Telegram-herald., 1889-06-10

leii Ills Is the famous soiist-ifi.4- -a4coe
are the sons OF tho distinguished Bet1rah-
What can this twelve year lad teach them or
what questions can he ssA worthy their cogi-
tationi All, the first time IN al their lives
these religionists have found their match and
more than their match. Though 50 young,
he knew all about that famoSs Temple
under whoss roof they held that most
wonderful discussion OF all history. BE
know tho meaning or every altar, u every
sacrifice, VI every golden candlestick, OF
every embroidered curtain. OF every cruinp
Of shew bread, Of every drop Of oil in that
sacred o,sitice. lie knew al about God lie
know all about man. To knew all about
heaven for he came from It de knew all
about tbs world, for he made IT, lie kne"
aii worlds. Tor they were only the Sparkling
morning dewdrOps On the lawn IN front OF
his heavenly palace. Put these seven Bible
words in a wreath Of emphasis: Both hear
ing them and asking them questions"
WHAT QUESTIONS DID HE ASK
I an not so much interested in the ques-
tons they asked him as II the questions he
asked then, Ho asked the questions not 10
got information from the doctors, for no
know it already but 10 humble them by
showing them the height and depth and
length and breadth Of their own Ignorance
While the radiant boy thursts these self con-
ceited philosophers with tho Interrogation
point, they put the forefnGer Of the right
hand TO the temple Is though to start their
thoughts into more vigor, and then they
look upward ana then they would wrinkle
their brows, and then by absolute silence OF
in positive words confess their ircapacity
10 answer tho interro5atory. With any
ono of & hundred questions about the
ology, about philosophy, about astrono-
my, about time, about eternity, he may
have balzcd them, Disconnected them,
fang them fat. Behold the boy Christ ask
inp questions, and listen when your child
s.sks questions. H3 has the right 10 ask them.
Tho more no asks the better. Alas for the
stapi ,ity Of the child without inquisitiveiless!
Ii IS Christlko TO csl, questions. Answer
them If you can. Do not say: II can't be
bothered now" 1t Is your place to bothered
with questions. II you are net ablo 20 IN
swcr, surrender and confess your incapacity,
as / have no doubt did Rabbin Simeon and
Hillel and Shanlnlni and the sons OF Detirah
when that splendid boy, sitting or standing
there with a garment reaching from neck
10 ankle, and girG!cd at the waist, put
them TO their wits end 1t Is 10 dis
Grace to say: II don't know" The learned
doctors who enviroEcd Christ that day
in tho Temple did not know CT they
would not have ASKED him any questions.
The only being in the universe who never
needs 10 saw Il do not know" is the Lord
ALMIGHTY. Tho fact that they did not know
sent Keppier and Cuvier and Columbus and
Humboldt and Herschel and Morse and Sir
-,t oil h..f of
worlds Iaightiest natures into their lifelong
explorations. Telescope and microscope and
ethoscopc and electric battery aud all the
scientific apparatus OF oil the ages are only
questions asked at the door OF mystery. Be-
hold this Nazarene Lad asking questions, Civ
ing everlasting dignity To earnest interro-
cation.
CHILDISH SIMPLICITY WANTED.
But whilo SEQ the old theologians standing
around the boy Christ | am impressed as
never before with the fact that what theology
most wants is moro Of childish simplicity.
The world and toe church have built up i'm
nonse systems Of theology. Half Of them try
10 tel what God thought, what God planned,
what Col did five hundred million years be-
fore the small star On which we live was ere
atod. have had many a sound sleep under
sermons about the DEGREES OF tod a1d lie
G ,rnal Ccnoration of the Son, and discoursess
! shovirg who Xeichise5ek wasn't. and give
fair warning that If any minister ever
: helms n sermon on such a subject IN
Try presence ] viii put my head down
on tie pew il front ard 70 into the
decpess slunb1r I can reach Wicked waste
of tire. this trying 10 scale tho unscalabie
end fa-Lofn tie unfttnom2ble bile the M
. tions ,gaus the bread of Ito and 10 be told
: how they can &C. Tld 4 their Rins and their
sorrows Why Should you aod ! perpleS
Ourselves about the DEGREES of Coif nind
I vot1r own business and God vii take care a
his In tire conduct of The universe ! think
E he win somehow manage - get along with
o-,tus II you want b love 8gd scTve G0i
and la good AMI useful All 81 - heaven.
I r,.lrrsnt that no-biDg wnich occurred elga'
Kindred ou.ntlBoa = years a-o vii hinder
I va, n rnir-te Il is net the DEGREES = c.
! thst do us any harm. "a l. ogr own DEGREES q
s,n ard fouv. Tou noe1 not 20 any frrrthe
! ,saek in history than about eighteen hun
fr-d aud aftv-s.x years. Yea sse ttm
+ Il ths year 1850 Crrist died about thirty
{ re--s of s-a Yon subtract - from tie yea
= lss AMI that nases II only ISIS years
4 mat is as far hack as yop uessi . go Some
t.frr ooourrel O. that DAY undsr on o-lipse'
SIN -hat sats rs Ell forever free II w.ta ca
+ whole heart ard life We accept tie trs11en
6oas vro1e- ID not 1T IT, Prees Ttcrla'
I church '7 tte Metho5ist chIrca or re IA
treran chrr-h Of tls Baptist church o. AZ
a. The other er anxescsI churches sread sr
ts-s in trying 70 Ar up cd creeds, si G
thea imperfect. - everything uan aoeH
p z f~a =