The farmer and mechanic. [volume], December 15, 1914, Page 4, Image 4

About The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??

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THE FARMER AND MECHANIC.
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AT TJIK UK ART
man. the
world.
Tennyson.
OF CIIIUSTMAS.
Terse Comments on the
Prayer Meetiiu? Topic
Young People's Societi"
tian Kndeavor, eto. for
Vniform
of the
?s Chris-licecmher
uiF. climax or thi: king
llc International Sunday School Les
koii Tor December 20 is. The Ascension--
Luke i!:50-o3; Acts
1.-J-U.
(li William T. 1011 is.)
For mure than a year pat the mil
lions of tbe Sunday school have been
studying the lifo. of Jesus. For the
past two weeks the lesson theme has
heen the Resurrection, e noermng
Hhifli layman Abbott says, "The re
surrection of Jesus Christ is the best
attested fact in history."
Now we have come to the splendid
Umax of the career of Christ; , a cli
max essential to the completion of all
that has none before. Christianity
could not be founded on a closed
tomb. A dead Christ would have
been an anticlimax and a failure
even though he would have met all
tbe conditions of the people who re
gard Jesus r.s merely an example and
u. teacher. For the completion of Ills
mission and the triumph of Ilis rucs-
sage, Jesus logically had to be the
living and the reigning Christ. Bo
after an interval of forty days during
which Ho had shown Himself alive
by "many infallible proofs," the hour
ascension came, and this is the
lesson assigned for i 'resent .study.
Appropriately this ialls on the Sim
day before Christmas. Ascension is
the completion of Advent. The Christ
who came, in Bethlehem has finished
His course, and now on Olivet has as
cended in triumph. The Christmas
promise has been fulfilled. All that
the shepherds and tbe Wise Men heard
has been brought to pat's. The Re
deemer is risen and regnant.
The Story Itself.
First of all let us get the event of
the Ascension clearly in mind as it
appears in the inspired record. Luke,
that best of all historians, narrates
It most fully, and we shall read his
brief account with which his gospel
loses, and then the supplemental ac
'ounl that he wrote to Theophilus in
the Booh of the Acts. To make the
Ktory more vivid we shall quote from
the New Testament in modern speech.
lr. Weymouth s version, which is so
near to the original Creel;.
"And He brought them out to with
In view of Bethany, and then lifted
up Ilis hands and blessed them. And
while He was blessing them. He part
ed from them and was carried up into
r
the
her
you
this
His own life. The strength of
Church is simply the strength of
King residing in her "Christ in
the hope of glory." Apart from
indwelling life of the risen Christ in
His Church, there is no power in her
ana no nope ror tne worm. xne
Chureh is the instrument of Christ.
"We are but organs mute, till a mas
ter touches the keys
Harps are we, silent harps that
have hung on the willow trees.
Dumb till our heartstrings swell and
break with a pulse divine."'
20. -An Unselfish life." Phil.
2:1-11.
(By William T. Kilis.)
The core of Christmas is the truth
of unselfishness. This day of the
new spirit that irradiates all the
earth is the day of lavish pouring out
of self. "Somebody cares" is written
large over every Christmas gift and
Christmas plan. It is the day of tak
ing thought for other persons. Then
it is that kindly friendliness proves
its kinship with the spirit of this
ic-stai day. Christ m Christmas means
unselfish love the love of Cod for
man and of men for one another.
uid I nomas A Kern pis, wno was so
wise in the things of the human heart,
pierced to the center of the subject
wtien he wrote, "Know that the love
of thyself doth hurt still more than
anything in the world."
lived in other lives, to have Invented
one's personality in the welfare and
prosperity of others, expecting n re
turn, is to insure a peace, ami joy
which cannot be bought in any of
earth's markets.
The Christmas that is emptiest of
self is fullest of the Christ spirit.
Because this old world is hungry
for love, "the simple art of being
kind" is needed to carry Christmas
through the year. We may get along
comfortably without anv further wis
dom or guile or sophistication: but.
ah, sorely do we need the gentle of
fices of love as we meet one another
by the way.
Whoso gives himself to the world.
follows the fashion which Cod set f.t
Christmas.
