Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-05-26
Sunday School
Lesson
BEN NEwsoME-


| Lesson June ?. Mark 14:1-9.
This is a lesson on self -forgetful-
ness in doing good. We have here
the contrast between coldly cslcu-
lating beneficence and the spontan-
eous action that springs from the
heart The disciples, led on W the
limitations OF Judas, the business
manager OF the group. would have
preferred to have seen the precious
| ointment turned into money and
the proceeds devoted to alleViating
| the woes OF the poor. The argu-
| ment was a specious one and one
well calculated TO appeal 10 the
practical man. What could be bet
ter than that charity should be sys-
tematiZed so that waste is reduced
to minimum and every dollar
made to do It's greatest amount OF
good? Surely organized effort can
do more TO palliate the misfortunes
that befall so many of the race than
can the most earnest but uncalcu-
lating efforts of Individuals e From
a business standpoint there is no
controverting this principle. That
is why we have organized charities
and set Of intricate and costly
corporations to take charity out of
Nht hdHhS VI llluiNIuNdl anu uiH-
pense beneflcence in an approved
business manner. And, while we
are at II, let as not take away one
iota of credit from these bodies for
the good they accomplish,
But%ith all this practical machin-
cry for relieving distress there is
one vital and essential thing lack
ing. That charity that Is most
blessed. both to him who gives and
to those who receive, which springs
from an earnest lovable desire to do
good. Organi2ed charity Is efficient,
commercially speaking but 1t takes
away from the doing OF good that
Joy which comes only from the con-
sciousness Of having Of our own 70
lition done good deed. Rather It !
places high and holy motive on
the basis OF a bookkeeping trans !
action, wherein the glycT calculates
to show how much OF an investment !
he has made I'm bencflcencc and con-
graduates himself either that he
has performed a Christian duty. or |
else that he has got by" In what |
others expect of him and is buiid
Ing up reputation for kind heart !
edness that he knows he does not /
deserve. These kind Of givers would I
have "A credit and debit side In |
their accounts with the Lord, and |
lay claim to eternal life as some !
thing they had purchased with dol /
lars. and cents.
The verdict of the Master was !
hat far from perpetratlng an ex-
Lravagancc, the woman who an
lohted him had done "a good deed
md one the memory of which should !
be remembered as long as Gods !
ieailngs with man were unfinished. I
Ana the virtue Of her act was not /
Inherent In the value of the gift she /
rad made. nor even in the fitness OF /
he formality OF Amounting 4 loved |
me for his burial but In the dem
'nstration OF an affectionate and /
houghtful sentiment. She had done |
what she could, not, as the critics !
hought dIscreetly, but with a heart
ull Of love and self-forgetfulness
There was an absolute lack OF ca T.
% materialism, or even of
elf.sh expectation,
Somca pessimist has defined graft
ude as a lively sense Of favurs to
'ome. That gratitude is all too
ommon In life, but 10 the God who
ooks upon the heaB, the motive OF
IN act is worth many times lis prac-
ical value. In fact. il is quite pos
ible that the best deed in the world,
IS FAR as appearances ana practical
esults 60, may be performed be
ause Of such an unworthy motive
hat the .docr Is deprived OF any
blessing, but rather rests Under con
iemna;ion, Tho rich FhAyisceS in /,
he tEmplc had given much more
money than the poor widow, and