The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-11-16
THE JUDGE
REVIEWS
THE LESSON


not perish. but have eternal life. -
John iii:l6.
"Some one was telling me the other
day." said the Judge. as he arose to
face the Brotherhood Class, that in
Japan they call our golden text the
Fujiyama text OF the Bible meaning,
| suppose that the truth in that verse
dominates the whole thought of the
Bible as their great sacred mountain
dominates the landscape of Japan.
I'VE can all agree that it is the most
famous verse in scripture, and is the
first verse to be memorized by chill
dren the world over in our Sunday
schools. Ii is always the first verse
to be translated into the common Ian
guage of the people by the foreign
missionary, and rightly so. for. as
Luther once remarked that verse is a
miniature gospel.
IF. as our Lord once remarked, the
golden rule is the gist of the law and
the prophets it is equally true that
this sentence of twenty-four words is
the heart of the gospels and the epis-
ties. Indeed. the great commentary
on this text is Paul's famous thirteenth
chapter of first Corinthians. You will
readily recall the opening words OF
this Christian classic:
Though speak with the tongues
Of men and of angels, and have
not love, | am become as sound
ing brass, or changing cymbal.'
1T is we'll to note the background
Of events out of which sprang that
noble apostrophe of love The apostle
was speaking of unity. The 18th chap
ter is magnificent plea for unity in
the church. yet there is no apostolic |
lesson more thoroughly unlearned
than that. The two hundred or more
denominations today are the saddest
commentary on the inefficiency OF the |
Christian church. There is a tenet in |
our own branch of the church uni
versal which admits of unity in dill
versity." and on this shaky PEDESTAL
our unwieldy church edifce stands. |
But | am sure when Paul wrote his
epistles. dwelling at length on the
text, that there should be no schisml
in the body he did not contemplate
with satisfaction the tendency Of the
battling disciples of his day to separ-
ate into sectual groups Unity in d.
versity,' was never admitted by Paul
as desirable, but just the opposite. The
tendency of one group to call them
selves followers of Paul, and another
group to accept Peter as their apos-
tolic leader, he rebuked in these words i
Who then is Paul, and who is
Apollos, but ministers through
whom ye believed, even as the
Lord gave to each man? ! have
planted. Appollos watered; but
God gave the increase
$50 it was because OF threatened dis
union in the whole body OF Christ thatl
Paul gave US that immortal apostro-
pho OF love. Yet show unto you a
more excellent way he writes. and
that is the way of love. |;
That we need more love in the
world to help solve our difficulties no
'ne will attempt to deny. But just
how love as lubricant can be eff
'ectively applied to the complex ma
,hinery Of living-'ah. there's the rub.
That was the difficulty Jesus faced
Is he went about the Judean and Cali
can towns preaching the message OF
he Kingdom of God, The people to
whom he spoke were perplexed and
'ewildered He described them asl
heep without a shepherd. Life to
hem was complex. prophets and Z
eaohers were many, and there was mol
authoritative voice to lead them out
rom the miasma of despair until Je- Z
US came. Then, we are told, they
Stoned to him gladly. for he spoke Z
S one with authority. His whole life d
n earth was an exposition of the gold 3
n text. For God so loved the world z
rat he sent his only bcgotten SON
How can we adequately appraise z
MS love Of which our lesson speaksi 3
is a love based on mighty deeds OF z
'rviee. On no other basis does love &
can anything. IL is useless to talk q
'out love. justice. mercy or truth I'M y
s. with each OF these symbols OF &
'eeeh we link human need. God is h
We because IN Jesus Christ we see b
We at work in our common every day d
la,ionships II is a saerihcial love q
IS love that spends itself to the #
'ermost even 20 the pangs Of bitter a
position, and in the presence Of cold. y
meal indifference. b
Herein is love. writes the evan