compassion. as a par
deals with the childishness of lii
children. Jesus said gently. "Ye kn
no what We ask. Are we able to dr.
the cup that l drink? or to be b
tised with the baptism that
baptised with? And they said II
him. We are able. And Jesus S
unto them. The cup that l drink
shall drink an1 with tho hap