Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-29
SUNDAY SCHOOL
~
BY BIN rYwSOr1E

Kings or Israel and judah lmprcSSes
one with the fact that Gods chosen
people had their moral as well as po-
litical ups and downs with a discour-
aging alienation. This was the peo-
pie whom Moses and Joshua had led
into the land which had been prom
ised to them, with the purpose that
they should displace a wicked people
and raise up here new and better
civilization based on Gods law This
they failed to do thoroly and the re-
suits We're that temptations remained
there into which they readily fell
when not led and advised by good
men. They only preserved the shell
of the faith that Moses delivered TO
them. and that only was accom-
plshcd by their Deing frequently
whipped into line by adversely that
bred repentance. Likewise, we of the
United States have taken the place
OF an inferior race and upon US rests
the responsibility of giving to the
world a better form Of civilization
than has been taught elsewhere, and
that. too, civilization based on a
clearer conception of Gods will to-
awrd mankind. If we fail in this, We
may expect to he chastised or, as hap
pcncd to Greece and Rome. humili-
ated into the dust when our cup of
iniquity becomes full.
The worst feature about the wicked
kings who every now and then
ruled over the Hebrew people was
that they not only sinned, but they
made the people to sin. The same
thing is true to some extent OF each
of US. altho we be not kings. Every
thing we do to encourage sinfulness
bears its mark upon others besides
70 this a.
sponsbiIity. There are some people
In whose presence, altho they speak
not word, you feel a Dissemination
to do some doubtful things that your
conscience does not indorse. not al
WAYS out of respect for the individual,
bu; because there Is an unseen influ-
ence In good life TO make others
ashamed of evil on the other hand
there are men In whose presence you
feel a greater liberty and encourage
ment to let out the worst there is IN
you, altho they may not invite the
exhibition. Worst of all. the prince
of evil delights most to accomplish
the depreciation of one who has been
honorcd. II is much more capital for
the cause of evil for a good man TO
do wrong than for an evil man TO
follow his natural course. IL IS all
the more important that man whose
influence for good is powerful should
be IN his guard least he thotless!y
give others chance for offense. AS
one good man once remarked, when
complimented on his popularity, 1t
makes life that much harder to 1--we
so that the "cloud of witnesses
around us shall not find cause to
doubt the sincerity of our goodness.
l.apses into idolatry came easy Tor
Of hal
There was nothing in the worship OF
Jehovah to cater to the baser instincts
of humanity. but the rites of the
naran gods was rich in bestial graft
fication. 1t is always easy for man
to Weld to the leaninss OF the flesn,
for he will hush his conscience ana
devise all sorts of theories as an ex-
cusc for gratifying his own desires
and try to make his own conscience
believe he has done no wrong. The
animal nature OF man finds no JOY
in religlon--it is 10Y OF the soul
The lure of physical enjoyment is al
ways present, and. unless he depends
on divine help and has clear con.
ception OF the right use OF physical
goodness, he falls an easy victim.
Many of them will deceive themselves
into thinking they are still religious,
wren III lhcN tnty hnNc ~
religious teaching to form justifica-
ton for things which TO God are an
abomination.
Like many another man, IL required
the shock of great disaster to bring
King Manasseh TO his senses. 1t was
/ n heavy dose of adversely that fell TO
his lot, but II had the effect of ac-
complishing reformation. As soon
as he saw the error OF his way he set
about to try to mend the evil he had
done Many others since then have
made this attempt. The trouble Is
that II Is much harder to undo evil
teaching than II is to find apt pupils
In the first place. The repentant
king set up anew the worship OF the
true God and abolished idolatry. but
he could not regenerate the nation
from its revelry OF sin, which broke
out with renewed vigor as soon as
Manasseh was numbered with his
fathers. A great many people expect
| to be argued and persuaded into sal
| walton, when In fact their hearts are
1 so set In an opposite direction, or 30
taken up with other interests than
those OF the soul. that 1t requires a
calamity to wake them up. Some
people are converted by cyclones
some by the loss OF n dear one, and
I some by a narrow escape from ire
vocable disgrace. Some good men
will tamper with little sin until a
sudden revelation OF their moral in
security will cause them to turn In
time. Others go oR down until some
shock brings to miiM the pious teach
ings of other days and they come as
penitents to the throne of grace. But
the records of their evil deeds and
the stain OF their influence upon the
| lives Of other men cannot be easily
erased or reversed. What Is done Is
past recall. and the only recourse is
to make the remaining years as full
OF good as possible.
II then, we would avoid the double
accusation on the day of judgment
OF answering for our own misdeeds
and also the misdeeds we have
caused others to commit, let us watch
our steps closely. Like Paul, we may
need to give up our most cherished
(nnj perhaps harmless) fads II the
qualification OF them is in some way
teaching others to pun loose from
their moral and spiritual moorlngs
You may be convinced that certain
things are right and good, but first
see IN they Will not weaken the reSo
luton and conviction of some strug.
Cling sinner who Is cropping for the