The Detroit times., 1917-05-11


led Jesus 10 put His great and mys.
teal teaching into the form OF
familiar figure OF speech. which
should be eternAlly understand.
able.
Lying on the surface OF the meta
phor was the most profound teach
ing OF all. that Jesus Ia not only
himself divine. and the very Life
OF God. but that He is also the
source OF life. for all who would
come after Him. Life comes from
the root-how eloquent our gardens
are a. this season OF the great
teaching Hidden beneath all OBJ
servation. it's nature really as much
a mystery as when the FIRST plant
fruited in the Garden OF Eden. life
for the vine comes from the unseen
depths OF the roots.
What Of Our New TImsaf
J, A few days ago a magazine editor
asked me 20 write an article upon
President Wilson's immortal address
In the United States Senate as "A
New Magma chRrta for Humanity"
His thought II that this great utter.
ance expressed the best thought OF
the whole world today. and that the
principles therein laid down have
been accepted by Christendom as
the new laws for the governance OF
society. Like every other alert per
son, that editor knows that the
world today Ia in process OF recon
Struction, In things fundamental, as
we'll a. In outward seeming And
the most wonderful thing about the
world-stirring address OF President
Wilson r. that. after all. II Is but a
modernized expression OF the ideals
| taught by Jesus, and set forth, In
some fashion, in every pulpit in
Christendom n Woodrow Wilson
were not son ~ the manse. the in
heritor OF Christian traditions and
teaching, and himself a student and
| disciple OF Jesus. he never could
have framed so sublmely THIS mag
| uihcent Christian utterAnce. He
himself said long ago. when he was
active in Sunday school work. the
Sunday school lesson OF today is the
code OF morals ~ tomorrow Now
ne has illustrated his own utter
anoe
Out Of the fog and smoke OF this
world war have emerged in new
clearness and sanctity the principles
OF Jesus as the only workaole law OF
ical and proper program the newly.
sacred ideals OF Justice and liberty
and brotherhood We all Of US per.
oeiye that. in new solidarity and
unity. mankind must live together
in peace and righteousness Mr..
Lloyd-George's declaration that this
is the worlds nnal war, expressed
he slowly matured conviction o.
civilization A better way OF run
ming the world must be found nay.
Is being found All persons who
think are clear about tho new pro.
gram for society bat what about
the power
Al there rs the crux or The
orld's greatest problem Only
now power can accomplish The won
ders We dream and desire. The far
hreathed hopes and prayers OF
hoart-broken humanity all Wait upon
this some neV motive AMI spirit
underlying all the deeds OF men
that will give us the reality OF
LAY or true democracy and brother
hood The answer 10 that universal
question lies in this Sunday School
Lesson The life OF the worlds re
deemer alone is equal 10 this need
When Christians are in union with
Jesus. as the branch Is in union
with the vino. there will be nde-
quate power available 90 make 81
f"ctiye the sublimest social and eco
nomic program OF altruism Short
OF this let Us be brave enough 70
face the truth there is no assur.
ancc that all the new bencfi FITS for
the race. now being bought At un
counted cost Of blood and treasure.
may bc maintained against the an
Gent selhshnesS and ambition that
have 80 sorely afflicted the world.
The 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 ia at work with
His pruning knife i'm the vineyard OF
the world Even as the grapes, run
ming Wild in a tangle. which so
severely cut hacl; 10 The parent
.tcm a few weeks ago. might cry
out against such severe and seem
insly hesrtless treatment. SO the
world 10 moaning and grieyiug and
weeping over the present work OF
hc Master Husbandman. II organ
lied society had borne more and
better fruit h might have escaped
this Unprecedented pruning. Never.
thcless let US hold 10 the faith
that God Ia az work in His vineyard.
and that he il preparing II for more
fruit and fruit truer 70 the type or
His planting
Observe. please. that all the vine
receives attention as the metaphor
runs. Fruit branches are cut away