The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-21
International
SundaySchoolLesson
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

! NunddyNchO0LLeSS0n
II By WILLIAM t. ELLIS.
For November % Is. "Jesus Corrects
Johns Narrowness.''- s:46-56.
Some squabbling Saints.
Newest fashions are but the old
brought back again by the turning of
times wheel. What is, used to be.
Prophets and preachers rail against
the evils of the day as freshly-invent-
ed sins. whereas they were old before
men began to scratch on soft clay
with triangular sticks.
Our world has been thrown askew
by the self-seeking and rapacity of the
powers about the peace table; altho
we fought the greatest OF wars to
break the ruthless -aggrandize-
ment of one nation. Now we find our
selves amid industrial and economical
turmoil which clearly roots in indi-
vidual selfishness. All these high Of
fenses we arraign as the sin of the
7 times Because men are looking out
for number one, the problem of life
has become battling.
That is no new thing. Here we
have a Sunday school lesson which
! starts out with saints squabbling for
priority OIL pace ana advantage. EdSl
wanted to be greatest, just like the
participants in a modern social or po-
litical quarrel. The scene is as up to
date as today's newspaper. And the
men concerned were, the close COM
panions of Jesus, the foundation
stones upon which he was to build rs
church. We have rather uncharita-
BILE feeling of qualification that these
disciples were quite as human as you
and 1! Their sins were our sins. Man
kinds oldest ailnent, plain. everyday,
ugly selfishness, afflicted them it
afflicts US
The Story Itself.
First to get the Bible story, which
is the basis of the lesson. We use the
] Weymouth version:
! Now there arise dispute among
| them, which of them was to be the
| greatest. And Jesus. knowing the
reasoning that was in their hearts,
| took young child and made
| him stand by His side and said to
them,
Whoever for my sake receives
this little child, receives me-; and
whoever receives me, receives Him
| who sent me. For the lowliest
, among you all-he is the greatest.
"'Rabtd,' replied John, we have
seen a man making use OF your
name to Sxpel demons; and we for
bade him, because he does not come
| with us.
! DO not forbid him. said Jesus,
! for he who is not against you is on
your side
Now when the time drew near
for Him to be received up again
into Heaven. He proceeded with
| fixed purpose towards Jerusalem,
and sent messengers before him.
| They went and entered a village of
| the SamaritanS to make ready for
! Him. But the people there would
not receive Him, because He was
| evidently going to Jerusalem. When
the disciples James and John saw
this, they said,
Master, do you wish us to order
fire to come down from Heaven and
consume them?'
them. And they went to another
AS We Ape.
These auarrel1ing Christians could
not hid their dissensions from their
Leader He had a rare gift of sensing
motives His interest was in the splrlI
of things. 1t is a meaty porsel OF
Scripture which describes Jesus as
| knowing the reasoning that was In
their hearts, We may deceive Mrs.
Grundy, and defraud the income tax
collector, and even mislead the bank
| credit manS for imam looketh on the
outward appearance, but the LORD
looketh on the heart" He knows US
las we really are All his transactions
With ms are on the basis of this inner
i reality. There is comfort as well as
warning in the lesson truth: Christina
Rossetti has expressed it in a poem;
20 Lord. when thou didst call me, didst
i NJ heart disheartened thru and thru
Still hankering after Egypt full in view
Where cucumbers and melons grow
But, Lord. when thou didst choose me
How GlI9t marred I was and withered. too,
Nor rose for sweetness nor for virtue
Timid and rash, hasty and slowf
Yes, 1 knew.
MY Lord, when thou didst love me, didst
How Wv weak nv efforts were. how few,
Tepid to love, and impotent to do;
| Yes, knew.
Good Lord. who knowest what I cannot
And dare not know my false. my true;
Nv new, my old; good Lord, arise and
If loving, thou hast known me so.
; Yes, knew.
a ChiIdIess Leaders Creed.
Public men. without home ties, are
singuIarly pathetic figures. They have
: no refuge from the stress OF activity
f No little arms enfold their neeks, nc
: childish prattle warns their hearts, as
: they turn, wearied, from the buroe ms
( Of the common welfare. To such, the
missed joNs of domasticity shine with
beautiful Iustre. OF course, they dc
not complain: whimpering is not q
characteristic of strong men. Occa-
sionally, as in the case of the greatest
Pnblicist of all, we catch tie note OF
wistful appreciation of the characte
: of the child. Jesus, the chfldless
homeless Champion OF God, sharply
rebuked his ambitious followers by