APPLICATIONS TO MODERN TIMES.

1. The road to Jericho runs by our own doors, through every place of business, along every country road and city street. There is no lack of opportunity.

2. "From the day that Christ died for sinners until now, Christianity has been trying to save the weak, the unworthy, and the neglected and down-trodden.

"It does not compel the elimination of the weak in order to produce the strong. Here Christianity is immeasurably superior to Darwin's cosmic process. Not only does it give the weak a chance to live, but it makes service to them a means of promoting or developing sainthood."

3. It has been said of Dr. S. G. Howe, who did so much for the blind, who gave himself up to the redemption of Laura Bridgman, who was deaf, dumb, and blind, which made possible that of Helen Keller, and for the Greeks in their struggle for liberty, that he was a composite of Sir Galahad and the Good Samaritan. May many follow his example.

4. "What a stimulus this man has given to all good deeds from that day to this! If only we could know all that has been done for poor suffering humanity simply because of his good example, we should be much amazed, I am sure. He was a whole hospital in himself, for he acted as 'first aid to the injured' workers, and as ' ambulance surgeon,' and as 'Sunday hospital fund' collector, or, rather, giver. Truly, this was a wonderful man, this Samaritan. I hope to see him in heaven, to thank him for all that he started in the way of aid to all who are in physical need.”—A. F. Schauffler, D.D.

5. "It is no mere sentiment, but meant to be embodied in act. Exquisite emotions tend to evaporate like waste steam, instead of being set to drive wheels. An ounce of help is worth a ton of sympathy. Feelings without action harden the heart. Beneficent action without feeling does little good. But the perfection of both is when every throb of pity is incarnated in a deed, and a wise head plans and a swift hand executes what a loving heart prompts for the help of a neighbor. "— Maclaren.

The story of the St. Petersburg grand lady who wept tears of sympathy in the theater as she listened to the tragedy of the poor and suffering, while at the same time her coachman waiting outside at the door was freezing to death. Professor James in his great chapter on Habit, advises every one when the sympathies are touched to immediately do some kind action, or there will grow up a barrier in the character between feeling and action, and we will become like the Levite who looked on, and did nothing, instead of the good Samaritan who acted out his feelings.

ROMA

6. APPLICATIONS TO THE STATE. Both as individuals and as a nation, we are to treat the poor, the despised, the outcast, the degraded, as our neighbors and give them all possible aid, and not pass them by on the other side. We are to treat the Indians as our neighbors; and the foreigners as our neighbors; and the Jews as our neighbors; and the colored race as our neighbors; and the prisoners, and the neglected, and ignorant as our neighbors. Every town and city, every part of our nation has some portion of this problem on its hands. Its only solution is that which Christ gives in this parable.

LESSON IV. - January 25.

SERVING JESUS. - Luke 8: 1-3; 9: 57-62; 10: 38-42.

COMMIT vs. 40-42.

GOLDEN TEXT. -Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. — - MATT. 25:40.

In this lesson we have a study of SERVING JESUS in three different ways, illustrated and enforced by three scenes in his ministry occurring at various times in different sections of the country. They are brought together in order to enlarge our vision of service, and focus the light of Jesus reflected from different persons in varied circumstances upon our duty and privilege to-day.

the twelve were with him,

with him the twelve,

And

2. and

glad good

1certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Ma'ry that was called Mag-da-lē'ne,

devils had gone out,

2 out of

from

whom went

seven

1 Matt. 27: 55, 56.

2 Mark 16:9.

I. The Ministering Women, Luke 8:1-3. This tour of Jesus when he himself went throughout every city and village, was doubtless one of his missionary journeys through Galilee in the Autumn of A.D. 28, a year before our last lesson.

His work was preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. Jesus' teaching was full of figures of speech, of imagery, of word pictures. "All his words together which have been preserved to us, would not occupy

more space in print than half a dozen ordinary sermons,

yet they are the most precious literary heritage

of the human race."

Stalker.

THE GOOD NEWS was the assurance that their promised Messiah had come. The promises that shone through all their history like stars in the sky, were now being fulfilled for individuals and for the nation.

The kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven as it is often called, is that state, and in that place wherever it may be, where men live in accordance with the principles and laws of God, which make heaven to be heaven. It is in every heart and in every place where God is the chosen King. For every loyal member of his kingdom has freely chosen God as his King, and therefore "the kingdom of God" and "the Republic of God" are the same thing under different names, with equal and perfect freedom of service. And Christ's mission is to establish this in every individual, and all the earth with all the physical blessings which are its fruit and its instruments.

Jesus illustrated the Glad Tidings by doing good to the bodies as well as the souls of the people. He cured all manner of diseases and sickness among the people. "He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them." He cleansed the lepers, he cast out demons, he gave sight to the blind, he restored the wildly insane. He was moved with compassion for the hungry and the suffering. He "himself took our infirmities and bare our diseases." He fed the hungry. He raised the dead. And to the poor the Good News was preached. These visible object lessons were expressions of his loving-kindness and illustrations of the spirit of the Gospel. Every miracle was a visible picture before men of the character of God, of the nature of the Gospel, of the loving-kindness of our Saviour, of his power to help, of the wonders of grace he can work in our hearts, of his power to deliver from the diseases of sin. They were Jesus' credentials as the Messiah. And the twelve were with him, learning their life lessons, imbibing his spirit, preparing for their great work.

This is stated here, because, at least, it shows the number of persons to whom these women ministered. "It was precisely because Jesus now had twelve disciples who always accompanied him that there was need of much support from other disciples." Int. Crit. Com.

THE MINISTERING WOMEN. 2. Certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities. (1) Their gratitude for what Christ had done for them filled them with the desire to do what they could for one who had done so much for them. (2) The fact that they had been cured gave them power to persuade others to trust in Jesus.

And

3. and Jo-ǎn'na, the wife of Chū'zȧ Her'od's steward, and Su-şăn'nå, and many others, which ministered unto them of their substance.

(3) Their being healed by faith in Jesus, filled them with love, and the spirit of Jesus, and the spiritual life from which would grow the virtues of the Christian life. Three of these are named.

MARY, CALLED MAGDALE'NĚ from her residence or native place at Magdala on the S.W. Coast of the Sea of Galilee; out of whom went seven devils, better, "demons." This statement is made because eight Marys are mentioned in the New Testament, and some descriptive title is given to distinguish them. She had suffered from a most terrible malady allied with demoniac influence sevenfold powerful and distressing. She had been cured by Jesus, and having been redeemed from much evil, she loved much her Redeemer "We must combine in imagination all that we know of the helplessness of epilepsy and the ravings of insanity, distinctly recognized as the result of an abhorrent intrusion into the inmost centre of the soul, to form any proper idea of that from which she had been delivered." Her case was pitiable; not criminal. - Dr. George R. Bliss in American Commentary.

Mary Magdalen is entirely distinct from the nameless "woman who was a sinner" who anointed Jesus' feet while dining with a Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50), although frequently confounded with her, especially in Mediæval Art. I have just opened two Art books, to find some good delineation of Mary, and both contain this mistake.

Mary Magdalen was one of the women at the cross (Matt. 27:56); observed the Lord's burial (Matt. 27:61); was one of the women who went to the sepulchre Sunday morning (Mark 16:1); to her first Jesus appeared after the resurrection (Mark 16:9). JOANNA ( Jehovah hath been gracious) the wife of Chuza Herod's steward who was manager of the business affairs of Herod Antipas. Her being free to follow Jesus on his journey suggests that she may have been a widow of wealth who had wherewith to minister unto him of her substance. Or her husband may have been a disciple of Jesus. She was one of the party who accompanied Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre on that glorious resurrection morning (Luke 24: 10).

SUSANNA, means "a Lily." Nothing is known of her beyond this brief record. And many others, whose names are not recorded on earth, but in God's Book of Life.

THEIR SERVICE. Their presence itself, as examples of Jesus' work for man, was a power to help his cause. They ministered unto him of their substance. "We may understand from this that they purchased with their means the food and other necessaries, when needful, prepared the food, paid the expense of lodgings."— Dr. Bliss, Am. Com. on Luke. It was impossible for Jesus and his disciples to earn their own living, while giving themselves up to the work of preaching and healing.

