The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-08

gnashed their III in rage. and laid
up one more count against this un-
conventional Galilean. "A Samaritan
more religious than a Jew-than even
rage! B-r-r-ri" What a muttering
there was among the high church
party!
None the less. so clear was the
the teaching of the story. SO perfect
its fulfilmel- of the law already
quoted, that when Jes- brought it
to close he could force the quibbling
heckler himself to answer the Ques-
ton, (which of these three, thinkest
thou, proved neighbor unto him that
fell among the robbers?" The answer
was inescapable, and it fell reluctant
ly from the lips of the lawyer. HE
that showed mercy upon him..
As Christianity Is Applied.
Swift as a sword-thrust laying low
Jesus, go. and do thou hkewise."
To theoIo ,ical subtlety Jesus opposes
a practical duty, He cares more for
human neighborliness than for aca-
demic formulas. Truth, according to
Christ, is not something to be argued
about, but to be lived. Not how much
theology you know, but how much
of the mind of the Master you do. IS
his test. The quibbler prided himself
of his subtlety in religious law: Jesus
hereto, was better because he prac-
ticed the t-uth he knew.
But we must not tarry in Old Jeru-
salem with this lesson. If any Scrip
ture ever belonged in the streets of
our town it is this one. Jesus told 1t
as a lesson in applied religion. He
meant to dis garage theological and
geographical and racial differences,
and stress the truth that our neighbor
is one who needs us. If we are not
nniOhhnrlU in of service
and good will, it is vain for US to talk
theology
In one special field we especially
need this word today. People are
growing tired of giving money for the
relief of the Armenians: the papers
are saying that the Armenians are
not quite the saints and sufferers We
had at first supposed them to be. And
this new call for relief of the Greeks,
when it was wholly the fault of the
Greeks and the powers that they en-
barked upon the imperialistic adven-
ture into Turkey, and badly misbe-
haved while doing SO, finds many per-
sons sceptical. Straight as a plumb
line falls the teaching of Jesus. The
neighbor to be helped is the person
in need, regardless of his personal
desserts, his creed or his character.
God is kind to the evil and to the
unthankful."
There is no lodging the duty of
helpfulness because the man in need
does not belong to our own crowd.
We have simply got to be neighbors,
even at a high price to ourselves.
The Good Samaritan did not balk at
an expenditure of money-tho he
never would have got into Holy writ
had he given only money. Check
book charity is the loves. form of hu-
man service. We cannot relegate our
Good Samaritanism to a community
chest or a welfare body or a commit
te1 of directors To keep faith. with
the principle laid down by Jesus we
must put our own backs under some
load of service for needy neighbors.
Every group that discusses this les
son should make answer as definitely
as possible to the question: who is
my neighbour" What bearing has this
lesson upon present international
questions? Upon the relation of the
United States to foreign nations? Up
on the Near East issue? The story
of the Good Samaritan is more mod
ern and pertinent than any of the
tales of jazz that clutter up the pages
of the popular magazines.
Copyright, 1922, by The Ellis
Service.)