The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-10-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared especially for The Republi
can by Rev. U. S. Wright, D. D.
SUNDAY. OCTOBER Ia.


Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of
priests, and holy nation. Elk. 1876.
THE CALLING
Abraham had been a called man.
That marked him off from the others
with whom Deity had no converse and
to whom direction was given thru the
compulsion of circumstances only.
The things that distinguishes the re-
Igion of the Hebrew is the choice that
lay at its heart. Abraham might be
blessing to the world or he could
refuse. God chose him for a friend
and follower but he also chose Jeho-
yah. When his posterity came out of
Egypt and reached Sinai there was
enacted a scene absolutely singular in
the worlds history for they entered
into covenent with the Almighty
that in their thinking presumed mu-
tual benefits. He secured Worship
pers and warriors while they were as
sured Of his grace and protection
But it was a free choice that carried
with it in days of adversely the prod
ding question not HAS God failed
me-" but that far more personal one,
"Have l failed God?" And to rouse
such an attitude Of mind promised
growth. Joshua renewed the idea
when he secured the nations pledge
OF loyalty to Jehovah as he laid down
the reigns of rule. Elijah challenged
the sense of choice in the DAYS of
Ahab and the prophets emphasized
it. And it has been at the heart of
Christianity for it is essentially free
choice of Christ as Ruler and Lord of
all life ana the Christian feels the
sense Of MS own worth as we'll as the
supreme worth Of his Lord. And it
is because Of this freedom that love
becomes possible as the master mo-
tive OF all living.
Abraham accepted the commission
to become blessing to all the world.
He confirmed it by repeated cove
nants and in accepting his God as
their own Israel chose to turn it's face
outward instead of inward toward its
own gain. He has been the embodi-
ment of their ideal man across all the
years ard in that day Of force and
brute power as a means Of dominance
to take not soldier, man rich thru
robbery, despot or q mere physical
Securer of his own desires but to pick
one whose chief distinction was his
loyalty to God and his friendliness
toward his neighbors that gave owner
ship only to a grave for which he had
paid price set history marching to-
ward the goal OF the Kingdom which
is still our dream. That the nation
was often predatory, or1en self-seek-
ing, often proud ard exclusive, often
refusing to carry out the terms of
their contract as bessers of the world
need cause us no surprise until We ac-
cert democracy not rs an ideal but as
a practice, Christianity not as a creed
but as life, and the Kingdom not as
hope but as a possession.
THE CALLED
Races have been called to do some
thing for all the world. Greece thrill
ed with beauty of form and thought
and the world still turns to a hundred
years Of hel life in which great
NAMES CLEAN like stars and art and
eloquence still bow before them in
reverence. Rome built roads across
all her empire that are still pressed
by travelling feet but far more did she
build the idea of law across her his
tory so that every court that sits
among the nations must yield her
homage. That little island g,irt with
foam that makes but speck upon the
map of Europe still moulds the world
with its democracy that thru the slow
centuries has developed the English
tongues into the speech of hope FOR
the oppressed thruout the earth. And
the Hebrew who knew no art Of brush
or chjGel nor felt the greatness of an
abstract law grow intimate with the
Almighty and has put all the races in
her debt for the two supreme relig-
ions which she created Hcbrewism
and Christianity. And Mohammed
caught his fire from her affairs. For
four hundred years Abraham was a
memory. Then Moses came and
caught the fire that still burned IN the
sense of the Presence before Whom
that far off figure had walked and he
led the children out from the bondage
of Egypt's oppression in such fashion
that the whole race felt the imma-
nencc of Jehovah and was sure of His
choice of themselves as His people.
This was deepened at Sinai where
there was caught again the sense of
mission that Abraham had felt. He
was sent of God and they were like
wise. 1t might be dmmed at times
but it was the heritage of the Chris
tians. 1t was expressed in that rhr0se
"a Kingdom of Priests. bOlv ma