Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-21
THINE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY BEN NEWSOME

self. This has been common mis-
take of mankind in all ages, to mis-
take the type for the original. the
shadow for the substance. the image
for tho reality. Made as II was with
human hands, the ark had no miracu-
lous power Of its own, and was only
effective when the Holy Spirit dwelt
therein, Nevertheless, for the sake
of It's holy associations, the ark was
jealousy protected by divine care, as
its captors soon found to their sorrow.
The lesson for us Is that there Is no
virtue in mere forms and symbols in
ceremonies or In visible types. with
out the presence OF the spirit they are
not only useless, but an actual i'm
pedimcnt TO real piety. II has been al
ways tho tendency of mankind to for
get the spiritual truths taught by vlsi-
bio things and to Invest the symbols
with imagined divinity even TO tho
point of wurshipping them in the
place OF God. Churches that have at
tempted TO teach people tho truth by
means Of forms and images have often
found ere long that the rank and file
of their membership were pinning
their faith TO the images themselves
Instead OF to the truths they were in
hghtcned age We repeat this mistake,
though I'm q different manner from
our forcfathcrs You are all acquaint-
cd with that type of Christian whose
highest Idea OF piOus zeal is n belllg-
creut paruslushlp for his donOmlna-
tlon, Just as Paul thought he was do
inE Gods service when he was trying
10 stamp out Christianity. Some, too,
look upon strict morality as their
highest conception OF religion, thus
mistaNng the result for the cause.
Then there are many who seem to
think that Joining tho church and be
Ing baptized is the same as taking out
a certificate OF citizenship I'm the
kingdom of heaven. No man was
ever saved, as far as we can discover.
10y joining the church, by being bap-
uzed, by strict morality, or by zeal
for the church orEaniZatiOu-all these
are but some Of the legitimate results
OF religious conviction. Nothing but
the Holy Spirit can change a sinner
into child Of God, and without that
conversion all the Ohservances and
ceremonies OF the church are but
empty and meaningless mummery
Tho elders OF Israel, at a time when
the spirit OF obedience 10 God was at
a low Cbb I'm the national life, instead
OF looking TO God for help, tried TO
bolster up a failing cause 10y taking
unwarranted liberties with the sym
bol OF Gods presence. That they
failed most dlsastrously should teach
us the folly OF mistaklng the shadow
for the substance, OF depending on the
material instead Of the spiritual.
Responsibility of Parents.
People who lack confidence In Gods
purposes and I'm his unwaverinE Justice
are often moved to complain OF the
axiom-one unalterably established by
science as well as relIgion-that the
sins OF fathers arc visited upon tho
children. IL Is not worth whilo 10
cavil over this fact, for Il is a condi-
tion We have TO accept, whether we
acknowledge a divine providence or
not. But let us for moment con-
slider how much the parents are called
on TO suffer for the misdoeds OF their
children. and especially how far the
parents themselves are responsible for
this state OF affairs. We know that
parents. 10 a certain extent, reproduce
themselves in their offspring, either
FOR good or evil. The laws OF heredity
are not thoroughly understood, but Il
is we'll established that both physical
and intellectual traits descend from
generation 10 generation. Then comes
the question OF early education. the
molding Of the plastic child mind by
tho teachings and example OF those
whom II regards as patterns 90 be imi-
tated. Along with this comes the ques-
ton Of parental authority. the great
stumbling block Of the age. Time was
when children were ruled with a rod
of iron, their wills crushed. their in
stincts repressed and their personal
ity ignored II was generally sup