The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-10-03
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers Of
The Republican.

6SPCOiohI tiCPoiCu iOi hSouS'S VI
The Republican.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9Th.
Abraham Leaving Home. Genesis12:1-9.
Read 11:27-25:11, covering his entire
life; better still read thru Genesis.
Be thou blessing. Gen. 1872.
U. S. WRIGHT.
The CALLED MAN.
Only called men are world-builders.
Some cry from without has interpreted
the soul to itself and it has Jared forth
upon It's quest. Gipson's heads are
known everywhere but not until he saw
a man engraving block of wood did he
waken. Then he SAID, 81 can do that
as we'll as he." He got some blocks
and tools and the artist was begun,
Electricity called Edison, railroads call
ed J. J. Hill, aviation the Wrights, the
depths of the sea Holland, and each of
them heard, followed and made a new
world. For the calls are always ringing
and it is only deaf ears that fail to hear.
This is the tragedy of life. A man
with passion for competence that may
be usefully used is in sore straits be-
cause he could not see the horn of plenty
in his hand so tossed it away, could not
hear the shouting voice he longed for
and chased a siren instead. And all
the earth is vocal with Gods voice to
those who will tune the ear to catch its
summons and Paul and Luther and
Carey and Livingston and Wesley and a
thousand others have obeyed and gone
forth not knowing whittier. Abraham
was the earliest member of the company
who in the busy life of a great city
thronged with visitors from every mart
in that world and rich in the best that
the day offered felt the urge ofreligion.
God became real to him and among the
multitude of gods that peopled all the
earth one became his own and was lift
ed to position dominating all the rest.
How God called is not vital for He still
is in the calling business and men hear
Him speak thru many a medium; the
great thing is that He calls and there is
commerce between the invisible and the
visible words. He is not ancient history
nor future kindred but the Wonderful
One holding converse with men so that
they understand.
THE COMPELLED MAN.
1t is a dangerous thing to differ from
the accepted ideas particularly in the
realm of religion. Some inquisitor
always lights fire about the erring
feet. Abraham was no longer a COM
Portable citizen of Ur either to himself
or to its people. But when one is called
what is he to do? He must either lose
his soul or his citizenship. Dreaming a
new world where religion as he knew it
might be free, where his God might
have chance to really rule life I'M
hampered by these abundant deities, he
became an earlier pilgrim launching his
Maytlower upon its perilous sea. The
city rejoiced in his going not knowing
that it was losing its chief distinction
when its dreamer who would share its
good with the least outside and would
count God S comradeship more to be de.
sired than that of Kings left it. So they
travelled to Haran where they rested
and evidently prospered. So good was
the business that Terah was quite con-
tent to stay. They had obeyed the
voice and gone out. what was the use
of going further when their very pros
perlty showed that Gods approval of
their course? Many a Puritan died in
Holland or became merged into its life
content with partial freedom from the
old conditions. Many Christian has
stopped .hissprogress in some comforta-
BILE Haran. q But it was never Abraham.
Filial regard and good business were
attractive but God spoke again at the
cemetery gate and the far call was
heard more insistantly than ever. He
could rest nowhere except in Gods
place for him. HIS orders were,
Forward" For a man like him there
was nothing to be done but pack up and
move on. So he set his face toward the
West from which the news carried by
the passings caravans called constantly
for his coming.
THE COMMANDING MAN.
He did not leave Haran alone. That
is true of every man who is command
ed by some idea. Garabad was possess
ed with the belief of gathering power
directly from the atmosphere and of
having discovered the process. Con-
gress listened and appointed a special
committee to pass judgment, something
before unknown In our history Presl-
dent Wilson like Abraham Lincoln is
gripped with a profound belief in the
inherent rightness of the common peo-
pie and the nations of the world are
turning after him. Sarah had no hk-
ing for the moving van but when con-
science spoke in her husband she made
ready for the camel. Lot was born
along by the pressure of another's