The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-05-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers of
The Republican.
SUNDAY, MAY 25th.

The times of ignorance God there
fore overlooked; but now he command
eth men that they should all everywhere
repent. Acts 1880.
u. S. WRIGHT.
THE EXAMPLES.
More folk find the fish than ever find
Jonah and his message. He was a
sturdy preacher at the court of Samaria
who believed in Israel First" If
only that disturbing call had not come
to him for service in a foreign and hated
city there would have been the calm and
ordered life of one of Gods own. He
may have been sent 10 the Assyrian
capital upon some diplomatic errand
and have seen the cruelty, militarism
and arrogance of the Junkers and the
misery and wretchedness of the people.
He may have entertained some of the
High Mighties at home. But how
ever the call came it brought its dis
turbing message, for while he would
have gladly gone to Memphis or to
Jerusalem he hoped that Ninevah would
be destroyed He hated with fiery
Hebrew hate these ravishers of his I'M
warned people. Ask a Frenchman or
Belgian to carry message of mercy to
Berlin and see the result. Jonah's hate
was as hot as theirs and as justified. So
he set sail believing he had securely
packed his conscience and checked 1t
with his baggage for Ninevah while he
headed in the other direction. But he
found he could fool neither God nor
himself and out of sea of trouble he
finally set his face in the direction of
his call. He had his other chance but
found that the demand was unchanged.
We may flee but the same old duty
waits our return and must be done be-
fore any progress can be made on the
road of life. Jonah repented and went,
Not very graciously perhaps but he had
a message that he could preach and en-
Joy preaching it for it was the destruc-
ton of the city. How his raucous
voice shouted through the streets: Yet
forty days and Ninevah shall be over
thrown" So great was the passion he
put into his..words that they had start
ling effect. Man believed them even to
the King and court. Sudden transfer
NATION swept thru all the throng and
repentance was embodied in the decree,
LET them turn everyone from his evil
way and from the violance that is in his
hands" The crowd had done what the
individual had done before, it had re-
pented and.showed Its sincerity by an
amended walk. 1t was temporary for
Ninevah went.down before Babylon in
the year following but that is no part
of the present picture Man or a nation
of men may be brought to repentance
and the acceptance of high idealism as
the guide OF life.
THE NEED OF REPENTANCE.
Jesus had been twitted over the Cali
lean sinners who were such outstanding
cases that sudden destruction had over
taken them. There are Judeans lust
as bad" he retorted. 1T was upon
citizens of Jerusalem that the tower
fell. But there is impending doom for
all unless you repent" Jesus was no
careless juggler of words. The vision
of mans need and the unreached DOS
sibility of his life had called the Christ
into the world and its sin. His mes
sage was born of love and carried the
red stain of his heart with it where
Jonah's was hot with another passion.
But there was need in each case. And
1t Is only as wei are gripped with the
conviction that disaster,hes in the wav
of mans or nations walk that we
are brought to cry out for remedy and
amendment of the way. A chaplain
was telling the story of mans sin and
Gods provision to convict who inter
rupted him with the cry, "If believed
that I'd walk on my naked knees over
broken glass to tell it to all England"
We must catch something of Christ's
understanding of the tremendous trag-
edy for either man or nation to fail in
DEVOTED loyalty!to Gods rule of right
eousness. Even in the face of Europe's
horror and the world agony we sit con-
tent to view the spectacle and walk our
way unmoved. We pass our friends
without word ard leave them un-
churched and untaught, 1t was the
Jonah voyage TO Tarshish that let loose
the tempest that has overwhelmed US,
Has Russia sinned more than others?
Christ calls US all guilty and sees dis
aster and warns US one and all to seek
the way of repentant works.
The PROCESS OF REPENTANCE.
Peter had in words of fire proclaimed
Jesus as Lord to that throng in the
Jerusalem streets and had convinced
them of the truth. What shall we do"
voiced their determination to change
their attitude of mind. Repent, be
baptised, receive the Spirit" are the
three requirements named by the