The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-01-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially for The Republi-
can By DIR. U. S. Wright.

JESUS GREETED AS KING.
Matt 81. Read Mark IL; Luke 10 and
John II.
Blessed is he that cOmeth in the name
of the LOrd.-Matt. %.
THE KING AND HIS PROPERTY.
Bethany had welcomed the Raiser of
Lazarus with it's feast of love and its
open hearts. Jerusalem heard and the
throngs gathering for the Passover
were stirred into sudden excitement
that reused rulers and people alike to
action. He Immediately after the Sab
bath dared the hate of one and the en-
thusiasm of the other as He turned to-
ward the city that is the capital of the
worlds heart. Streaming forth from
the gate came throng that were not
Jerusalemites, but the strangers from
Galilee and otherewhere who felt
warm affection for this helper of so
many A few of the authorities came
with them to see what was going on,
but the folk who cried "crucify" were
not in this holiday throng. Jesus
must head the procession and would
enter with all the pageantry of He
brew royalty. But where could the
means be found? Swiftly He ordered
the communicating of beast of bur-
den that linked itself with the royal
mule of David instead of with the
ideals of Rome. There was no ques-
ton about ownership, for all was to
be returned, but there was clear claim
to the use of another's property. There
was no remonstrance even; the query
about the colt was one of surprise.
"4ou have the well-broken beast, what
do you want with the colt?" For it
was not yet trained to the saddle and
there seemed no reason for taking it.
Yet there was no dcmur. The right of
the King to the use of property was
unchallenged then whatever may be
the condition now. Even the fresh,
unused thing is His to command. And
His use always enhances the value,
for there is scarcely a limit that one
could set to the later price for that
riding animal first sat upon by Jesus.
One of our troubles is that we offer
Him the life with the saddle-marks
of sin rather than the awakening vigor
that should have Him as its earliest
Master. Or we refuse Him the use of
any or so small part that His claim
of kingship vanishes entirely. He
must have the use of my all or He is
not my King at all. Suppose the re-
ply had been, Certainly; take Him
this halter" while the beasts were
kept-would it be very different from
some of us today?
THE KING AND HIS JUDGMENT.
The procession swept forward with
its kingly claim made possible by the
acknowledgement of a nameless man
of Bethphage. Jesus was in the midst
of joyous throng Of well-wishers and
disciples. Their eXultant shouts that
carried as far as the city gate stirred
apprehension in the hearts of the per-
picked but determined rulers. DENY
your kingly claim" was really what
they were asking when they requested
the shouts to be stopped. Let them
shout" was the verdict of the Judge
The shrill whistle of slung stones
would have been the voice if these
were still but it was the larger reason
of approved enthusiasm that deter
mined the decision. Jesus claimed
lordship over every emotion of mans
life that day. Yet amidst all the joy
He wept over the city''s fate, but
while He sobbed out His grief altered
no whit of the forecast that decreed
destruction because of blindness. The
pain of God causes no culver that
mars evenhanded justice, for mercy
cannot be merciful and condone sin.
His authority covers every municipal
1ty as He claimed to pass Judgment
that great day. The second day of
the week saw the little group move
again toward the city with none of the
pageantry of yesterday, but with all
of its authority. The rule of Jesus is
not matter of days or of occasions,
but it is a timeless thing. The fig
tree Haunted its leafy promise of fruit
in His face and reminded Him of the
same luxuriant claim of Judaism with
the same deafness at its heart, so that
in exposing the one He passed judg
ment for all time upon every sham, so
that in the realm of profession only
reality can be accepted by the King.
Within. the temple area there came
the final voicing of the verdict of the
Judge. Religion had become a matter
OF barter and sale. Mans hottest pos
session had been commercialized. The
privileged few held their own spot
from all contamination, but fouled all
the rest for all the world The King
saw the shame of it and judged it
swiftly and sternly. He would be Mas
of