The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-03-10

system. 1t depends somewhat, al
though not much after all, on the man.
About as we'll undertake to decide
which is the best string twisted into
a rope, the best wire in the cable or
the best bark to put on tree. A real
dyed in the wool elm with hickory
bark on it would attract a good deal
of attention from those who under
stood theology, but the most Of us
wouldn't even raise our eyebrows; we
wouldn't notice it. The Hired Man
himself is just about half Baptist and
half Methodist and the mixture is SO
dove-tailed into the whole small mass
that he is sometimes both in the same
day. The correct time to decide
which of the two you should be is
about as far remote back yonder as
when the stars were deciding which
eyes to give to the woman.
A Boise reader of The Tribune has
asked the Hired Man to say what
| Christ meant when he said Therefore
if thou bring thy gift to the altar and
there rememberest that thy brother
hath aught against thee, leave there
| thy gift before the altar, and 60 thy
way; first be reconciled to thy broth
err and then come and offer thy gift"
| Recorded in Matthew 5. % and "a
verses. Your brother could not have
anything against you except you were
at fault. He might think he had
something against you, when It was
only him thinking SO. If you have
actually wronged the brother and get
right up to the last minute before you
are going to offer your gift to God
and even there think of the wrong
you once did the brother, stay your
hand from worship until you have
made it right. The Christ taught for
giveness and suggested that we can
not slip through without looking
closely to this feature of His instruc-
tons. The gift you have to leave at
the altar in these days is your money
offering and your worship. If some
brother got it into his head that he
had something against you, when he
did not have, this teaching would not
disturb you in the least. be sure.
The Bible puts it all in. 1t tells the
foxy things the old fellows did, just
as we'll as their virtuous acts. That is
right. We poor mortals need encour-
agement as we ruin on. The Hired
Man was reading the other night how
Saint Peter cursed and swore on the
night Jesus was arrested. He just
jumped up and down and swore like
everything. Later he was the leader
in the session and got a big Office in
the synod. He had quit his meanness
l never could quite understand about
Abraham telling old King Abimelec h
that Sarah was his sister. The old
king had been coming around Abra-
hams place quite often. Abraham
doubtless noticed it, for he had good
sense. He knew Sarah was the finest
looking woman in the kings country
and so did the king. He had an eye
to business. He kept coming arount
until one day he said to Abraham
"Who is that fine looking woman
have seen around here so much? Their,
she is right now combing her Ions
black hair in the tent door," ooh
that's my sister," replied Abraham
Now there was truth in that statement
for Sarah was really Abraham's hal
sister. They had the same father, bu
different mothers. UP to that time
God took care of dove-tail marriages
where relatives got married. CaiI
married his own sister. and it Was all
right But later in this old world Coo
said for us not to even marry cousins
or we took chances. Well. the kin,
said Would it be alright for me t.
come and see your sister?" 20 yes,
replied Abraham. 81 would be glad TO
sister to get acquainted with you"
don't know that Sarah understood
what was going on at the start,-b but il
two weeks the old king came owe
and took Sarah home with him to b
one of his wives. Abraham must hav
| been disturbed that night The Bibl
!. puts all this story in, just for us t
: have time to think it over. The Hire
E Man thinks Abraham wilted. Wha
E he should have said to the old kin
E when he asked about Sarah was this
Z 20 King, live forever; but you are nc
r likely to do it if you keep comm
r around here like this" Then if tn
y king did not take the hint Abraham
ought to have hung his hide on tn
back end of his tent some evening an
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