n this way: "I wonder why God ever
permitted sin to enter the world at all. It is very strange that man
should be in this fallen state." Or his thoughts may have taken
another turn, and he said to himself that when he got down to Jericho
he would form a committee to look after these unfortunate brethren. He
would give something toward the expenses. Or he would try and get a
policeman to go and look after those thieves who had stripped him.

He did not think that all the while this poor wounded man was dying.
Most likely he was now crying for water, and it might be that there
was a brook running by, within a few rods of the spot where he lay.
Yet this priest never stopped to give him a drink. All his religion
was in his head: it had never reached his heart. The one thought in
his mind was duty, duty; and when he had got through that which he
considered his duty, he fancied his work was done. God wants heart
service; if we do not give Him that, we can render to Him no service
at all.

We read that a Levite next came along the highway where this wounded
man was lying in his helplessness. As he passed along he also heard
the man's cry of distress. He turned aside for a moment to look at the
poor fellow, and he could see that he was a son of Abraham--a brother
Jew. But he also must hasten on to Jericho. Possibly he had to help in
the ceremony of opening the new synagogue. Perhaps there was going to
be a convention down there, on "How to reach the masses," and he
was going to help discuss the point. I have noticed that many men
now-a-days will go to a conference and talk for hours on that subject,
but they will not themselves lift a hand to reach the masses.

The Levite's thoughts probably took another turn, and he said to
himself: "I will see if I can't get a bill through the Legislature to
prevent those thieves from robbing and wounding people." There are
some now who think they can legislate men back to God--that they can
prevent sin by legislation. Like the priest, this Levite never stopped
to give the poor fellow a drop of water to quench his thirst; he never
attempted to bind up his wounds or to help him in any way. He passed
along the highway, doubtless, saying to himself, "I pity that poor
fellow." There is a good deal of that kind of pity now-a-days; but it
comes only from the lips, not from the heart.

The next one to come along that road was a Samaritan. Now it was
notorious that in those days a Jew would not s