The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-09-03

Tie Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. s
1850.
Our attention is called this week tC
the words of Jesus on "the Kingdom
of Heaven The kingdom must be
Of priceless value for we know that
| He said in the words which make the
golden text, "Seek we first the king.
dom of God and His righteousness and
all other things shall be added unto
you =
In the lesson verses Jesus explains
as to the value of this kingdom, by
using a number of familiar illustra-
tons. In one of these the kingdom
is likened to a pearl of great price, to
obtain which a man sold all his pos
sessions. 1t is again likened to. a
piece of money which on being lost
the owner ceased not in search until
it was found.
In explaining as to the power of
this kingdom the Master made use
iof the familiar action Of yeast in the
dough. We all know the powerful ef-
feet of the growth of the yeast plant
under right conditions. That which
eat, becomes animated, light, entic-
ing to the appetite. Scientifically it
can be shown how this all happens,
but to the observer the change is won
derful and unaccountable. The king
dom is likened to the growth of seed
so very small, yet which in due time
produces aplant or tree Of strength.
In our country of corn the illustration
could be Well made of the growth Of
the corn plant SO fast, so powerful,
bearing an ear of hundreds OF grains
like the seed.
In treating of the power of the king
dom in the world one could dwell at
any length on the spectacle of the
Master talking to His little band of
followers in far off Palestine, a groupe
rejected and scorned by the masses
OF their countrymen. and the marvel
GUS results which have come about
through the spread of the religion He
taught, in the two thousand years be-
tween our time and when He was on
the earth. There is call for master
hand to paint the. things which have
been accomplished. In the picture
would appear nations turned from liv-
ing mere animal existence to the
practices of the highest forms of in
tellectual activity; the peoples of can
nibal islands changed in a few years
to loving, tender hearted folks; ideals |
of life lifted from gross sensuality to
consideration for the wishes of 9TH |
ers and delight in doing things call !
ing for the nobest qualities OF mind. |
The workings Of the kingdom are !
shown forth in hospitals, institutions
for the care Of the aged and unfortu.
nate, in universal education, in brains
which nave brought forth the wonder.
full inventions of the age One has
but to have personal knowledge of
where the gospel is not
known to realize what it has done.
The difference in the condition of
women alone tells the story with
power.
When it comes to ~le workings of
the Kingdom in people about us all
have personal knowledge 1t is the
people who are trying to belong to
the kingdom who lead in every good
work and are the most respected in
the community. Every one of us can
relate from personal experience of the
change in individuals from brutal
lives to those of kindness, love and
tenderness. Jesus said that the spirit
Of the kingdom came as the wind, no
one could tell from where, but the ef-
fleets We're plainly to be seen.
In His talk as to the kingdom Jesus
used as example which was most
easily to be understood by people who