There is a story old and sweet
Which the sons of men repeat,
While the hurrving years go by.
Of a strange, illumined sky:
Of a host who sang "Good will"
O'er the flock on Bethlehem hill;
Of a manger, and a star.
And the travelers from af;:r:
Tltfs the story old and sweet
Which the sons of men repeat.
h
Heaven. They worshiped Him, and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy
Afterwards they were continually in
attendance at the Temple, blessing
Cod."
"My former narrative, Theophilus.
alt with all that Jesus did and
taught as a beginning, down to the
day on which, after giving instruc
tions through the Holy Spirit to the
Apostles whom He had chosen, He
v.as taken up to Heaven. He had
nlso, after He suffered, shown Him
uvii alive to them with many sure
pnofs, appearing to them at inter
vals during forty days, and speaking
of the Kingdom of Cod. And while
In their company He charged them
not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait
for the Father's promised gift.
" 'This you have heard of,' He said
'from me. For John indeed bantized
with water, but before, many days
have passed you shall be baptized with
the Holy Spirit
"once when they were with Him,
they asked Him:
" 'Master, is this the time at which
you are about to restoie the kingdom
of Israel?'
" 'It is not for you.' He replied, 'to
know times or epochs which the
Father has reserved within His own
authority; and yet you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you. and you will be my witness
in Jerusalem and in all Judea and
Samaria ana to tne remotest nails
of the earth.'
"When He had said this, and while
they looking at Him. He was carried
up, ami a cloud closing beneath Him
hid Him from their sight. But. while
they stood intently ga.ing into the
SKy aa tie went, suuuemy tnere were
two men m white garments i,tanding
by them, who said:
"t.aiuaeans, why stand looking up
into tne sk.v : This same op.su? who
has been taken up from you into
Heaven will come in just the same
way as you have tten Him going into
A New Life Source.
Wrapped up in the truth of the
Ascension is the other truth of the
life of the Christian Church. She gets
her power not from her organization,
or from her leaders of whom, alas,
there is t-ueh a scarcity bat from the
risen Christ Himself, "who ever liveth
lo make Intercession " The New Tes
tament is inwrought with the tremen
dous teaching that this new organic-
tion or ueuevtn?. wncn tnrist ieu
behind to carry on His work, is quali
fled and equipped and empowered by
Where Democracy Cannot Prevail.
In all the world today a world
vhos thought has been profoundly
disturbed by the events e the past
six months there is no need greater
than that Christians should be domi
nated by the conviction that Jesus
Christ still lives and reigns. The
faith of many has been clouded by
the smoke of the world war. They
cannot reconcile the 'present cata
clysni with the benevolence and omni
potence of God. They already dis
cern the effect of this crash of Chris
tian civilization upon the heathen.
What may be said to them?
"All authority is given unto me."
:o rang the words of Christ ere He
ascended to the seat of highest au
thority. They never were so true as
today. The King is upon His throne
in highest heaven. His dans may
be inscrutable, but they are certain
to be, carried out. He makes the
wrath ol man to praise Him. In
some way beyond our understanding
his terrible time of trial is going to
work out for the peace and prosperity
of humanity, and for the greater
glory of Cod.
The Kingdom of Heaven is not a
democracy hut an absolute monarchy.
We need to remind ourselves of this
at times. God is supreme. He is not
constrained to explain His ways --to
may. He is working out Kingdom
plans that are vaster than our power
of comprehension. With Him a.
thousand years are as a day. His
Kingdom Ls coming as surely as He
is King. Dimly v.Te may discern
the providences of present events. We
can only, however. think God's
thoughts after Him and sometimes
afar off. '
"The New World Programme.
The simple fact is that the hour
has struck for a new and vaster pro
gramme of Christianity. The organ
ized Church of our day has come to
a crisis. The ecclesiastical pro
gramme and methods have almost
broken down. Even the Church is
turning in repugnance from the
ecclesiastical politicians who have
sapped so much of her life and per
verted her clear and simple purposes.
Machinery and organization and
worldly methods have in good part
thwarted the godly devotion of the
rank and file of the Church.
