By Mrs. Beetle WUboct!
INTRODUCTION
• - Vigilante is a word not often compli
mentary; however, people usually become
vj»lantes with the best of intentions. A
vigilante is. a member of a vigilance
committee, and a vigilance committee is a
volunteer commitee of citizens for the
oversight and protection of an interest,
especially a committee organized to sup^
press and punish crime summarily, as when
the processes of law appear inadequate.”
On America’s Western frontier, when the
regular forces of law and order were spread
t« - and the ‘‘wild, wild West” was
gaining its reputation, solid citizens formed
vigilance committees to deal with murder
ers and thieves. Their activity offered a
significant measure of protection and
gained respect. But the vigilantes, un
restrained in relation to the fine points of
(he law, sometimes perpetrated terror in
me naipe of justice, and they came to be
feared as much as respected. They were
often the ‘‘bad guys” in the final writing of
history.
Their position can help us to understand
the Pharisees of New Testament times, who
appear as the ‘‘bad guys” in the lesson
today.
LESSON BACKGROUND
A group known as the Hasidaeans arose
as a sort of theological • vigilance committee
among the Jews in the times between the
close of the Old Testament and the begin
ning of the New. Concerned with a growing
tendency in Jesu§alem, they declared an
uncompromising devotion—to the law of
Moses. One phase of thismovement became
the Pharisees, or “separated ones,” a
society bound to observe the regulations
concerning the Sabbath, tithing, and cere
monial purity. Widely respected for their
knowledge of Scripture and their moral
purity, they exerted great influence among
the people in Jesus’ day. But like other
vigilantes, the Pharisees developed a sort of
“tunnel vision,” losing sight of any values
outside their own special field, and con
sidered themselves exempt from judge
ment. Jesus’ ministry was offehsive to the
Pharisees from its beginning. He ignored or
rejected their official interpretations of
Scripture. He demanded a thorough-going
deimtion to God, rather than mere con
fonnity in outward actions. He associated
with people they considered untouchable.
He gained a following that threatened their
position as revered religious leaders. This
confrontation appears dramatically in the
incidents recorded in Mark 2:1, 3:6. These
events probably did not occur in quick and
direct succession, but all took place rather
early in Jesus’ public ministry. Mark
2:14-17 - “And as he passed by, he saw Levi
the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of
custom, and said unto him, Follow me.
And he arose and followed him. And it came
to pass that as Jesus sat at meat in his
house, many publicans and sinners sat also
together with Jesus and his disciples, for
there were many, and they followed him.
And when the scribes and Pharisees saw
him eat with publicans and sinners, they
said unto his disciples, “How is it that he
eateth and drinketh with publicans and
sinners?” When Jesus heard it, he said unto
them, “They that are whole have no need of
the physician, but they that are sick: I came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentence.”
The objectors were literally “the scribes
of the Pharisees.” It is doubtful whether
they went into Levi's house to observe the
gbiUgs-on, but they learned of it and raised
questions afterwards. To the first available
members of Jesus’ company they ad
dressed the obvious question: Why should
their Master so flout the rules of cere
monial purity? In the Pharisees’ eyes,
Sj^thew’s guests were unclean.
Are we more Christ-like than the Pha
risees were? Consider the reaction if our
minister or elders or deacons were seen at
dinner parties with the likes of Matthew and
his friends.
* Jesus heard the complaint, probably from
the disciples to whom it had been ad
dressed. His reply was directed to the
questioners. He had come as the souls’
physician, -“to seek and to save that which
Wat lost,” (Luke 19:10). His ministry was to
.those who recognized their spiritual sick
ness. Those who considered themselves
healthy rejected Him.
A Well-known church song ask
on the Lord’s side? Who will
Its refrain answers
are on the Lord’s side, Savior,
” The Pharisees
heme with great
to bo on God’s
that they were. U
so preoccupied with
the Lord. ' ■ . > *
She arrived in a pearl white limousine wearing a white
chiffon dress and a grey mink stole; an estimated
crowd of 3,000 spectators awaited to greet the newly
crowned American queen Pamela Young, “Miss
Afro-American." Marching bands, the Coast Guard,
college queens, singers, dancers, city and county
officials and the Florida Memorial College Ambas
sador Chorale welcomed Miss Young to the State of
Florida in a dazzling ceremony, "A Salute to the
Queen.” Pamela Mechelle Young who now reigns
supreme Is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University
of Charlotte, North Carolina. She won the prestigious
“Miss A fro-A meric a” title over black campus queens
from across the nation. Miss Young said, “Just one
week before the pageant, I dreamed that I would win.
TTie Miss Afro-American Pageant proves that dreams
really do come true.” Pictured above: Pamela Young,
“Miss Afro-America” and Metro-Dade Mayor Steven
Clark.
Six Hacks Ajr^iznted
To Citizens Committee
Continued From Page 1A
in structure.
4) Determine where to
_secure answers to the
issues and questions that
will be raised.
5) Determine at an early
date how the committee
will proceed and what
monies are needed to fund
the committee’s work.
6) What proposed time
line does the committee
feel is necessary before it
will be in a position to
make its report and re
commendations?
7) Analyze the results of
other communities that
have consolidated and de
termine whether any have
revoked their consolida
tion.
8) Determine if public
hearings should be held
before—the -committee
makes its final recom
mendation to the elected
boards.
According to Odom, the
committee’s evaluation
will constitute the first
phase in a two-part work
program. “Should the
committee recommend
consolidation of City and
County government, the se
cond phase might then
begin with apointment of a
charter commission to re
commend the form for a
single government that
would meet local needs,”
he concluded.
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