The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-09

treat men na0 lived ana uleu, Greek,
Roman. Egyptian. Prophets had come
and gone, but who before ever diecerned
woman and brought out her hidden
powers? He revt aled himself as the
Messiah first to woman, and that, too.
to Samaritan woman.
He chose the women for friends
and followers; he accepted their hon.
age; he forgave their sins; he taught
them. though the Jews said that He
who instructs his daughter in the law,
instructs her in folly" his last glance,
when he gave up his life on the cross.
must have fallen on the devoted women
who had followed him to the end; and
his first words after his resurrection, were
to woman.
Never has woman received SO much
honor as she did from Jesus of Nazar-
eth. So it is not strange that Mary
folded her hands, as idle as the ch, ckered
sunshine which played over them, and
listened while her guest talked on. Had
she not forgotten all petty cares, had
she not permitted her soul to be lifted
up awoy from all that is trivial and
worthless, had she not forgotten her
knitting, her kitchen, her supper, che
would herself have been forgotten GEN.
turies ago. and the tale of Mary and
Martha would never have been recorded.
This day was great event in her life;
great event III the worlds history; it was
the beginning of woman's uplifting.
But Martha was weary of working
alone. She came to the front of the
house, and found Mary sitting idle.
while the Master talked. She thought
he ought to reprove her for not doing
her share of the house work, so she
said. "Lord, dost Thou not care that
my sister did leave me to serve
alone? Bid her. therefore, that she help
me-" Aud Jesus, careful not to hurt
Marthas feelings for he knew how true
hearted friend she was, yet not wish
ing to censure Mary, answered, Mar
tina, Martha, thou art anxious and
troubled about many things; but one
thing is needful; for Mary hath chosen
the good part. which shall not be taken
away from her."
Down by the Sea
Not the Atlantic. with it's never quiet
waters; not the Mediterranean, with its
gentler waves, but tiny little sea, bet
ter called Lake perhaps six miles wide
and twice as long-the Sea of Galilee.
There was no tide to surprise and sur
round the children at their play. They
picked up the white shells on the beach
and waded far out ON it's gentle sloping
sands. IL they wandered too far, there
we're various ways by which they could
be frightened back. Some mother would
seek to enforce her poor discipline by a
new terror. "Herod will get you," for
they all knew how Herod of old had
killed the babes at Bethlehem, and the
present Herod was perhaps no lesc
feared. So the children played on the
beach near their homes, low houses,
separated, perhaps, by a strip of garden
from the shore and the waters. They
watched the bare yellow aud black hills
across the Lake. and, as the morning sun
came up from behind them. repeated
the old weather rhymes,
Evening red and morning gray,
Sends the traveller on his way"
Or.
Evening gray and morning red.
Keeps the traveller in his bed.'
But to TIE older ones who watched the
varying tints of the morning sky, there
came another rhyme:
Golden today tomorrow gray;
So fad. young love from life away"
Among the cottages that fringed the
Lake. was that of Peter. the fisherman
Jesus friend.
1t was low, onestory house, like
most of the other houses in Capernaum.
There was a garden space in front. and
stairway on the outside led up to the
roof, for in those warm countries, in
summer the people spend their nights
on the top of the house. 1t was market
day. The sea was crowded with the
boats of both buyers and sellers; the
narrow streets were almost impossible
from the donkeys. and camels and the
booths of the men who we're selling their
wares. The potters were there, and the
raisers of olive oil were eagerly bargain
ing for their jars. The doves from Mag
dala were being busily exchanged for
cloth of Tyrean dye, or that woven on
the looms of Arbela. The caravan from
Damascus had arranged to reach Caper-
naum on market day; they had paid the
customs duties TO Matthew, the pub
lican. and we're selling their heavy load
OF carpets for pearl or jewel brought from
the shore of the Mediterranean. Even to
the country man who came in with his
sack of vegetables to exchange them for
few fish, market day was an event.
1t was surely most unfortunate time
for Salome to drive her chariot from
JuIias down through Capernaum to visit