Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1914 — BROOKLYN TABERNACLE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BROOKLYN TABERNACLE

the great commandments. Mark 12:28-44—Sept. 6. ‘•Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself ."—Luke UTT. ON the question day when the Doctors of Divinity sought to entrap our Lord many questions were asked. A week ago we considered one. The final question constitutes today’s Study. A Scribe, a man of more than average education, had beard the various questions pro* pounded and had perceived how well our Lord had answered them. Then he assayed a question—quite probably with all sincerity, and not with a view to entrap Jesus. He asked, “Which is the chief commandment of all?” doubtless referring to the Decalogue. Jesus replied that the first, the chief, of all the commandments is. * Hear, O

Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt lore Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the chief com mandment.” Our Lord here made a quotation from the Old Tes-

tament. (Deuteronomy 6:4, 5.) How wonderfully comprehensive the statement! Who today, centuries afterward, could more completely epitomize the great truth of this text? Heavenly Wisdom is manifested both in its first statement and in our Lord’s reference to It He added nothing because noth ing could be added. In times gone by, we were told that the Almighty God of the Universe had a great hell of torture prepared from before man's creation, in which He purposed that the great majority of hu manity should be eternally tormented. But that was in the creeds. The Bible stands out distinctly separate from all human creeds and superstitions, ami tells us that God is Love, that He is the Father of Light and Mercy, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift.—James 1:17.

The Second Commandment. Proceeding beyond the question. Jesus declared that the second commandment stands related to the first; namely, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Again we stand astonished. No other religion than that of the Bible reveals such a God. of mercy and compassion, as manifested by His loving provision for the welfare of His creatures. No o,ther religion suggests so high a standard of dealing with our fellow men. This Law of God. now nearly four thousand years old. was probably made more or less known through the Jews to other nations and peoples (Deuteronomy 4.-G-8), but none of them grasped its true import. The closest approach to this sentiment is probably found in the writings of Confucius, to the effect that one should not do to others what he would not have others do to him. But oh, what a contrast! One is merely a negative statement; the other is positive—" Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” The Scribe was impressed, and con ceded the truth of Jesus’ reply. The Master said to him, “Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.’’ By this Jesus meant that the Scribe was very near to the point where he might become a disciple—one of those waiting for the Kingdom. It was such “Israelites indeed." in whom was no guile, that Jesus especially sought to gather from amongst the Jewish people, preparatory to throwing open to the Gen tiles the door of Kingdom privileges. The Jews understood that at Messiah’s coming He would select a Kingdom class, to which would be granted Divine power. This was just what Jesus was doing. His words, Ills teachings, were drawing some and re pelling others.

"God Looketh on the Heart.” The Temple at Jerusalem was still new, and money was needed for its maintenance. »--<• 'j he people were privileged to «-«>. < ibute. and apparently did so with willing hearts, casting

their contributions into the treasure boxes of the Temple, which stood near its doorway Jesus was sitting opposite these boxes, and noted how all classes contributed. There came along a poor widow, who put into the box two mites each

worth about one-eighth of a cent Probably by Divine power Jesus knew of her circumstances and her gift. He made it a text for a little sermon to the Apostles. He declared that she had made a larger contribution in God's sight than had any one else; for practically she had cast in all she had, while dthers had merely contributed out of their abundance what they would perhaps not seriously miss. This little incident shows the Lord’s appro alien of sacrifice. It is not the gro-t things that we do, or attempt to do, that He highly esteems. The very small sacrifices and self-denials, that In the world's sight would be nothing, in the Master’s sight would be great if they denote love, devotion and selfsacrifice to the Lord and His Cause. It is of just such self-sacrificing material that the Lord makes disciples—the class that do what they can.

Scribes Questioning Jesus.

The Widows Mite.