The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-03-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially for Readers of
The Republican by Rev. U. S.
Wright, D. D.

REVIEW: STUDIES IN THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE.
If Ye Love Me, Ye Will Keep My
mmandments.-JOhn 14:15.
THE GREAT GAME
Just now the ball teams are busy
getting ready for the season that
lies just ahead and the papers are
forecasting the winners among them.
Some men have been signed up at I'M
precedented figures, others for less
and some are dropped from the major
rolls. And there is always a cogent
reason for such shifts found in the
quality of the men themselves. There
are certain common principles that
run thru all life whether it be that
of the soul, of the body or of the
mind and during these months we have
been thinking of these as applied to
Gods players in the great game OF
the Christians life. The first six are
concerned entirely with personal fit
ness for making the team.
They are men who feel the appeal
of the call. Jesus was picking the
members of that great team that all
the world knows and Andrew, John,
Peter and the rest signed up for life
under his management. And down
the centuries the same process has
gone on and men of all races and
tongues have heard as wildly as these
members the summons to place and
have leaped to take it. They, are
given careful explanations of the
spirit that must control the team;
that of good will. Even when there
is unfair treatment, when they are
driven from the field by an unsports-
manlike crowd they are still to keep
their attitude of good will as they go.
Glove even your enemies" is the in
junction of Jesus. They are furnished
with a Rule Book, the Bible. This
must be their constant study so that
they may understand the rules Of life
that have been worked out by the
masters of the art of holy living thru
the long centuries in which only
Hebrews played the game. In it are
the stories of the victories won by
Jesus and the first team He chose and
of those who Immediately followed
them. Next comes the daily dozen,
the setting up exercises of the soul
in its prayer hours that personal fit
ness may be attained for the needs of
the field. Then came the try-out for
positions. Our Lords tests for the
place He was to fill are illuminating
studies of the forms they take and
the gruelling thoroughness of them.
Finally there must be fair play in the
sharing up of the gate receipts. Our
Lord must be recognized with the
money as we'll as with the manage
ment. If a player isn't honest here,
there is a question of his final worth
to the team.
The remaining six lessons are given
over to the playing of the team whose
members have been finally listed.
Much depends upon their living quar-
tiers and upon them are based pretty
nearly all the effectiveness of the
members. In its close relationships
are seen the developing spirit of self
sacrifice that is essential to a success
full season. The church becomes the
training camp in which is gained the
technique Of the game, the art of CO.
operation, and the effective team-play
that becomes the means of securing
pennants in the field. The community
is the ball field upon which all the
home games are played. If it fails
to attract the entire population in
some fashion then it has not done all
that is expected of it by its Manager.
If it fails to lift the whole life of the
whole community to new levels of
craftsmanship in all of life's relations
the game has not been worth the in
course much of the successful work
ing depends upon the publicity given
to the work of the team and the i'm
portance of its improvement. So there
is inaugurated a personal system of
boosting that is meant to bring the
last man, woman and child into loyal
relationships and proud support on all
occasions for "their team" If Chris
tians can do that then the world is
won for our Christ. Then comes the
"World Series" for winning the ale
glance of the entire race to the
mastership of Jesus. 1t is great
game and if the scores are counted
now it looks very far from being de-
cided. Protestant Christians number
only 1912 per cent of the world
population and all Christian bodies
only IS. The series is fortunately not
finished and the bat of the Cross will
yet bring in the winning run. The
last lesson tells something Of what
. comes after the season closes and the
last game has been played. What joy
there is in many a heart over that
day of welcoming homeland and the
greeting Of the Lord Of life
SUGGESTIONS FOR REVIEWING