The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-10-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers Of
The Republican.

ADEdnaIH GlYlnR isaac 10 GOO. Gen.
22:1-14. Read Gen. 81 20.
l will give him unto Jehovah all the
days of his life. l Samuel I'LL:
U. S. WRIGHT.
THE ALTAR IN THE HEART.
Abraham was an altar builder but no
external fires will warm the soul. "Only
in the barricade of sacrifice does a man
know life," voices the experience of
more than Lieut.. Dawson. This old
Pioneer had left his trail over all
Palestine but it was not sufficient to
make his life worthy enough to cure
the clinging selfshness that would
sacrifice the love of another to save
his own skin. His devoted wife had
urged him to take Hagar as a second
self into the sacredness of the home in
order that his desire for an heir might
be gratified. Ishmael was the result
but the home joy vanished and was not
restored by the gift of laughter in Isaac
for that weak bodied youngster was
openly derided by the husky first born.
Sarsh's long fight for the peace and
sacredness of real home was in sore
peril and Hagar was banished from it
as disturbing element while Abraham
acquiesced. Whatever happened his de-
sire for progeny that might carry on
the headship of the tribe was satisfied
and the passion of Sarah was not
thing that touched his chivalry at all.
His love was poured out upon his boy
and everything else became subservi-
ent to that affection. He talked Jehovah
but lived self. He was an outstanding
character but he shines against a dark
background that lacks the whteness of
the teachings of Jesus. At any cost to
others he had had his way even in re-
ligion. If he were to become really
great the altar must be transferred from
outsi lie to his own soul. God is very
patient but He is memorable in the
purpose to make manhood as the re-
suit of life. Witness these great days
when the world is red with sacrificial
blood shed for others so that the race
is becoming acquainted with the heart
of God that sacrificed that the best of
the race might become the permanent
possession of all. Gods heart is an
altar place instead of music room.
Rather it has music because it is an
altar place. 1t is the felled tree that
makes the violin. The world will vet
learn to sing.
The DEMAND OF THE IDEAL.
Abraham was familiar with human
sacrifice. He saw it practiced all
about him from earliest days. Gods by
whatever name demanded the offering
of the best and it was given. He was
here proclaiming the highest God of all
AMI the one most worthy of all that a
man could offer. Doubtless some of
those to whom he spoke did not hesitate
t. say. But 1 see.you keep your boy;
mine was given" And the higher
sacrifice silenced the advocate of
Jehovah. Then the struggle began in
his soul between his love and his ideal.
The fight is always grim and without
the shedding of blood there is no re-
mission of sin. Goodness is a terribly
costly thing. An ideal will not abide
rival. Like the battle flags at
Chateau Thierry there can be no with
drawal without defeat of all their
past. That old hill from which had
come Melchizadek with the blessing
beckoned him as the place where that
human love should go down before the
standard that had been set up in his
soul. How long the battle lasted no
one can say, but there came the day
when the ideal won its bloody triumph
and Abraham was ready to make the
supremest gift. That Sarah knew
what was impending is as certain as
that every true wife reads the face of
her beloved. That Abraham said no
word to her of his purpose is equally
certain. What he told her about the
taking of the trip would make interest
ing reading. In these days when ideals
have carried our boys to battle and the
Mothers watch at home one can enter
into that old tent experience as never
before and know how costly thing it
is to hold fast to ones ideal. Both
Abraham and Sarah did it.
The MARCH TO THE HILL.
Three terrible days went by while
they climbed the hills together and the
soul of Abraham knew the full of bit
terness. But what of the week under
the skin tent of home? Sarah's soul
marched upward with her boy and her
husband knowing no detail until they
returned but one can imagine the sleep
less nights when Jehovah bent and heard
her plea. No wonder an angle called to
him on the mountain top; God was busy
elsewhere with a Mothers breaking
heart. Slowly the cavslcade climbed
upward. There was not much sleeping
by the campfire on the part of one who
pressed resolutely forward with the
dawn. Hill-climbing always hurts.