The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-07-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers
of The Republican.

Especially Prepared For Readers
of The Republican.
SUNDAY, JULY 18th.
Christian Obedience. Matt. 4-18-22;
John 14:22-24.
II We love me, We will keep my COM
mandments. John 14:15.
U. S. WRIGHT.
THE CHALLENGE.
For centuries Niagara sent its loud
voiced call into the ears of the world
and the world looked and said what
wonderful fall" But one day a man
headed and reached out his hand and
straightway cars ran thru the streets,
lights blszed upon the corners and a
thousand factories began their busy
hum. He had simply connected the
power with the task, nothing more.
And all about US are Gods stores wait
ing our connecting by our understand
ing and obeying the laws .ot the world
in which we are. The sea was long
barrier to progress but now it bears
the fleets of the world for its laws are
known and shipping conforms to them.
For 2200 years men have watched the
birds and attempted to initiate them
every failure serving to emphasize the
possibility until at length with the laws
of:seronautics known and followed man
wings his way over the continent and
across the seas, Every advance has
been bv obedience to one of natures
laws no matter what the direction of
sdvance has been. Character is no ex-
ception. All the religions of the world
testify to mans endeavor to acquire
facility in the difficult task of making
lives conscious of rectitude. They are
all endeavors to discover the laws of
life following which the desired result
may be obtained. Man has been chal-
lenged by the moral world as he has by
the physical and has failed to equalize
his advance IN it for all along the cen
tuties are the record of lives as fine as
any produced today. Wesley is not
overtopped by any of his followers nor
has Paul been passed in the race but both
reveal the result of obedience to thelaws
which guide any other soul into their
possession and passion. And the great
law is, Seek first the Kingdom of God
and its righteousness and all these
things (including character which comes
as -product) shall be added unto
you
THE CALL.
Jesus was talking to men who knew
Him well, who had Travelled over many
mile IN His company. His life and
ideals and hopes had been a challenge,
now they become call to completely
surrender the direction of the advance
to His dictation. 1t came to men busy
at work and bit disappointed at their
own failure even in their chosen task.
They had lost at their strongest point.
Then He projects Himself into their
field with the command to attempt
what seemed to their experience use
less labor. But whether from courtesy
or from confidence they did His bidding
and the nets were filled and He had
proven His right to command. 1t was
the same feeling that was expressed by
the Scotch Shepherd as his reason for
loyalty to the pastor of the kirk: HE
kens mair about sheep than dae mesel. :"
The call was in the Fishing language, IN
the word of their own business and I'M
Outstanding this they were willing to
trust Him in His chosen work. God s
call always comes in the tongue we
know. But if we learn the language
of the challenging law we will have a
much better chance to hear our call and
we will certainly hear it sooner than if
we are content merely with the tongue
IN which we were born. But listen and
obey whatever the language.
THE CLAIM.
Jesus said, Il can make you catchers
of men. | can give you a nobler COM
radeship." So they left their old task
for the new and became the intimates
of the Master. Under His instructions
they learned the secrets of life and it's
laws so that when they faced the world
men listened and were added to the
Kingdom daily. And such was the
closeness of the bodds binding them to
their loved Leader that they preferred
death rather than denial of their allegi-
ance. Confidence, cost. surrender are
the steps along which we travel to the
goal. Can God make good? Are we
certain that no failure will result from
our resting upon our understanding of
His word? Faith is the door to advance
in every field, we must trust somebody
or something before we will make any
committal of ourselves. We will never
attempt to swim unless we are con-
WINGED that the water will bear our
bodies. And something must be paid
for the advance. We leave the secur-
ity of the land when we plunge into the
sea. Nets and boats and home were