The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-10-14
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Especially Prepared for The Republi-
can by DR., U. S. Wright.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER II

= y t.
IL %. Read Luke 4:l4 80; SILL; John
"a.
Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand. Matt. AIT.
THE TRAVELLING TEACHER.
Christianity has ever been a march
ing faith Its Founder did not sit down
and wait for folks to appear but sought
the crowds and individuals wherever
they were to be found. Open doors
are never wide enough to waken desire
among the dead. 1t was late IN the
year 26 or early in q when Christ heard
the call at the Jordan. Returning
to the company of John some of the
Eaters disciples joined the Marcher at
the beginning of the long movement
that has girt the world. Naturally the
first climax came in Judea at the Jeru-
salem Passover with its cleansed Tenn
pie and the visit of Nicodemus. For a
day he was the town talk and then the
excitement passed except that the
priests watched warily this new claim
ant to leadership. But the settled hate
toward Rome or members of any OPP
posing faction refused to yield readily
to the wooing note in this new minis
try and kept the path that filled 500
crosses a night in the last bloody orgy
that eDgulfed Jerusalem. Germany
could not understand the United States
nor Ireland England, the brain filled
with one idea is practically closed to its
opposite. There is no common ground
for hate and loye. So the nation S
heart rejected its great Lover. Quiet
months followed in which there was
constant movement along the Jordan
and the slow study of the temper of the
crowds until tt e day came when there
was the startling story of the arrest of
John. Jesus turned toward Galilee
passing thru Samaria and stopping at
Spouse but seemingly 70 sufficient foun-
dation upon which to rear any abiding
structure. 1t would have compromised
the entire mission of our Lord to have
called a group of Samaritan disciples.
Steadily the march northward continued
until the home town came into view
and Mary welcomed her Son. And on
the Sabbath the familiar home church
was filled to hear this llow-townsman
who had stirred Jerusalem and had now
succeeded the great John as spokesman
for the people. But they could not hear
Heavens voice thru the familiar tones
of the village Carpenter. 1t is harder
to see God in flower and sun, garden
and daily task than in SanFrancisco
earthquake or the World War. That
He should assume to be the Messiah
reused the ire and brought almost a
tragedy. Once more was His Messiah
of love rejected. Thus Capernaum be-
came headquarters for His ministry
THE CALLED MEN.
In the busy heart of the commercial
world Christ found the men who were
to shift the balance of civilization. Per-
haps the bulk of Americas Christian
leadership was called from the farm,
in India 1t was the sturdy outcastes, in
China it has been the student class;
where would Christ turn today in His
search? Provincial Nazareth and priyi,
lodged Jerusalem are ruled out no Y
as then. Where the busy tides of life
swept and minds were alert and hands
busy He took His stand and conferred
His activities. Old acquaintance were
many for the months had brought num-
erous contacts that gave a list of
prospects now to be hunted down. A
number had been intimates like Simon,
Andrew and John. Now was to be be-
gun the building of an organization and
careful choosing was to be made
among the material at hand. He had
settled upon these fisher-folk of the
lesson and began the closer movement
by borrowing Simon's boat. The talk
to the crowd was directed at the men
more than at the mass. When they
were ready the crowd was dismissed
and he turned directly to their business
and using language that they could
well understand assumed command in
their own chosen field of industry.
They had been accustomed to listen to
His word as a Teacher but if their
whole allegiance was to be secured
there must be the willingness to allow
Him to direct all their activities. To
obey in the pew and refuse in the store,
to share a song book and shave a bar
gain, to shout with the lip and curse
with the hand is never the life the
Lord calls. He must be the acknow-
lodged head of all the activities. To
have refused the nets was to have lost
the disclpleship. 1t He would direct
their business it should be His to di-
rect however unwise seemed His d.
rection.
THE CONVINCED MEN.
All their experience was against the
command to launch out into the deem.
Day was no time for deep fishing and
not single fin had stirred the waters
all night. They chuckled to themselves
as they listened to this perfectly won
derful Friend of theirs whose word
stirred their deepest feelings attempt
ing to direct business about which He
knew nothing. me, er-the.l less" how
ever marked the confidence born of
other conquests in other fields; thew
would let Him try His hand. Friends
these were worthy of the Carpenter
They disbelieved but their loyalty was
answering, Out shot the boat under
the strong stroke of vigorous arms.
Down went the net into the rippling
sea. Certainly skill backed the lands
mans word to the limit. He should
have all His chance with no failure due
to lack of cooperation by them. Sud
denly every float went under as the net
sagged with its weight of finny silver.
The other boat put out from land and
both could scarce make shore with
their burden. Jesus had made good
UTTERLY convinced nv this incurs;or -