The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-14

blessing to the Gentiles. The disciples ION
He was training for future heralds of the
kingdom would yet become witnesses OF
Him and His truth, both in the land of
Israel and unto the uttarmost parts of the
earth Acts i. 81.
THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL may DO con-
ceived of as lost sheep, having wandered
away from their obedience to the ancient
Law, following the false traditions of the
scribes, and observing the meaningless cere-
monies of the Pharisees; or from the true
Messianic idea proclaimed by the prophets,
seeking earthly splendor rather than heavenly
peace and joy. JESUS came among Israel to
proclaim the true kingdom of heaven, and to
enforce inward and spiritual obedience of
Cons revealed law. JESUS had before en-
ployed the figure, and applied it to the
spiritually destitnte crowds who flocked to
His ministry. They we're neglected by the
religious teachers, and were like shepherd
less sheep in the wilderness. Moved with
compassion for their distressed condition,
He had come to be the religious teacher and
spiritual guide of the common people of
His own nation; but that did not exclude
His pity for and interest in the distressed of
all races. To Israel first and primarily, that
all others might be blessed through them as
the Divine instrumentality, was the provi-
Dental order. To each race and nation Is
providentially appointed some mission in
the onward and upward progress of man
kind. To the Hebrew race was assigned the
s kha limo rofin
of the Divine government.
THE DIsTR EssED WOMAN, nothing
dannted by the conversation with the dis
ciples, if, indeed, she had heard it, came and
Frustrated herself before JESUS, reverentially
imploring Him to help her. JESUS, employ
ing another figure, calls the woman's atten-
ton to the providential relation of the Jew
ish nation to other races in terms that may
imply the prejudice existing among the Jews
toward the Gentiles. In the terms of the
figure the Jews were the children of a house
hold; the Gentiles were the little dogs. "Let
the children first be satisfied" He says Mark
vii. 27), for it is no. fitting or proper ''to
take the children's food literally, loaf, and
cast it to the little dogs" Employing the
same figure, the woman acknowledges the
providential relation and dependency of her
race in the matter of the privileges and bless
ings of the heavenly kingdom, and with ap-
parent repartee she forcibly advances her
plea for share in its benefits: "True," she
says, "but the little dogs eat of the crumbs
that fall from their masters table," The
figure pictures the children as the masters,
the crumbs from whose table supply their
little dogs with their needed food. The
special mission and privileges of the Jewish
people are acknowledged, which need not be
infringed by the blessing which she humbly
sought from their Divine Teacher and
Healer. The chosen people would lose no
Mes sianic privilege by such acts of mercy as
relieving the distress of humbly suppliant
GENTLE; but such manifestations of Divine
compassion would be additional proof that
their newly arisen mighty prophet was in
deed the true Messiah Of COP.
A HEROINE OF FAITH.-The woman
proved herself to be heroine of faith and
entitled to the blessings OF the children of
the faithful, the real spiritual heirs of the
kingdom of heaven, which CHRIST came to
establish upon earth, TO embrace the Jew
first, aftsrward the Gentle, and finally to
include all mankind. AS the reward of
faith her daughter was cured of her dis
tressng malady in that same hour. The
similarity of statement in this narrative and
that of the centurion viii If is notable.
Both are examples of surprising Gentle faith
and of JESUS impartial benevolence.