The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-11
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY w. T. ELLIS

ciples therein laid down have been ac-
cepted by Christendom as the new
laws for the goVerance of society Like
every other alert person, that editor
knows that the world today. is in pro-
cess of reconstruction, in things fun
damental, as well as in outward SEEM
ing And the most wonderful thing
about the world-stirring address of
President Wilson is that, after all, 1t
is but a modernised expression or the
ideals taught by Jesus, and set forth,
in some fashion, in every pulpit in
Ckristendom If Woodrow Wilson
were not a son of the manse, the in
| heritor of Christian traditions and
teaching, and himself a student and
disciple of Jesus, he never could have
framed so sublimely this magnificent
Christian utterance. He. himself, said
Hong ago when he was active in Sun
day school work, 1.-The Sunday school
lesson of today is the code of morals
of tomorrow. Now he has illustrated
| his own utterance.
Out of the fog and smoke of this
world war have emerged in new
| clearnesS and sanctity the principles
! of Jesus as the only workable law of
| life. Christendom accepts as a logical
and proper program the newly-sacred
ideals of justice and liberty and broth
/ erhood. We all of us perceive that. in
new solidarity and unity, mankind
must live together in peace and
righteousness. Mr.. Lloyd George
declaration that this is the worlds
| final war, expressed the slowly ma
tured conviction of civilization. A
better way of running the world must
! be found-nay, is being found. All
persons who think are clear about the
new program for society; but what
about the power?
All. there is the crux of the worlds
greatest problem. Only a new power
! 5cI1 h. 6r-o.a m
and desire. The far-breathed hopes
and prayers of a heart broken human
| ity all wait upon this: some new mo-
tive and spirit underlying all the deeds
of men that will give US the reality
! of day of true democracy and broth
erhood. The answer to that universal
question lies in this Sunday school les
son. The life of the worlds Redeemer
alone is equal to this need. When
| Christians are in union with Jesus, as
| the branch is in union with the vine,
there will be adequate power avail
able to make effective the sublimest
social and economic program of altru-
ism. Short of this-let US be brave
enough to face the truth-there is no
assurance that all the new benefits for
the race, now being bought at I'M
counted cost of blood and treasure
may be maintained against the an
cient selfishness and ambition that
have so sorely afflicted the world.
Vine Dresser at Work in the World.
Is the thought an audacious or I'M
warranted one, that even now one
explanation of the suffering and sew
erings of mankind is~that the Eter-
nal Vine Dresser is at work with His
pruning knife in the vineyard of the
world? Even as the grapes, running
wild in tangle. which 1 so severely
cut back to the parent stem a few
weeks ago, might cry out against such
| severe and seemingly heartless treat
ment, so the world is moaning and
p, grieving and weeping over the present
work of the Master Husbandman. If
| organized society had borne more and
better fruit it might have escaped
this unprecedented pruning. Never
theless, let US hold to the faith that
God is at work in His vineyard, and
| that He is preparing it for more fruit,
and fruit truer to the type of His
planting.
Observe, please, that all the vine
receives attention as the metaphor
| runs. Fruitless branches are cut away
l-awesome fate! Branches that bear
also feel the knife, that they may pro-
duce more fruit. The good Husband
man does not let His vineyard alone.
1t would soon revert to its wild and
worthless form were it not in receipt
of frequent attention. The spirit that
feels the pruning knife should not cry
out against God, as if He were wrong
ing it, On the contrary. He is giving
proof of His affection: Every branch
that beareth fruit, he c1eanseth it,
| that it may bear more fruit" Even
the apparent calamities of the world,
also, are but evidence that God is
working His purposes out.
A Glimpse From the Greek.
| A 1f
| of this message of the Master to His
friends: abide in me-" But what
does it mean to "abide?" Sometimes
we get ray of new light upon an old
| language: words, like coins, may
| have their image blurred by passing
thru many hands. One day, when
working on the original Greek of this
passage, stumbled upon a coinci-
/ dence which made the significance of it
clearer to me; and I wonder that the
! learned commentators seem not to
| have pointed this out
This mystical word "abide" is
really the son of a word found in the
| preceding chapter of Johns Gospel.
and there unsatisfactory rendered
mansions" Jesus was not then talk
| ing about the magnificence of heaven:
He was stressing its permanency. His
little group, His family, was breaking
up; so He comforted them with the
assurance that I'm my Fathers house
are many abiding places: that is,
| homes that never break up.
! So now, in the present passage
! about the vine. He is saying, as it
were, Live permanently in my pres
! ence; be constantly at home with me.
/ Let us dwell together without any
| moVng away or separation" And
that kind of relationship with Christ
| is all of religion. Everything else
| follows it inevitably. "Abide"-and
the fruit will take care of itself.
| The Union That Means StrengthA
Terse Comments on the Uniform
| Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples Societies-Christian En-
l. deavor, Etc.-For May 10: Fellow
ship With God."-Ps. 11e:97-1O4.
| All of the Bibles truths are practi-
cal. So is this one, perhaps the