Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-08
FATHER OF JESUS.
,,rru Afford DlScoURSES on IoSEPH
tbs CARPENTER.
..,.S,3 ,fH.n 10 DE Holy Book-Iha Prsashs
r Sow BE Lvsi-SsgPosiaaas As %
he Events be- Bis Carew-Sya-
oEs5 O., the S,rmoS

-rartgr. lie commenced py saying
80 tbraries are full Of the history Of
Nv the mother Of Christ; galleries
-r over the world are adorned with
-..,s-es OF the Madonna. Her praises
80 measured In song, worked in art
"a rbanted at the altar in worship.
, d. M Joseph, her husband, the re-
L-.ss father Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- indie is thought or said.
T;rs bible says very little about
,--,rb vet the few words eX-
,-ssssd are very suggestive and very
- Mary has been wOrshipped by
- branch of the church for centuries,
- while she is blessed above women
S-G we would not detract one particle
o. raise and honor from the Virgin
SiI,bsr ~ Christ, which the new Tesla
80 sscribes 10 her, yet there is not
--s word of authority for this woman
worship.
.,5r.sbed feast to the honor of Joseph
~ -ba 10Th of March, and his worship
y. an the Increase. Our subject is in
.ts F,~m Of a question, "IS not this the
sI other questions, as: Who is this car
renter that should have dwelling under
f.s roof such an illustrious son? Where
S.sbe live? What was his occupation?
And what lesson can we draw from his
life?
WHO WAS JOSEPH?
1,serb was man OF humble posi-
,sor. man from the lower strata Of
sr,fstv-a poor man, yet a member Of
,Ss RIVAL family. He was q descendant
~ the house Of David, and was the legal
Sst- Of the throne Of David and Solo
NON. In mis- veins flowed the blood Of
DatrIarchs and prOphetS-eVen the blood
Of Kings; but he finds himself in pow
erty.
This is one eff the cases Of reverse
fortune. JoSeph's royal family had lost
nrsstfEe. The violent storms Of centu-
res had swept over the nation Of Israel
and left nothing but destruction. The
PomaD eagles were seen In every city Of
Palestine, and Herod, the Idumean, sat
mon the throne Of Israel In great splen-
dor. while the rizhtiul heir was the
village carpenter at Nazareth. There
are several Instances Of this in history.
The infant son of Henry v, OF Eng
land. was crowned at Paris while the
t-ue heir TO the French throne was so
moor that he was arrested by a shoe
maker whose bill he could not pay.
Among the lineal descendants OF Ed
ward l., there was a keeper OF a toll
gate and a village butcher. Joseph was
the son OF Jacob, who was In the direct
line of descent from David, aud Mary
was the only child of He'll, also direct
descendant of David. These two royal
lines centre in the Christ and make him
doubly the pier 10 David's throne.
One thing is quite certain-that Mary
had no other son than Jesus, that the
crucifxion left her childless and
widow. Had she any son living, II Is
not likely that Jesus would have given
her. as a dying legacy, to John, the be-
loved disciple.
HOME OF JOSEPH.
Nazareth, the home Of Joseph, Is
mountain village, nearly twelve hun
dred feet above the sea level, in the
highlands Of Galilee.
The town of Nazareth was much
larger in JOseph's time than 1t Is to-
day. With all its seclusion the position
Of Nazareth prevented a man from be-
coming narrow minded. Besides hav-
ing this wonderful view, IL was sur
rounded by populOus villages; and
several leading highways passed
through il. He could become acquainted
with the commercial and military
transactions Of the great powers OF the
world. In this stirring village Joseph
had his carpenter shop, and ala the
work OF building and repairing. Inc
Saviour worked with his father ana as
70 was essential for all Jewish boys 10
have a trade, the boy Jesus followed In
the footsteps OF his father. Thus, In
the sixth chapter OF Mark and third
verse, the people called Jesus the car
peRter.
IL is most probable that Joseph died
before the beginning Of Christs puollc
ministry. At least this seems fair In
ference, from the fact that no mention
is made of him in those passages, dur
ing this period, where the mother ana
brethren OF Jesus are introduced. NO
doubt the Savior himself helped 20 sup
port his widowed mother before de en-
tered his public work.
LESSONS DEDUCED.
What lessons can we deduce from the
character and life Of Joseph? The lie
Of Joseph must have been wonderful
life. lie had the rare opportunity OF
watching the development OF the sons
of God as no other man had. de hao re-
ceived the message FROM the Anger IN
reference TO the birth OF Christ he
had Witnessed the scene OF the wise
men and beheld their alteration ana
gifts. He had received the shepherds
aud heard their story of the angel choir
out on the plains, singing the hymn OF
Christ's nativity. He received the
warning of HerOd's determination TO
S.ay the child and fled into Egypt; ana
again was called back to Palestine. Inc
scenes OF the incarnation must have
deeplv moved him. The wonders OF the
birth and boyhood DAYS Of Christ must
have impressed him. what secrets
Joseph held wrapped up In MS breast;
God made Joseph the guardian OF hiS
only begOtten son and MS virgin
mother. No common man Wouiu oe IN
trusted with such charge. Mathew
tells US, "He was just nan. 1has
one word speaks volumes de was !
godly man, religious man; q uuiy
pious man. Joseph was q strict oO-
server of the law. He was there
fore able to Instruct his holy pupil
and incline His heart to the righteous
ness of the Old Testament which he
had come TO fulfill Having sustained
the burdens of earthly toll and suffer-
ing he could better train the infant
Jesus 10 endure privations, to minister