Articles

SOME Biblical expositors are a little doubtful as to the exact meaning of those words of Jesus regarding John the Baptist, as recorded by Matthew and Luke. John was in prison; yet he sent two of his followers to the Master to know whether or not he was the Christ.

IN the eighth chapter of Mark's gospel we read that the Master charged the disciples to "take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. " Bible students are generally familiar with Jesus' caution to beware of the doctrines of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, and have a more or less accurate knowledge of the mental and moral characteristics of these sects against which he warned them, but many may not be so conversant with this single reference to the leaven of Herod.

IF we look below the surface of human life, we still find that many of its mistakes and tragedies are due to the fact that a sense of injustice is being harbored in thought. This sense tends to produce resentment and a belief of grievance, or even a desire for revenge.

Those who look on others from the standpoint of self-righteousness, see always something to criticize; those who look kindly, see ever something to approve. Having righteousness for their standard, it is possible for them to discern in others everything which may be measured by that standard.

Many an observant traveler has been wonderingly impressed with the number of Christian Science churches which are springing up in every quarter of the world. To a student of Christian Science these structures are expressions of gratitude to God on the part of the beneficiaries of this teaching, and in noting these symbols of spiritual growth and progress, his thought may revert, as did that of the writer, to the words occurring in the seventh chapter of I Samuel, where we read that when the prophet was returning with the people of Israel after a great victory over the enemies of Truth, as symbolized by the Philistines, he "took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

Every Bible student is familiar with the story of Naaman the leper, and as with all Bible narratives, it is not difficult to give this story a modern application. It will be remembered that Naaman, having been told of some wonderful cures wrought by Elisha, the prophet of God, took "ten changes of raiment" and went "with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

Men have always believed in a God. Most men have believed, and Christendom declares, that the supreme power is good.

Time and space play a far more important part in the garden of Eden story than is commonly credited to them. They are so customary and usual, a sort of daily event, so to speak, that they are accepted at their face value and without much, if any, question.

The invalid, in his earnest yet sometimes wavering endeavor to obtain surcease from sickness and distress, has sought out many inventions, but not one of them has relieved him from the hopeless task of looking to material effects as an explanation for a result wished for but not attained. Still it is easily believable that in turning to a possible method of cure one would be solicitous to avail himself of any reasonable means leading to this desirable end.

One of the marked characteristics of the man who is truly great is his right estimate of values. A rainbow is a beautiful thing; but a man may become so absorbed in admiring a rainbow as to let his automobile run into the ditch.