Q. What do you say of this conduct of the priest and Levite?

A. They exhibited great selfishness and hardness of heart, in passing by their wounded fellow-countryman, without affording the least assistance.

Q. Why was their conduct peculiarly disgraceful?

A. Because they both belonged to the order of the priesthood, and made great pretensions to religion and piety.

Q. Who next came where the wounded Jew lay?

A. "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was."

Q. Who were the Samaritans?

A. They were a people who inhabited Samaria, a country adjoining Judea.

Q. Who were the former inhabitants of that country?

A. Samaria was formerly the country of ten of the tribes of Israel; but after these tribes were carried into captivity by the king of Assyria, 740 years before Christ, the country was peopled by colonies sent from the east, for that purpose, by the Assyrian monarch.

Q. Did these Samaritans adopt a religion somewhat similar to the Jewish?

A. They did.

Q. Where was their temple?

A. At Mount Gerizim.

Q. Were the Jews and Samaritans on good terms with each other?

A. They were not. The Jews despised the Samaritans; and both cherished feelings of the utmost enmity and hatred towards each other.

Q. Can you quote a passage where this national enmity is alluded to?

A. When the Redeemer met the Samaritan wo

man at Jacob's well, and requested her to give him water to drink, she replied "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? (for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.")-(John iv. 9.)

Q. When the Samaritan in proceeding on his journey, saw the wounded Jew, his enemy, is it not natural to suppose that he would also have passed by without affording relief?

A. It is; especially after the priest and the Levite, the wounded man's own countrymen, had failed to succor him.

Q. Did the Samaritan proceed in this manner?

Q. What did he do when he saw the wounded Jew?

A. "He had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine." Q. Were oil and wine used formerly for the cure of bruises and wounds?

A. They were; and travellers usually carried these articles with them, on their journeys.

Jew?

Q. What else did he do for the poor A. "He set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”

Q. What did he do the next morning?

A. “On the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, [two denarii,] and gave them to the host."

Q. How much is two denarii?

A. It is about thirty cents, in our currency.

Q. How much more valuable was money then than now?

A. It is supposed to have been about ten times more valuable then than at the present day; so that the Samaritan left as good as three dollars for the benefit of his wounded enemy.

Q. What did he say to the host before he departed?

A. "Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."

Q. What disposition did the Samaritan exhibit in these transactions?

A. He manifested a disposition of the most benevolent and compassionate description, and showed himself well entitled to the name of the good Samaritan.

Q. What did Jesus say to the lawyer, at the conclusion of the parable?

A. "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves?" Q. What was the lawyer's reply?

A. "He said, He that showed mercy on him." Q. In what predicament did this answer place him?

A. It made him virtually acknowledge that in loving his brethren, the Jews, only, he violated that command which directed him to love his neighbor as himself and that the whole Jewish nation violated the same command, in hating the Samaritans, their neighbors.

Q. What did Christ say to the lawyer, before leaving him?

A. "Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise."

Q. Was this most salutary advice?

Q. What general lesson do we learn from this parable?

A. We learn that every man, throughout the world, who is poor, and needy, and in distress, is our neighbor.

Q. How are we bound to feel and act towards all such?

A. We are bound to love them as ourselves, and to render them all the relief and assistance in our power. Q. Whatever a man's professions may be, can he

be a true Christian who fails in thus feeling and acting?

Q. Is there any exception to this moral obligation? A. There is not. Whoever the helpless and suffering may be-whatever may be their character, circumstances, or complexion-we are bound by the very spirit of Christ's precept and example, to reach to them a helping hand.

Q. What kind of example was set us by the good Samaritan?

A. An example of the most valuable description. Q. Should it be our effort to imitate it?

A. It should. We should strive to obey the injunction of the Redeemer, " Go, and do thou likewise.'

Q. In seeing a fellow-being in distress, should we first question him as to the character he has borne, and give relief only when the character has been good?

A. We should not. Where there is actual wretchedness, we should always give relief, however that wretchedness may have been brought about.

Q. How should we then proceed?

A. After giving relief, we should then inquire into the cause of the suffering, and impart such admonition, advice, or consolation, as the case may seem to require.

Q. What should we be careful to avoid?

A. We should be exceedingly careful to avoid seeking any excuse to justify ourselves in turning away from real wretchedness, without giving such relief as may be in our power.

Q. Is there any justification for such a course?
A. There is not.

:

LESSON XV.

Parable of the Covetous Man.

The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided?"—Luke xii.

16-20.

Q. What gave rise to this parable?

A. It was occasioned by a certain man, who came to Christ and requested him to make his brother divide with him the inheritance left by their father.

Q. Did Jesus comply with this request?

A. He did not; he declined interfering in the business. But he took the opportunity to warn his hearers against the sin of covetousness.

Q. What was his language?

A. "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.'

Q. What should we understand by the latter part of the above sentence?

A. That our existence and happiness in this world, do not depend upon the abundance of our riches.

Q. Was it to illustrate this truth, that the parable was uttered?

A. It was.

Q. How did he commence the parable?

A. "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully."