The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-10-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Especially Prepared for The Republic
can by Dr. L. S. Wright.

Jesus said unto them. Come We after
me, and will make you to become
fishers of men.-Mark LII.
THE MASTER FISHER.
More than year has passed since
that memorable 40 o'clock in the
morning" that so fixed itself on Johns
mind. The little group of learners in
Christ's school had seen the first mir
acle at Cana which some think was
Johns marriage and had been often in
the Masters company since. All the
| period of the Judean ministry passed
in which Christ presented Himself in
| the capital and sought to interest
some of the leaders there in the cause
which was so fully upon His heart
But Nichodemus failed to catch fire
and studied processes upon the bank
| instead of fiinging himself in the cur
rent. Joseph may have been another
to whom the Master opened the door
only to find that the men of Jerusa-
| lem were too entangled in the intri-
cacies of forms to be free to follow
the spirit of the new movement. Next
| the Jordan crowds were visited and
many were baptized so much SO that
Johns disciples were incensed and
while the Baptist himself shows the
finest example of humble loyalty pos
| sible, his followers were busy in dis
putting over matters of purifying with
| the Pharasees and were showing too
| petty a spirit to make possible their
choice as leaders for Christianity
! Samaria was tried but here there was
not the foundation of racial sympathy
that was essential for an approach to
the Jew, and little could be done
there except to lay few fagots which
the zeal of Philip might set into flame.
Galilee remained and the crowds that
had gathered were eagerly scanned in
order that PRISONS with the possibility
of development could be selected for
more intimate contacts and the sift-
ing that was so necessary if the right
men were to be placed in the direction
of affairs after their Leader should be
taken from them. The Importance of
| all this in the mind of Jesus and the
value He placed upon the worth of the
schooling to be given that first class
upon whose catching the spirit and
accepting the ideals depended entirely
the worth of tn Cross and the open
grave, for only through their messen-
gercould their truth be proclaimed
to waiting world, appear in the long
months that passed before putting a
single person into the company of the
| Apostles. Half His ministry was gone
| before it was done Certainly patience
which is the master virtue of fish
erman has full expression here! That
after all the care given to this phase
of the Masters task one of the twelve
should prove unworthy declares with
trumpet voice the quality of material
from which the selection could be
made and the peril that the work be
a useless sacrifice cast upon a surface
of froth into which Cross and all
would soon sink and disappear Great
need there was for care!
THE MASTER METHOD.
Four fishermen were selected, but
| the primary interest is in Simon. Here
| is an exhibition of the finest skill in
bringing a person to the precise de-
cision desired though it involved many
| conflicting calls. Jesus was walking
along the sandy beach one morning in
the early spring of the year % seek
ing the opportunity that had now be-
come imperative. The crowds pressed
about the popular Rabbi to hear and
| were led directly next to Simon's boat.
How easy it was to ask for the privi-
lege of sitting in it so that, pushed
out bit from the shore, more people
| could hear and see than was possible
otherwise. 1t was the parallel to the
drink from the woman of Samaria.
1t was the idea underlying the saluta-
ton to Nathaniel 1t is the appeal
to the worth of the person addressed
and to his self-respect "You have
always taken it for granted, sir, in all
our conversations, that | was fine
fellow, in sympathy with fine ideals.
But that is not what surprises me; il
is to find that you are right" So says
Samuels. the Jew in tho PASSING @
the Third Floor Back, which is but an
other example of the method employ
ed by Jesus. What did He say that
morning? One may only guess but it
is certain that while He talked to the
crowd, the words were addressed to
the boatmen, of whom Simon was the
chief. The side door is always more
intimate than a rousing clang of the
knocker or jangle of the bell at the
front, and Jesus was an adept at the
side approach. When the time was