The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-25


things will be added unto you" We
cannot reverse this order and avoid
confusion. "Ye cannot serve God and
Mammon, for We will hold to the one
and despise the other"
To a degree this too is natural
process. The exterior. the material
world is but symbolic, not the Truth
itself. In the science of pedagogy the
objective method in a great factor in
the development of the childs mind.
knowledge here is largely conveyed |
by means of symbols. So in the |
childhood of the human race, and of /
civilization, this process of objective /
instruction is the natural one. To .
this degree we are in accord with the |
true course of growth, first the nat |
ural, then the spiritual"
1t is also a law that life be in a /
state of representation. When
ever there is even an apparent dis
continuation of this progress there is
an apparent death, a disintegratiOn
and retfOgression., 1t is a grave mis-
take to think we can remain for ever
babies. never to emerge from our
childhood. The wisest and best have
warned us not to love this world. What
did they mean? Did such men as
Isiah. John, and Jesus hate this world?
Nav. they love it and mankind so much
as to be willing to die for it. Did they
not mean by "wOrldliness" childh BOD
carried over into manhood, mean liv-
/ ing for the physical and symbolic rath-
er than the spiritual and real, living IN
the shadow rather than the substance
itself. Esau typifiCs this worldliness
Why? Because it was childish and
] 1,f frfh ri o.
was to wrestle all night with God AL
mighty at Penal.
1t is indeed surprising we seem not
TO be more interested in being able to
discern the potency of this divine in
junction. Consider the case of Esau
and Jacob as an illustration. One re-
mains in weak childhood, which his
tory has assigned him. The other
energies from weak childhood into
strong manhood The one, though
generous man is remembered largely
for his weakness and error; the other
though Il wicked deceiver, is changed
from a Jacob into Israel, who has
found his soul. upon the development
of which his subsequent history rests
for it's greatness.
Here then is the secret that discloses
the mystery When we have found
our soul we begin to acquire apprecia-
ton for the real and true. King Ar
thur knew not many of his knights
would be able TO find the
Holy Grail. God knew His son
would not be received by the world;
Jesus knew His own we're to reject
Him. Israel had lost. or had not
found its soul. His advent was at
time characterized by spiritual and
moral darkness. For many years no
great voice was heard proclaiming
Gods rights The book of life had
been closed and sealed. 1t is 400 years
after Malachi that the voice of John
is heard as one crying in the wilder
ness. From the record of the age we
believe Israel had become an irrelig-
ious people and as a consequence Of
which, the state, the school and church
had fallen into a corrupt condition.
Let HerOd and PLATE represent the
state, the Sanhedrim and Scribes the
the school, and let the priest and Lee
vite in contrast with the good Samari-
tan. represent the church, also the
money changers in the Temple which
had become a den of thieves. Is not
all this extremely sad? But was it
not according to law that there stood
one among them, whom they knew
not?
In the light of this fact let us pause
and tremble. 1t is not enough to say
that Israel had not found its soul. We
must go further and ask what had
destroyed it? In the mind of Jesus
Christ there was no doubt. The God
of MammOn the love of money,
thence social prestige, thence Injuries,
ease and mere physical protection
first the stomach and body, then the
mind, often never the heart and soul.
1t has never been possible to reverse
the order God has given to us without
: confusion. Eye cannot serve God and
Mammon." Certainly not Mammon
first and God last. without throwing
things into a state of humiliation. Ac-
cording to this false order, life and
its activities become superficial and
shallow, and in the shadows of the
sea of life, the ship of civilization
founders.
Yes, let us pause and tremble, for
this is a truth that did not live 1000
years age and then ceased to be. If it
is the truth it lives forever. Are there
characteristics of our times that are
compatible with the characteristics OF
the time of the advent of the Son of
God? We refrain from enumeration
of these characteristics. Suffice it to
say that civilization was gOrgeously
adorned without, and was resting on
apparently substantial columns. That
which appeals to the body and shows
mentality had, and has been, well nur-
tured, why the heart and soul drifted
uncared for We ask ourselves what
is it that arouses the energy and
guides the activities of men? And at
this Holy season of the year. What
is it that makes the Christmas season
so strenuous that it becomes an act
ual dread, to many people? Is it be-
cause we are busy caring for the inner
the soul? Is it possible for the great