Omaha daily bee., 1881-07-18

merchand1se ne proceeded TO cleanse
it by casting down the tables and re-
moving the money changers as a type
of the work he came to perform in
preparing the world, which ought to
be his temple. From this time for
ward
THE JEALOUS EYES
of the hierarchy were fixed on him
and narrowly watching his conduct.
A wound had been inflicted, which
continued to rankle in their breasts.
Nor did this enmity cease till, three
years after, it succeeded in bring him
to the cross and to the grave.
You can easily conceive how in these
circumstances it must have required
much courage on the part of one pos
sessed of rank and authority to avow
himself to be a follower of Jesus.
"Not many mighty, not many noble,
are called. Yet God has had in every
age witnesses for the truth from
among the higher as well as
THE LOWER GRADES OF SOCIETY,
1t was on this very turn that Nico-
demus first came to Jesus. Nicode-
mus was a member of the Jewish San
hedrim, the supreme council Of the
nation, in short was one of the Judges
and senators of the land. He belong
ed to the sect of the Pharisees, the
most popular and influential of all the
parties into which the Jews we're ut
that time divided, and the one
which felt its self righteousspirit most
deeply wounded and its power
shaken by the life and doctrines of
Jesus. We can understand how great
must have been the struggle before
he could come to receive instruction
from the new teacher of Nazareth,
the lowly Jesus, the son of Mary and
Joseph, the carpenter.
On the n hand prejudice must
have led him to doubt whether one
with so lowly an appearance could be
the Messiah mentioned in such glow
ing language by the prophets and ex-
pected by the people to be
A TEMPORAL PRINCE,
who was to sit on the throne of David
and establish q more extensive do.
minion than the Jewish one had been
in the time of its greatest prosperity.
On the other hand reason told
him that no man could do
those miracles which Jesus did
except God went with him. Pride
must have suggested that, by avowing
himself a follower of Jesus, he would
be lowered in the esteem of the circle
in which he moved. He felt as if he
needed a teacher and a savior, and
yet he was ashamed of one who came
in so lowly a form. For a time there
must have been a struggle in his
breast like that between
CHAOS N ORDER
at creation, when the spirit moved on
the face of the waters, like that
which we have seen between the light
and thick masses of cloud at the dawn
of the day, and no one but he who
doeth all things can tell which is to
gam the mastery.
When at length the good overcame
tho evil, no doubt through the leading
of the spirit of Jesus, it was accom-
panied by an unworthy compromise
of principle. He resolved to 90 to
Jesus, but he had not the courage to
do so openly in the light of day. He
was afraid that if he was seen in the
company of the new teacher from
Galilee he would lose
THE FAVORABLE OPINION
of those of his own station; and every
one acquainted with human nature
knows that most men would rather
lose favor of those beneath them in
rank, or even OF those above them,
rather than of persons of their own
circle, with whom they are in the
habit of daily associating. We ought
all to be ashamed of IL foolish deeds
but here is one ashamed of the wisest
resolution he had ever formed. If he
had been about to visit
an earthly prince he would have
chosen the light of day, but
So. much are mon dazzled by the
splendor of worldly station, and so
little do they esteem spiritual excel
lence, that he could come TO him who
was born King of the Jews only under
clouds of concealment. If the heralds
had announced that Tiberius, the Ro-
mar emperor, had arrived in Jerusa
lem, we can conceive that Nicodemus
would have selected the most public
day and the most public street to
wait upon him, IN the midst of
BUsTLING CROWDS;
but now, when he who is the Prince
OF Peace, ~foretold by prophets for
thousands of years, his birth cele-
brated by angels and his power at
tested by miracles, and he himself the
king of kings and lord of lords. came
to Jerusalem he could not come to
him except in a way which showed
that he was ashamed of being o Q in
his presence
But it is well when we come to
Jesus at all. We will be received if
we have but faith as a mustard seed.
Virtue will come out of him to make
us whole if we but touch the hem of
his garment. If Nicodemus had come
to an earthly prince at this unseasona-
bic hour he would have been s~cornful-
ly rejected, but he came to the Prince
OF Peace and he received a welcome.
He did not discourage him by. a sim
gle
WORD OF REPRoAcH
or look of disapprobation. The great
est OF teachers proceeded to instruct
him in the grand doctrine of the ne.
eessity OF being born again by the
Spirit OF God While the great proph.
ct OF the church taught him by his
word he also taught him by his spirit.
He came with a veil over his heart
So that he could not discern.
as he heard them tba moan;no