The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-08-07
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared especially for The Republi-
can by Rev. U. S. Wright, D. D.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 1924.
THE FIRST MIRACLE OF
JESUS.
John Pill.
JUHH Z.I-II.
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
John 2:5.

BEGINNING THE KINGDOM.
1t is not the power a man has, but
the use he makes of it that determ-
ines his character. 1t is not the goal
toward which man moves that de-
cides his advance, but the approach
he chooses for his movement. Jesus
had fought His battle in the wilder
ness and had come back to the Jor-
dan where He gathered a half dozen
recruits for His adventure in King
dom building. Since that high hour
at the baptism He was fully con-
scious of His calling to the Messiah
ship and was setting out resolutely
toward it. King He was and knew
it. What should be the kingly task
that should mark the beginning of
His endeavors? Knowing the King
dom to be thing of spirit instead of
geography, one would think the ap-
proach, natural and easy, would be
thru the religious group and would
be associated with the people. World
rulers would have planted the flag of
revolt, would have gathered armies
and made a spectacular appeal for
followers. This Man called a few
common folk to follow Him and led
them to a wedding. If the world had
known His faith in His mission it
would have checked itself with chuck
les over the event. And there are
many who still think Christianity is
a huge joke. | wonder if there was
tracing of memory in the Mans
mind of God beginning the world with
pair of lovers in a garden? Was it
the strategy Of the Father that He
was reproducing? Certainly He was
settling the fact that the Kingdom
was a social thing, home matter, a
love affair, an initition instead of an
imposition. 1t was utterly foreign
to what John had been thinking and
living, so much so that months later
he had to ask the direct question.
When IN prison word Of Christ's ac-
lions came to him. 1t was as utterly
foreign to the ideas of the Jewish
leaders and it is just as foreign to the
beliefs of some today. But no capture
the home life at its very inception so
that the continuous life of that home
may be radiant with the presence of
Jesus is to change the whole life of
the whole world for it rests ultimately
upon our home life. That is the place
for showing our real selves and if we
are Christly there is nc doubt of our
being so everywhere else.
THE -BRINGER.
Mary was at the wedding and Jesus
and the Disciples may have brought
more guests than was expected for
the supplies failed. Possibly rela-
tives, Mary felt the stigma of short
age and turned to Jesus with the
trouble, for He had been her stay in
many an hour before. Whatever the
form in which His reply reaches US
she certainly accepted it as grant
ing of her unspoken request for she
Immediately told the servants to fol-
low His instructions. And He stepped
into the waning joyousness Of the
feast and restored all its zest. Bore
ham writes: Life breaks down first
on the side of its exhilarations. The
sparkle of it disappears and in those
days of furious pursuit of pleasure
that seeks ever some new thrill be-
cause nerves are jaded and pleasure
surfeited so that some new and biz
ARE attempt must be made to coax
them into response we are face to
face with this break down of eXhil-
aration. So we ''stepon the gas and
speed recklessly along tint we may
catch again what we have lost. The
whole thing presages a crash. And
then Jesus comes in. Life takes on
a zest unknown before and whether
one is eight or eighty he is in a
world that knows no dullness. The
sparkle is there and the wine of life
has no lack. For the vessels of his
soul will be brim full. "You preach
ers must have an awfully dull time Of
it," said young reporter to Bishop
Andrews at the close of an interview.
"Let's talk about it" was the kindly
reply as they walked toward the train
the Bishop was to take, and he told
of the adventure of faith and the
sweep of world affairs campassed by
the Kingdom and the thrill of helping
God build it in the earth until the
keen news-hunter had to confess that
it was his own life that was dull in
comparison.
THE SIGNATURE or GOD.
81 don write muh name, s9h," said
the quick witted but lillterate negro
who was asked to sign paper, 81
dictates muh name" God needs an
amanuensis and dictates His name
thru the men and women whose God
likeness records the presence of Je-
hovah in His world. Here IN Cana
was bit of His early penmanship for