Now- this world tumult has shaken
the human race into a new sense of
unity and interdeiiendenee. Old com
placencies have been shattered. Old
provincialisms have disappeared. Men
are gaining a new, vast, comprehen
sive sense of the whole world.
In this hour of unequalled crisis,
thoughtful Christians perceive that
the Kingdom's programme and plans
have all along been vaster than the
Church's fulfillment. The world to
day is rising to the level of the real
Kingdom conception. Picayune poli
cies must pass away. xhe immensi
ty of world needs will newly domin
ate human thinking. Our own nation
will be shaped more and mure to the
needy of humanity.
In this hour the ascension of
Christ means nothing less than the
ascension of the Church to a new
plane of life and service. As the
great tower of the Church of the
Ascension on Mount. Olivet dominates
a wiue landscape, ro tne worn ana
worship and life of the Church must
be dominated by this larger concep
tion of Christ's thought for His peo
ple. The King's command is to be
executed in more kingly fashion.
One word spoken b3T the Christ
wnose coming made Christmas, is
w-ritten over all true keeping of this
high feast day, the word "Inasmuch.
To do lowly service, and especially to
little children, is to prove loyal to
Christmas. W make this the day of
days for childhood because the child
comes to his own at the Bethlehem
manger. A legend concerning this has
been gathered into verse:
So w-e come each Christmastido
To the manger low and wide.
While the Star with shining ray
Lighteth yet the Bethlehem way.
And the Christ-child blesstth still
Those who climb the Bethlehem bilk
Bidding all, who fain woud stay,
By the cradle kneel and pray:
This the story old and sweet
When the sons of men repeat. ,
-L.il lias C. Ncviru
"When the shoemaker of Antwerp
came to die,
And in fear and trembling faced the
Lord most high,
To the question stern
What hast thou
For the King of earth
done below?'
'Lord,' he answered.
Thee, I alone
Have no talent, naught
Thy throne;
Only this one thing to Thee,
dare I tell;
I have pleased the children, and
loved me well.'
and awful,
and Heaven
'otners serve
to offer at
"Lord,
they
"Came the sudden wondrous shining
of the smile that lights the
skies,
As the King of Heaven answered,
'Laborer in My vineyard, rise!
Though thou did'st it for the children,
thou hast done it unto Me.
While a child on earth is living, thou
its living saint shall be'!"
As a brilliant star makes a clear
path across the water from the very
feet' of the man standing by the sea
shore, so the Christmas star shines
a straight course to truest greatness.
So simple is it that the reader may
disdain It as mere preaching. None
the less, the profound truth abides
eternally, that real greatness cornes
through steady service. Not every
body may serve conspicuously, and
there is no warrant that recognition
will come to the serving one; but
we are not considerine- the fame of
service, but the greatness of service.
Patiently, tirelessly, alertly, to seen
out wavs of oeing helpful is the one
divine mark of the truly great char
acter. Not only does greatness come
by service; but service proves great
ness. A petty person cannot rise to
. a . St l 1
tnis conception or pouring out ins
powers in service that is not tained by
any tinge of self-seeking. Whoever
lives to serve finds himself in the
that Greatest of men, who
aan among you as one that
SEVEV SKNTKXCK SLIIMONS.
Who rises from prayer a better
man, his prayer is answers 1. Anon.
i i i
Have love, not love for one alone.
Hut man as man thy brother call.
And scatter like the circling sun
Thy charities on all.
Schiller.
The only competition worthy a
wise man, is with himself. MJSr.
Jamison.
To see what is right and not to do
it, is want of courage. Confucius.
"Watch, therefore, for e know not
the day nor the hour. Matt. 25:13.
All that Fame chanetcth and saith '
Is vaunting and 'vanishing breath;
Ijovc, anil duty, and death. i
These are the things that remain.
Alfred Austin.
9
Politeness has been well defined as
benevolence in small things.
Macaulay.
The Question of Submarines.
out
oi
train
cried, '
serveth
Love's candle is
live by tnan genius
a better
light
flash.
to
The gift of being able
rich Christmas largeness,
unknown to me has put i
to give is
Some one
into verse
"Look on all His gifts around thee
gifts that make it joy to live;
Best oi all, O royal kindness . He
has given the power to give.
