The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-12-02
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Especially Prepared for The Republi-
can by DR.. u. S. Wright.

Psalms 37:1.
THE NEW LESSON.
What a stimulating teacher Jesus
was! He had been proclaiming the
Kingdom ever since the beginning of
His ministry, but now there was the
changed form that Immediately reused
the Twelve to questionng. Every sense
stood at attetinon, compelled by the
skill in teaching quite apart from any
other factor involved. This rousing
of His class was in entirely sufficient
reason for the use of the method, but
there were other causes leading to the
choice One that He gives is the test
of receptivity to the truth which it Of
fered the hearers. Those who took it
into the mind would find its fruit
bearing qualities; those who refused
it would receive no further instruc-
ton. Pressed by the increasing weight
of His work this would Tighten it by
reducing the numbers to whom He
gave closest attetionn. Another rea-
son was the growing hostility which
sought evidence to convict Him before
the Jewish tribunal The story of the
sower would have no weight in court,
however much the truth underlying it
might if badly stated. Primarily His
class and its needs were the impelling
thing. Those men were going out to
carry the Kingdom message and would
need material for their speaking
what better than these stories? They
were easily remembered and as easily
told. But they needed corrective for
the belief so persistently held from the
preaching of John that the Kingdom
was just over the hill and Immediately
there would be the new, clean world
in all it's completeness. All the corrup-
tons would crash down under the
blows of the axe and the job would be
done. | wonder if we are much far
Their on than the Disciples? Jesus
never taught such swift transforma-
ton. He knew that a fool brought
into palace and robed in princely
garments would still act the fool, and
He had no false notions about condi-
tons such as disciples have held. "You
must wait the slow processes of
growth and change" was what he
dinned into their ears. And He would
save them from their daily disillusion
so that their faith would not waver as
many others have after fixing the
date of His coming and finding all
things apparently unchanged. But
their encouragement was in the GER
tainty of harvest and one that should
be far more than the seed sown tho
some fail of fruitage.
THE SOWING
The pictured farm had nothing to
do with virgin soil. There fields are
all old and the parable itself concerns
adults only. Children know no we'll
trampled path across the heart nor
masses of thornbushes choking the life
of those ito whom belongeth the
Kingdom" But for the worker with
the grown-ups the picture needs no
altered line. Every bit of soil had pos
sibilities of fruitfulness, only it need
ed different treatment to bring it to
the harvest and he is a skilled soul
farmer indeed who understands that
a new blowing as we'll as the trespass
notice Of prohibition law is needed
for one, while another is to be treated
with dynamite or with grubbing hoe
Our methods must be as easy as our
men. One had been despised and
trampled over until he had hardened
against the church as does the strug-
gler who derides "the tool of CAPT.
talism." The other had been untaught
SO that bit of emotionalism was al
lowed to pass for experience. Back
sliders are logical products of the re-
vivalistic instead of the teaching
church. The third lacked training in
activities that would develop the will
for thorns bring berries or roses, but
o,& &c Ill H.
chosen the lesser good, scattered its
energies and so failed in abundance of
harvest. The wheat it held was per-
fectly good wheat, but there was not
enough of it. 1t was the unframed
field in contrast to the untaught field
1t was the last that under proper
treatment-was it by chance rather
than by skill? Thank God that
the earnest tho unskilled farmer of
soul smay reap also-brought forth
enough to multiply all the sowing
seven times.
THE LIFE
The next picture is that of another
farm. There is no question here of
unskilled treatment for he seems to be
a model in that regard. John the Bap-
fist would never have managed in that
fashion. Should he have watched in
stead of sleeping? 1t does not ss4As he
master,b but that the employees SLEPT, Tor
he knew both the cause and had a plan
for treating it. 1t was the men va
were amazed for they were perfectly
sure that they had sowed : thing but
good in the world-what possible ex-
PLANTATION Of mixed stalks could there
be? But goodness is faced by evil
love by hate, and enemies would poison
the entire crop.-the devils own deed
The Master claims the world as His
This is no white mans God-He be-
longs to the race. 1t is not the church
farm, but the world farm that is in
volved. The lack of alertness of good
men to permit evil to be sown. This
is day when evil appears good. Slav-
cry was once so regarded. War is
still defended by some; the saloon by
others; bawdy houses by still others;
secret diplomacy by few; business
chicane by many; witchcraft was once
in good standing. But as the world
goes on evil is recognized as such and
the question comes: "How deal with
it ?" Always positive Jesus cries
"Take care of the wheat first" II
may be smothered out by the growing
crop, or if not it will be separated by