The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-05-23
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers
of The Republican.
!, SUNDAY, MAY 26
i The Christian Citizen adult Topic
Mark IL, Read Matt. 21:28 1888;
Luke 20:9-47.
Render unto Caesar the things that are
Caesars, and unto God the things
that are Gods. Mark 1917.
U. S. WRIGHT.
THE STORY SWORD.
Nov let me tell you a story" said
Jesus as the group of priestly digni-
taries was turning away beaten before
the crowd. They paused expectantly
to see what tale this battling Galilean
would unfold and He directed the story
to them tho the throng pressed closer
that they too might hear. "a man had
two sons" He began and the familiar
farm picture was painted wildly in
spite of the scowls which told the under
standing of its pointed meaning.
Hear another" He continued without
allowing any interruption in the atten-
ton that held them all IN silence except
for the whispered, Didn't He biff 'em
one that timev and the movement
made by nudging elbows. Again the
delegation hesitated loath to stay yet
DESTROYS to hear but they were caught
by the national figure of the vineyard
familiar as speech itself and waited for
the conclusion. Swiftly the history IN
folded with its tremendous claim for
Himself as holding a peculiar relation
, to Jehovah differing from that of any
prophet before Him. Doom dripped
from His concluding question until men
cried. God forbid" The crowd
chuckled as the delegation went back
f into the Temple for with all the re-
+ ligiousness of the Jews the present
crowd running Jerusalem affairs was
not in high favor with the common folk
| whom they despised and robbed. Their
but a story sword Sharply did its
blade turn against their sudden sense
I of self-satisfaction as theirspresence at
| the feast was Indicated but no sharing
of it's delights unless they wore Gods
rode. Failure, whether of priest or
peasant, in loyalty to Gods best, re-
suited in inevitable disaster. A sheep
ish grin marked where the story reach
ed home and the applause was less de-
monstrative.
! THRUST AND PARRY.
, By the time this was ended the rulers
| had sent out their second party shrewd-
2 ly chosen from youthful disciples and
from differing political attitudes that
r they might pass unsupported. They
, thrust at Him the question of tribute
to Rome, sore subject with every Jew
f and dividing line between patriot and
. partisan. Whichever side He dropped
upon He would find the fence shutting
| Him off from part of the people. He
spoke grimly enough for this was a
fight unto death and is as full of
dramatic interest as Worms was ever
=, when Luther Numbered there. You
are mistaken, men. Both fields are
real and what you think is fence is a
gate; see it swing open." Laying His
hands upon the latch OF cOmmon-sense
He pushed the fence aside. Then the
supercilous Sadsucee tried to raise a
laugh at the expense of this carpenter
Prophet and thrust once more against
His Incompatible parry with their
ludicrous picture of woman in Heaven
. with seven husbands. Cautiously but
darlngly He met them. Marriage is
an earth provision for preserving the
: race; under new conditions the provision
must alter. Life and love abide but de-
mand differing expression in meeting
8 a new need. You limit God by insist
: ing that He use only the old lumber in
changing barn into a bungalow. Go
back and read your Bible better and
: you'll not deny mans longest life. "
: Again He had scored in the fight.
THE VOICE FROM THE CROWD.
One of the listeners now took up the
e moments quiet with query that ap-
. pears to have sprung from genuine
= desire for information from this evil
i dent authority on the Scriptures. Of
t what sort was the chiefest of all the
commandments that obedience might fol-
low truth? Such was the question
flung from the crowd. Jesus answered