How We May Serve our Master, Jesus.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE is that we minister to Jesus:

When we are filled with his spirit of Loving Service.

When we do for those in need what he did for them in his day.

When we sustain the cause for which he lived and died.

I. JESUS' OWN STATEMENT: I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

There are some capital illustrations of this truth which may make this duty more vivid and impressive to the younger as well as the older scholars.

Mrs. Emma A. Lent's poem, The Master is Coming, is very effective and touching. It is printed on a small 4-page leaflet.

A woman is represented as preparing for the Master's coming, by being so busy in putting her house in the most exquisite order, that she had no time to comfort one who came to her in her sorrow, or to feed a hungry and weary cripple, or mother a little child, who, bleeding and hungry and cold, knocked at her door. She turned them all away, saying, “I am grieved and sorry, but I cannot help you to-day, for I look for a great and noble guest."

"Then the Master stood before me,

And his face was grave and fair:

"Three times to-day I came to your door,

And craved your pity and care;

Three times you sent me onward,

Unhelped and uncomforted,

And the blessing you might have had was lost

And your chance to serve has fled.'

"O, Lord, dear Lord, forgive me!

How could I know 'twas Thee?'
My very soul was shamed and bowed
In the depths of humility.

And He said, 'The sin is pardoned,
But the blessing is lost to thee;
For comforting not the least of Mine,
You have failed to comfort me."

He

(Five cts. per doz.; 30 cts. per 100, postpaid. M. E. Munson, 77 Bible House, New York.) Ruskin's short story, The King of the Golden River, is a charming parable or allegory, in which children are always interested. It teaches a similar lesson by means of three brothers, two of whom were turned into black stones for their refusal to help the starving. The other, Gluck,- Good Fortune, took with him a small basket of bread and a bottle of water and began climbing the mountain to the Golden River. gave water to an old man dying of thirst, and higher up all that was left in his flask to a child crying piteously for water, and to a dog dying by the roadside, although Gluck himself was suffering from thirst. But the steep pathway grew brighter as he climbed upward, with all kinds of sweet flowers growing on the rock; "and crimson and purple butterflies darted hither and thither, and the sky sent down such pure light that Gluck had never felt so happy in his life. At last he came to the Golden River, and the Treasure Valley became a garden again, and the inheritance, which had been lost by cruelty, was regained by love." And Gluck dwelt in the valley, and the poor were never driven from his door; so that his barns became full of corn, and his house of treasure, and for him the river had become a River of Gold.

2. We can minister to Jesus, as these women did, by supporting the Church and its ministry.

A century or more ago a faithful and witty pastor of a country town had been compelled to help support himself by farming, so that he had not sufficient time for doing his best work for the church. At a town meeting he told them that he had been doing their work and neglecting his own. Their business was to support the minister; and his business was to preach and build up the church spiritually. He hoped that they would do their work so well that he could do his work better than ever.

God gives people the opportunity to earn money, in order that they may help Jesus and his disciples to build up the Kingdom of God, in our town, in our country, and in the world. Every child should be trained to give; and trained to see that he is helping the work that Jesus came to do.

3. The best boy's organizations, of which there are many, like the Knights of King Arthur, the Boy Scouts, and many others, all require promises of a worthy life, and a training in giving help to every one they can reach, especially to those other boys who are unfortunate or weak, and apt to be ridiculed or neglected.

A similar movement for girls promises to be as successful as the boys' organizations. THE CAMP FIRE GIRLS, a new organization (1912) has for one of its objects a training in various kinds of helpfulness, as well as a general training in a great variety of things which are not easily learned either at school or at home. There are three degrees or

orders.

"A girl in joining becomes first a Wood Gatherer, next a Fire Maker, and then a Torch Bearer."

“It is my desire to become a Camp Fire Girl and to obey the Law of the Camp Fire, which is to

Seek beauty,

Give service,
Pursue knowledge,

Be trustworthy,

This Law of the Camp Fire I will strive to follow.""

Hold on to health,
Glorify work,
Be happy.

"She must indicate her understanding and love of the Camp Fire ideal by learning and repeating the Fire Maker's Desire, which is: