Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-11-07
ghs isisissie Jesus.


Il AN NAntmfNt FheAei NAA Ass NtA AAA
, presence amung men, hal bnt a
, short eanser. Plato lived 10 sec his
| eighty hrsi year SHraiUs, tho phi
lnsuphiral father Of Plato. died when
) hs WAS seventy years old Jesus.
/ ineomparably wiser and greater
than either, was ornciled ln the
thiFly-thirl ar thiriy-f'urlh y.ar
, at his ago, Ills pnllio ministry
could not have been less lhan about
two years and a half or moro than
three aud a half Ills principles
and system siill live in lhe convlo-
llons and hopes of millions; and
shaI Ing, as no other power has done,
the destiny OF men. Ani yet, IN
. tse short space ur lArvU years aud
half at the most, Jesus laid the
foundation for the grandest results
that the world has ever seen, Here
Is whore lies the secret or his anna
sing puworg These aro questions
that force themselves upon our
thoughts.
Very much that We call human
greatness Is tho nero child of cir
cumsiances. IL Is not original or
self produced. II comes TO the man
far moro than It goes oui :. om him.
He simnly accop.s IL. II was not
so with Jesus Of Nazareth, lie
was great IN himself, aud against
force OF circumstances. Ia relation
TO the world, he was absolutely self
creating; uuca!lcd 70 thc great work
of his life, except by mysterious
force within, unsustalned, exccp, !
by the same force; calm aud even
majestic in his confidence; appar. |
entity without II scruplc or II doubt; |
morally invinciblc to the very last;
clearly anticipating that his name
and syStcm would endure to the end |
of timo. The entire idea Of his
historic life appears MS n native
outgrnwth OF his own spirit. Who,
then, is this truly singular being
seeming to be man, yet in SO many
respects unlike man; this marvel
ousand self moved originator, stand.
ing alone in the world, and shaped
by no power but his own; this purely
self creating source, without model,
except in himself? Jesus Of Naza.
rctn is perfect y unique character,
having no equal and no rival. Itis
not the pariia';y Of the Christian
more than the d>ccrnment Of the
philosopher that detects in him II
most remarkable combination of
qualities.
No being was ever wrapt in al.
garment Of flesh who made higher
assumptions for himself than those
which Jesus put forth IN his own
behalf. He claimed to be the Mes
siah Of the Old Testament prcdic-
tion-the identical OF whom Moses
in the law, and David in the Psalms
had written, He talked about him ,
self as having power to forgive sin {
aud save human souls. lie invited /
men to commit the most sacred in
tercsts their being to his sovereign ,
hand. Hc spalio Of his own com
ing in the final day to raise the dead t
and sit in judgment upon tho race. '
His words often amounted to the I
positive assertion Of his own divin-
ity. The exalted conceptions Of J
Jesus which the apostles had, and q
which have been embalmed in the g
faith Of so many millions, were $
by himself. No wonder n
.ho people were amazed when they 4
leard and saw. Such words, such Ii
deaa, such claims, such doctrines n
IN such lips What does all this .
mean? WHO'S this strange being? n
IS he a man, or is he God in human {,
orm? He looks like "A man, while f,
le speaks and acts like Il God. Ii
The personal character Of this
-esus, as skotchcd by the evangelist,
caves nothing to be added, and re F,
Iuires nothing to be ubstracted. BY
he simple statement Of facts, with
10 comment or apology OF their q
wn, the writer's ot' his biography g
ave done what genius in its crea- d
ion Of fiction, never did. They al
ave given US u perfect character CT
ure, patent, benevolent, just, true tl
0 God and true to man, proper n
ionate and complete in all its parts. ST 81
low different from the heroes Of Is
Iomerl How different from the ie
lncied men of Pagan poetry, that M M
eed only to be real TO fill the world L
18th mourners! Such character D'
5 that of Jesus well accords with
he supposition that Jesus though ea
ian, possessed qualities of a much a
igher grade than that of simple al
Ho is not, and he can
OF be, merely man. A celestial re
re seems to be burning on the altar TO
his inner life His moral per- a
,ction is in harmony with the doc ei
'ine which asserts his divinity ca
Iogic demands some supernatural ar
cement or power in which in the liz
osom Of this mysterious and in co
oparablc man. ~
The means resorted to. by Jesus, is
Mike those of the warrior or the pf
rincc, were entirely moral and
Diritual in their character. He 10
Iade no use of the sword and OF
,ught no allegiance with the civil tll
over. His words in the form of III
mple and colIoquial discourse, and Sc
is miracles Of many types, werc u
is great dependence Jesus spakc an
no mere man ever spake. There M
as prodigious force in his words, m
strange aud striking supremacy he
thought. going directly to the W.
alive intuitiuns Of the heart Ii
ear, practical, penetrating, iormid- b.
DE to a foe, awe inspiring TO tho vi
.hdid observer, and kindling the Al
fection and confidence Of friend III
iip. Jesus knew how 70 talk to m
en-. and what 10 say That his ar