The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-18
uutN OPPORTUNITY
HAS PASSED
International Sunday School
Lesson for August % IS The We'd
H.a Feast Matt. 22:1-14.
Nv william T. Ellis

In ~ al bodI Oll - - 80
=. etav the avalanche in its course,
=. check a nation in mid-career of
-. folly. 10 halt a drunkard in the
MIDST Of his C%arousing, to preach re-
,.rtance to Ninevah in the heyday
81 it's prideful wickedness, to turn
israel to righteousness and spiritual
~ In the day of its religious AFRO
aanca and hardened heart-all these
Attempts are of a kind. There is
sorething sublimely futile about the
eager efforts of Jesus, on the last day
II his appearance to his nation, as
no strove by picture and story and
.upeal TO call his beloved nation to
a realization of it's fast-disappearing
d.y of opportunity.
The national aspect of the Situa-
non stirs a patriots heart. He is set
"a wondering whether We, too, are
eoualIv leaf to the words of our own
prophets. Is our land in peril Of
spiritual blindness May she, too,
miss her day of visitation? God gives
Ms listening ears for all our w pro-
phets-even when they come in a
puise which offends all our p~rejudices
and misconceptions. Let US owe our
land so fervently hat we shall well
conc the truth about her from any
source whatsoever. Only by Conserv-
ing our spiritual sensitiveness, and by
,herishing our ethical and religious
Standards. may we insure our nations
trust welfare.
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brother
hood,
From sea TO shining sea-"
The StOry-SermOn.
The particular laSt-day appeal
which the Sunday Schools study to-
day portrays the kingdom-call to
Israel in the parable of the wedding
feast. 1t is a sermon story, Sketched
in strong lines, n leaving little of
its meaning to the subtle imagination.
Everybody could see the Jewish ma
ton in the guests who had %Spurned
their opportunity; and the turning to
the whole Gentle world in the carry
Ing of the gracious invitation out into
the highways.
obviously, the first aspect of this
parable which strikes the reader is
the portrayal of the kingdom of heav-
en- as a feast. Somehow, that idea
has never gripped humanity, even
though it was at a wedding that
Jesus wrought his first great work.
Inc %aseetic, monastic, rigorous con
ception Of the Christian life long held
""uy' htH tSJeeIleO TellSlOn a CQlnS
of lasting, rather han of feaSting. 1t
meant, in their mistaken view, rather
a subtraction from the joys Of life
man an addition to them. That Jesus
ZANE 10 bring a more abundant life
Was an overlooked truth.
A chanSe is being witnessed in our
"mh uay. "A less Sombre view Of re-
hsion prevails. A more social con-
eepuon of Christianity has driven GU,
nuch OF our rigid Puriitanism. The
unle-honored injunctions against life's
treasures are heard less and less. 4
wa church problem is how to pro.
,ue a brighter and happier social life
Ir people under the sheltering wing
OF the Church. For it is to a feas,
nut 'he gospel invitation calls.
Spurning Loves Offer.
= mother stopped to kiss her petu
tent child-and the child slammed tn,
mother In the face. That, like tn,
Tssoh parable, is a picture of h wa,
80 Is often requited. The king VIII,
hsIted his friends to a feast founc
pitality. Ho"
iucredible?" Not true to life :?
+oh around. See the thousands O
H. ms rejecting education. Behol
for eoys who forsake loving home
CouS poor rooms and street corners
hsnLtNuer the men who turn thei
GuoSSS on wives and children and re
@ae u surroundings, to consort wit,
hanoiers and drunkards and sti-
,rne associates. Alas, it is only to
mat human nature is capable G
Sung the best for the base.
~ WI more to the point, and true
cio, we parable, is the way the era
Tbero invitations of God are rejected
amanls no warrant in reason for til
tho fa.lg Indifference Of myriads t
kind %.herly goodness of God. That
rreator should be flouted by h
,b thai is more astounding tina
sphioh ing should be insulted by h
bn P'tcts. The Jews were, sad to sa
inc ruue TO the human type in turf
rood Inelr backs upon Gods proffere
Opening a Wide Door.
in q Nv ork rich man built a hon
but hid iiasnlonable section Of the cit,
him az ~ heighbors refused to recei,
from "a Trend. In nge he move
pooresatl mouse, and filed it with IL
ra.NSN ana least doc;roAlo -,