He has filled thy hands with blessings
which tie bids thee scatter wide;
Calls thee inena, ana not His servant
friend to labor at his side."
From the Brooklyn Daily Jiagle.
In some inspired matter given
a lew days ago irom the Navy
partment with reference to the
portance of submarines as indicated
by experience in this war, a chief
point was made against the subma
rines tnat tney nad not sunk a single
dreadnaught or superdreadnaught. If
the elaborate story of the destruction
of the superdreadnaught Audacious by
a submarine is verified, our navy
sharps will have to abandon this
point.
Congress is always justified in tak
ing with more than one grain of salt
the department unfriendliness to sub
marines. Naval officers, consciously
or unconsciously, are prejudiced in
favor the battleships and cruisers, on
which officers can live in comfort in
times of peace. And, frankly, we do
not believe that any recent develop
ment has made battleships or cruisera
obsolete. These should be construct
ed on an intelligent liberal program,
but the submarine should not be neg
lected. In war we want the most
modern fighting machines. America
led the world, under the Holland pat
ents, in making the submarine effectiv.
should not take second place in
form of naval construction.
She
this
Slaton Will Decide Wisclv
wisely
For I dipt into the future, far as hu
man eye could see,
saw the vision of the world, and all
the wonder that would be:
Looming large upon the Christmas
horizon is the figure of Mother Mary.
Sue ernDouies tnat mother-love which.
until ner son was born, was earth's
loftiest ideal and example of unselfish
ioe. wiidi. cluj lues's luotners are
maKing tne wona around to create
Christmas happiness for others. Let
us lay a Christmas wreath of red, for
love, and of green, for memory, upon
tne name or motnernood today.
Saw
Pilots
the heavens fill with commerce,
argosies or rnagic sails,
of purple twilight, dropping
down their costly bales;
Heard the heavens fill v-ith ehoutins.
and there rained a smartly dew
From the nation's airv navies erno-
pling in the central blue;
Far along the World-wide whisper of
the south wind rushiner warm.
With the standards of the neonles
plunging thro the thunder
storm;
Till
the
war-drum throbb'd no longer.
nd the ba.t!e-fln iVA
? -v t
juvery miormea oDsencr of city
life knows wTell the pathetic spectacle
of men and women, who have grown
old amidst fortune's favor, and who.
often, have done notable work in the
world, grasping the empty bubble of
publicity. They want to be talked
aoout. .iiieir aesire is to be seen of
men. Soros of them employ press
asems 10 Keep mem m the public eye
..v. yuuutuy glOWS Dy
, , m to mey are
seen ixMuty scramoimg for the husks
of public attention. How much rich
er ana. more oeautiful and more de
r i L AOL OI tne Person whose
uie.o oeen one or unselfish. service
. w.im suu. .as . tne aourney. of the
cda ui near to the
not tainted the glow of
thoughts of eeifisfcness
Louisville Courier Journal.
Answering one of the many appeals
in tne iTank: case the rse York Sun
says: .
Why not trust to Gov. Slatons in
telligence, judgment and sense of jus
tice? If Frank did not have a fair
trial, as Mr. Justice Holmes holds and
many others believe; if no legal rem
edy remains, the (Jovernor-of Oeortda
is the linal judge of appeaL He has
declared his intention of examining
the case fairly and thoroughly. Would
it not be a mistake, and however w-!)
and humanely meant an impertinence,
to seek to infiuenco hi nnininn rmd
his decision? If an excited nnnnbir
feeling in Atlanta secured or contri
buted to the condemnation of Frank
surely there is the more reason that
no mere clamor of svmDathy should
now be heard. The "Governor of
Georgia has a. grave duty before him.
Let him alone."
This is .well and truly said. Gov
ernor Slaton is a good lawver and an
honest man. He is not the kind of
Governor who would listen to thi
clamor of a mob, or subject the noble
State of Georgia to so much as tho
suspicion of a judical murder.
Miss Martha Suddath, of Colum
bia, Mo., was married recently with
the ring which had been used by
sunset, has eight of her maternal ancestors, be-
eventide by ginning with her Teat-great-fe-reut
To hare grandmother.