The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-12-30
Sunday, January 2, 1921.
THE CHILD AND THE KINGDOM
Matt. I8:1-14.
Read Chapters 1917.
WhOsOever shall humble himself there
fore as little child, the same is
the greatest in the Kingdom
of Heaven. Matt. 1874.
u. s. Wright,
THE MEASURE OF GREATNESS

having rejected the popular demand
that He accept the crown there came a
revulsion of feeling among the popu-
lace and an accession of hostility in
the leaders who were aware of both the
occasion and the offered kingship.
Under this double pressure and the in
creasing need of intensive training of
the Twelve, Jesus took the disciples
away from the harassing distractions
of politics and religion to the far quar-
tiers of Tyre and Sidon and the upper
hills. All this last summer they wan
dered in intimate conversation that
found it's crown in Peters confession
of steady faith in Jesus as the Mes
siah, the adoption of conception diff
fering radically from that of the or
binary Jew. Having so changed their
ideas He turned to the planting of the
thought that such Messiah must get
the crown through suffering and the
cross, truth vehemently rejected by
them all with Peter again as spokes-
MANTLE TRANSPORTATION followed con-
firming their impression of His trans
cendent character and His right to
take the throne of Israel. Moving to-
ward Jerusalem, they came to Caper-
naum where they stopped in Peters
home and the conversation recorded
in the lesson occurred. Why were they
going to the Capital? To them there
could be but one reason and that was
the claim to the throne and the as
sumption of royal authority. And if
this was to happen shortly then would
come their own exaltation and it was
necessary to balance claims to position.
Which one would be the greatest in
the new establishment? So their
tongues wagged in the way and the
Greatest of Great Teachers listened
that He might learn just the lesson
to set for their need. And it was in
the home that the question was raised
again, but now the Master took part in
the conversation. "You have been
measuring greatness in terms of
place" may perhaps express what Je-
sus was saying, while the real meas
ure is in terms of life" President
elect Harding would like to agree, but
Washington will have its clamorous
throng of office seekers careless of fit
ness if they can land the job by any
political method known. Already the
papers list the grea tand near-great
who may hold cabinet portfolios. The
Capernaum scene is being staged
nearer home. "The Kingdom of Heav-
en- is the kingdom of character and
only childlike shall enter therein"
That sense of wonder at the unexpect-
ed glories of the world of life so new
ly entered, that confident faith in the
goodness of this world, that gener-
Gus sharing of all the energies and the
desire to hel p are the things that
characterize the spirit of the child and
unless these are present in the life it
certainly doese lot conform to the de-
mands of Jesus. Greatness is to be
measured in terms of development in
the direction of such a spirit.
THE TEST OF GREATNESS.
The Disciples still live. We still
test greatness by its ability to secure
place. MY place in the sun" was the
wlll-o-thewisp that drew Germany to
the fatal plunge into war. Money is
another witness and Americans seek
it, not for itself but as concrete rep
resentation of the individuals power.
Office is taken in the same fashion and
many man is stunted forever by the
rule of what Beveridge phrases "the
vicious fear of losing" Jesus made
the final test the protection of the
child spirit. And this includes as a
matter of course the protection of the
body that so vitality affects the spirit
and every bi tof child welfare work
that is being undertaken is directly in
line with the plan of our Lord. To rob
the child of any of its heritage is the
greatest wrong against which Jesus
warns in unsparing terms. But to
blast that spirit is far worse than to
defraud the body. Take the mother
lover into some pest spot of our social
life and see the worship fade from his
eyes and the CLINT of soul vanish until
only the sheer at woman's purity re-
mains is to face a tragedy demanding
| the scorching epithets of Jesus as the
only word fit to be spoken. Take his
belief in honor into some sordid little
patch of our political field and uncover
the bottomless mud of it until the
clear eyes are fouled and the level look
twisted so that price-tag is placed
upon every citizen in the belief that
it is all matter of barter and sale
and one comes face to face with that
which Christ damns. Take his faith
in the Book into some little corner of
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