Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-08

We conclude with this weeks lesson
our studies in the fundamental teach
ings of the Lord Jesus, that He gave ir
His Sermon on the Mount" If We
! consider it as a temperance lesson, we
will miss its relation to the mountain
message" but If we consider 1t In Its
relation to the ideal life, the application
of its principles to the modern temper
ance question can easily be made by all
Let us follow this method.
Our Lord condemned the spirit OF
prejudice as a method OF approach OF
attitude toward any individual or queS-
ton. He warns us against exercising O
consorous, cynical and critical spirit In
refertnce to any person or controversy
God is our judge. 1t is not mans duty
to Judge. Men cannot consider an
others faults fairly unless they have
first made q self-examination of their
own life and removed the log (beam)
that was in their own eye before they
attempt to take out the splinter (mote)
from another's eye. Jesus had no SYM
pathy with the censodious criticism OF
the self-contented, self-pleased and self
righteous. He does not approve OF their
character or conduct, for their judy
ment of others is an index Of their own
character Unless their characters are
day OF Judgment, if God applies to them
the same principles of Judgment that
they have used with others. Men will
treat them as they treat others. They
will reap what they SOW.
The only way we can deal with one
another as we ought is through possess
ing at all times spiritual power from
above. This fact calls for us to be per-
sistent in prayer. Our neglect of COM
munion with God is responsible for
much of our shortcomings and most of
the failures in life. We need to ask,
seek and knock daily at the throne of
prayers viii be answered, for we will
receive, find and have opened unto us
Gods storehouse of blessings. Selfish
ness in prayer will obtain no answers.
The Golden Rule.
The golden rule is the climax of the
Sermon on the Mount" In it our Lord
has condensed into one sentence and
stated the principle that should govern
all the affairs of life. This golden rule
Of life is the quintessence of statesman
ship. If used, it would settle every legal,
labor or liquor question. If this princi-
pie of life were employed, it would put
an end to all injustice and wrong. 1t
problems that the representatives of the
five leading naval powers are seeking
to solve in London. Its complete appli-
cation by all people in all the affairs
of life would bring the Kingdom Of God
among men.
Some have stated that this golden
rule of life could be found in the words
Of other teachers of morals and religion
and also in the Old Testament. A study
of these sayings will prove that in ever1
case they are inferior in form and COM
pleteness. In most cases they express
negatively what Christ commands posi-
lively. Geikie has pointed out that the
law said, Thou shalt love thy neigh
Dor as myself" and that "neighbor"
meant to the ancient Jew either Hebrew
or Jewish proselyte. Jesus enlarged the
meaning of neighbor to take in all man
kind. The world is just commencing to
realize that all men are neighbors, but
we are slow in applying this principle
of the golden rule to all the affairs Of
life.
The Sermons EpiIogue.
Religion was not only q spiritual
reality, but q personal experience ac-
cording to the Masters teaching. Hav-
ing placed before them the ideal life,
Jesus in the concluding portion of His
Sermon on the Mount" pointed out
the danger that His hearers faced then,
just as we do today, from false prophets
who would misrepresent His instruc-
tons. He warned them against these
hypocrites. who outwardly appeared to
be His, but in their personal life and de-
sires were ravening wolves, whose pres
ence among His flock would prove dis
aStrous. The spiritual test is the only
true one. II is the only one worth while
and, being of the heart, it reveals its
condition by the character Of our lives.