Page:The way of Martha and the way of Mary (1915).djvu/309

Rh "Take no thought for the morrow" has an Eastern accentuation.

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" is taken by the West as a cynical utterance. The West believes that Christianity means, "Sufficient unto the day is the good thereof." The West says each day is full of blessing; the East says each day is full of suffering.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged": no one pays much attention to this.

"Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye"—a reproof to the West, not needed in the East. America is terribly censorious and critical of the neighbour. Russia has no censure.

"Ask, and it shall be given you" the West has believed. It has, however, asked for material things. The East has taken rather, "Seek, and ye shall find."

"Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" is in great favour in the West.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate": this is quite Western in adhesion.

"Beware of false prophets." Both churches have gladly taken this phrase to use against schismatics and dissenters.

"By their fruits ye shall know them." This criterion the West has adopted. Easternism may be said to regard the barren tree as holy. At least, it never curses the barren.

The story of the wise man who built his house upon a rock has edified the West.

To the story of the scribe who wished to follow Jesus, but who apparently wished to do so and remain comfortable and well-off at the same time, and to the story of the disciple who wished to bury his father first, but to whom was said, "Let the dead bury their dead," the West has paid little or no attention, whilst the East has taken it to himself.

The fact that Jesus sat down and ate with publicans