The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1879-07-17
Did She Love Most?

1t was a sore affection to Mary and
Martha when Lazarus, their only brother,
siekcned and died. Desolatc now was
their home, and greatly did they long for
the presence Of Jesus, their best friend,
with them. And now at length he draws
near. His coming is announced, and
Martha Immediately goes out to meet
him. Her first words to him are: IL Lord.
it thou hadst been here, my brother had
not died." And Mary kept her place.
''She sat still in the house." She waited
there till her sister returned and called her
secretly, saying: "The Master is come.
and calleth for thee" And as soou as
she heard that she arose quickly and
came unto him; and as soon she was come
where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell
down at his feet, saying in the same
words of Martha, "Lord, if thou hadst
been here, my brother had not died"
Was it that Martha loved Jesus more
than Mary, that she was more forward
to go out to meet him? Was this DEM
onstration Of more ardent affection? We
can hardly think so. We are assured that
"Jesus loved Martha and her sisters" and
they both loved him in return. His love
was reciprocated, and it was sincere on
the part Of both. But we regard it as no
certain proof that the love of Martha was
superior to that of Mary, that she so
promptly sprang to meet the Saviour as
ne approached. We are differently con-
stltutcd. Our natural tcmperaments are
unlike. One person manifests his love
IN one way, and another in another. So
was it with these sisters; and we doubt
not that jesus, who knew all men, saw
that Mary loved him not less than Martha.
1t may have been that he saw that she
loved him more.
And so, too, in the case of Peter. It
may have been that Jesus saw that he
loved him no more than the other disci-
pies, who were less demonstrativc. He
was tormost to say to the Saviour:
'sThought I should die with thee, vet will
1 not deny thee" And when, after his
resurrection, the Saviour appeared to his
declples as they were engaged in fishing,
and John said unto Peter, "It is the
Lord" it was Peter who, first of all,
rushed to meet him. But was this GER
tain proof that he loved him more strong
" than James and John and the other
four diciples, who remained at their most.
dragging the multitude of fishes that they
had caught, to the shore? We are by no
means sure that it was so. Peter was
naturally inpulsive; he was man of
quick and ardent feelings; and vet his
love may have been no deeper and strong
or than that of his more quiet brethren.
1t we judge by the forwardness of men,
we may sometimes make mistakes. In a
prayar meeting there are those who are
always on their feet. Give them the op-
portunity, and they are always prompt
to take part. They can't keep quiet.
1t were much more Of a cross to them to
keep still, like Mary, than to rise up, as
Gid Martha. And yet they may, in fact,
love no more than the brother whose
voice is rarely heard. Were the matter
brought to test, the. latter might stand
it better than the former. It was John,
and not Peter, who stood tirmest in the
hour OF fiery trial; and who can say but
that the same mi ght have been the case
with the gentle Mary? II cannot plead
for Jesus" said diffident lady before an
examining church committee, "but I
gould die for him.