Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-06-16

l'ltt MIAllt ANl NAllAA' VI oi ~ |
not yet muscularized and with the UNI
developed strength of juvenescence
trying to iake thy fathers place in
ginning the livelihood for the family,
,lUIoT WITH TIM rocroEs,
Eui. hugiug scu}l ClIIsl the boy of
lie /. td,aul the mry ga Use mechanics
hop. show YOU a more marvellous
'cuc Christ The sIuuuIli hrowcd lad
1inor : the long bearded, white haired,
igl ~lortl.padyd Ccutp,iastlcs of lie
%lrupic. Hundreds nt thousands OF
-tIaugers had come "a Jerusalem "a
Keep Il great religious festival Ate,
llr husplttAlp upacs were crowded
with visitors, lie tents were spread all
gr Und tie city to shelter mmonS"
.h.onws "a strangers. 1t wa, worry CITY
w,n-' Tie vat ''lrouwS ru"II.- a'.I
u- 20 lu>e n cli,u, frt ll0U
' I.!Hv pv.Iir 'ty' Hu
r. ~ ina N .a
nat Wl.oull feast, iuu must
.t r'iu|- nt ta9s, r%nnipuS o~ ~uprs"lv
.,l,lni, lWr u.rtuut historian Ju~p"
plGs ass llrrc were ia Galiloc two
hundred cities. the smallest of tllom
containing fifteen thousand people.
No wonder that amid the crowds
Il Tire time spoken of Jesus the boy
was lost. Iii, plreml,, knowing that
he was mature enough and agile
enough To take care VI himself, are on
their way home without any anxiety,
supposingthat their boy is coming with
some of the groups. But after a while
they suspect he is loStand with flushed
check and a tcrrurized look they rush
this way and that, saying: Have you
seen SuythingOf my boy! He iStwelvc
years Of age. Of fair complexion and
has blue eyes and auburn hair. Have
YOU seen him since we left the cityf'
Back they g0 in hot haste, in and out
the streets, in and out the private
houses and among the surrounding
hills. For three days they search and
inquire, wondering if he has been
trampled under foot of some of the
throngs or has ventured on the cliffs
or fallen off aprecipice, Send through
all the streets and lanes Of the city
and among Ill the surrounding hills
that most dismal sound, "A lost child.
\ lost child!' And 10. after three
days they discover him in the
great Temple, seated among the
mighticst ruligionists of all the
world. Tho walls Of no other build
ing ever looked down on such a scene.
\ child twelve years Old surrounded
/ by SeptuagcuariauS he asking his own
questions and answering theirs. Let
me introduce Won 10 some of these &C.
I clrsiastics. This is the great Ribbin
! Simeon! This is the venerable llillel.
This is the famous Shaminai! These are
the sons Of the distinguished BctlralL
What can this twuly" year lad teach
them or what questions AN hc ask
worthy their c~ogitation. Al, the first
time in all their lives these religion.
! lists have found their match and
more than their match. Though
50 young, he knew all about
that famous Temple under whose root
they held that most wonderful discus.
sion Of all history. He knew the
meaning of every altar, of every sac,
riticc, of every golden candlcstick,
of every embroidered curtain. OF
every crumb Of shew bread. of every
drop Of oil in that sacred cdIticc. lie
knew all about God. He knew all
aboutmm. lie knew all about heaven.
fOrh he came from il. lleknew all about
this world, for lie made il, lie knew
all worlds, for they were only tho
sparkling morning dewdrops on tho
lawn in front of his heavenly palace.
Put these seven Bible words in 0
wreath of emphasis: Both hearing
them and asking them questions"
WHAT QUESTIONS DID HE ASK
am not so much interested in tho
questions they asked him as in the
questions he asked them. lie asked
the questions not TO get information
from the doctors, for he knew 1t al
ready, but 10 humble them by show,
ing them the height and depth and
length and breadth of their own igno
rance. While the radiant boy thrust'
these self conceited philosophers witt
the interrogation point, they put the
f~oretnger Of the right hand 10 the
temple as though TO start theiI
thoughts into more vigor, and ther
they would look upward and thel
they would wrinkle their brows ant
then by absolute silence or in positive
words confess their incapacity 10 an
swer the interrogatory. With any
one of a hundred questions abouI
theology, about philosophy, about as
tronomy, about time. about eternity
lie may have baked them, disconcert
ed them, flung them fiat. Behold tn
boy Christ asking questions and llstel
when your child asks questions. III
has the right to ask them. The mor'
he asks the better. Alas for the stu
pidity of the child without inquiSitive
nessl 1t is Christlike TO ask qucs
tons. Answer them if you can. d.
not say: II can't be bothered now.
1t Is your place to be bothered Will
questions. II you are not able to an
swer, surrender and confess your in
capacity, as | have no doubt did Rab
bin Simeon and Hillel and Shammai
and the sons of Betirah when thai
splendid boy, sitting or standing ther,
} with a garment reaching from necl
TO ankle, and girdled at the waist, pu'
) them to their very wits end. II is M
, disgrace TO say; Il don'tknow." Tn,
, learned doctors who cnvironed Chris
J that day in the Temple did not know
or they wouldnot have asked him any
questions. The only being in the uni
verse who never needs 10 say II DE-
not know is the Lord Almighty. Tn,
=. Al 49,. IL. IN - " II