Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-07
THE SUI m G ay
School LESSON
By Ben Newsome

Lesson January IA, John l:l9-3i.
To the religious scholars Of Jerusl-
lem, most Of whom were aware of the
extra ordinary circumstances attend
inI the birth of a son to the wife of
Zacharias, who was one Of their num-
Der, the sensational campaign of JOhn
the Baptist must have been a mattci
OF deep interest They were So mucl,
interested that a dcputation met him
on the banks of Jordan to question
him and report TO headquarters. while
there Is a hidden tlngo of ant1gonisn
in some OF the questions, We must be
charitable enough TO accedc to these
scholarly men Of Jerusalem a higher
motive than mere faut-finding. Some
OF them al least were doubtless con-
ccrned about the daHning of new
era for the race and thot they saw
In John the signs of H. coming, Yet,
of course, they did not go to him IN
| the humble spirit Of the seeker after
truth. but rather I'm the attitude of an
| cMamincr whose business IL would be
| to put the stamp of approval or dis
approval upon this outspOken evan
Gclist Of the wilderness II is vain for
us to expect new light from on nigh
| If We come 10 the investigation In the
vanity of our own importance and
| Cbsessed with the inlpeccabilitv of our
! pre1udiccs. They wanted to see whcth-
! er or not John measured ~ to the
| specifications they had IN mind. ana
as u consequence, altho they got clear
and distinct answers to every quts.
tion they really failed In getting en-
| lgntcned.
John was peculiar preacher. lie
was free from all pretensc and pever
| played to the galleries lie relied on
| no enticins devices to get people to
| listen 10 him. he did not push his doe
| trines on anybody; he did not even
so into their places OF worship to de-
clare him3clf-those who desired L"
hear him had to come out where he
was. and they did come bv thousands.
/ We have an idea that our preachers OF
the prcecnt day are relying too much
uopn artificial means to fill their
pcws. II strikes us that IL they had
| Il MESA Cc-whiCh they haNA-as
| burning as Johns and delivered u
with the same fidelity and earnestneas.
they could not build churches his
enough to hold the congregation that
would come TO hear then. OF course.
peop'c nowadays are cumbered with
many material interests and do not
take time to consider matters OF the
soul until some great cataclysm wakes
them W; bat were thev not Away
80? The men of Johns time were
just as much cngrossed with other
topics as they arc now, but John woke
them up and made them come to him
to hear his message. Why should It
not be 80 now?
lie saws he did not know Jesus un-
| I'll the Savior was revealed to him
The men who were standing bv the
riverside did no. know him, attic h
stood among them. We have every
reason to believe If Jesus were to APP
pear to us today there would be Z
similar blindness of human eyes. John
was tuned up to the pitch Of looking
for the Master and was quick to de-
tect the sign of identification. His
whole life had been devoted 10 Il
preparation for this event. Much OF
our ability TO know Jesus depends
upon how thorOly we have incorpo-
rated him into our spiritual lives. We
, cannot do that by the mere eXpedien'
of observing religious forms. No one
was more adept at that device than
he Jew of that day. Indeed his re
; lgion had mostly degcnerated into
forms and ceremonies. There is n
virtue in these. only insofar as in do
ing them we proclaim to the world
our allegiance t. the Lord. 1t counts
for little with the searcher of souls
unless prompted by Il genuine devo-
ton and desire to please him. But
first let our hearts be turned to n zeal.
Gus devotion to the Lord and we will
, not only be diligont in observances
hut will have a spiritual insight that
will be ready to see him and hear him
in all the affairs of our lives. 1t is &c
the spiritual, the pure In heart. that
Is given the faculty to see God and
, to exclaim with him. Behold the
Lamb of God, that taketh away the
| sin of the world "