The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-05
SIDE-LIGHTS.

A Scene to Delight the Eyes.-They sat down,
Mark tells u.s. in franks >; literally, in garden FLATS
The bright-colored Oriental dresses of these men,
sitting cross-egged the ground in groups of fifty
and a hundred each Mark $40, so that their
number was afterwards easily estimated, pre-
sented the appearance of a brilliant garden in sum
mer The picture thus presented by Mark, but lost
in English translation, is one of the pictorial
characteristics of his Gospel, and thought to have
been derived by HIM from Peter the most effective,
and therefore probably the most pictorial of all the
apostolic preachers.-Lyman Ab6ott.
How James Freeman Clark, in the assumed
character of Doubling Thomas, Interprets the
Great Banquet.-Once, when the people had fol-
lowed him into the wilderness, and were far from
any place where they could buy Bread and his dis
ciples had only few oaves and fishes, he told
them to sit down the grass. He seemed filed
with a mighty pity for these poor people who fol-
lowed him. because they had no friend nor any helper
IN their misery; and he was TO them such friend
that they could not bear to go away from him. He
had crossed the lake to escape the crowds and had
gone into mountain to stay some days. until the
gatherings had dispersed; but the poor people fol-
lowed after him, all the way around the upper end
of the lake, and came to the place where he was,
standing still, watching him. They seemed like
sheep, who follow blindly wherever the shepherd
goes, moving when he moves and standing still
when he stops. He told us, "They have no other
shepherd, these poor sheep, but myself" He asked
them to sit down on the grass, and taught them of
the goodness of God to all his creatures, and
that do good and give brought greater joy to the
heart than to receive. So the day wore away, and
evening drew near and said to each other, "Let
us ask him to send them away, that they may go
and buy something to eat" Thus we spoke; but he
replied telling us to give them to eat out of our
own stores. And, when we had counted what we
had brought for two days for own food in the
desert, we found we had only five loaves, and two
fishes to make the bread pl asant to the taste.
But he took it, and told the people that all men
should give to each other; and if they gave what
they had, God would make what they had enough
fer ALL and that as proof, he would give them his
own food to divide among them ali. And then he
lifted up his hands, and asked God to bless with
the food of the heart, to make us truly care for
others more than for ourselves. The prayer was
heavenly that all my own hunger went away; and
tears were falling from many eyes, The people
took little morses from his hands, and tasted, and
gave it quickly to their neighbors. | saw many who
had concealed their food to keep it for their use;
and they also brought it forward to be blessed, and
gave it speedily to each other. Thus he continued
to speak, all sat in heavenly places, and ate the
food of angels each caring for Others more than for
himself When all had eaten. Jesus told to gather
up the fragments which remained, that nothing be
lost for he always taught to reverence the gifts
of God He said that, as we would not throw away
careessly tie wooden toy which friend had carved
for us with much pains, so ought not heedlessly
to squander and waste what the infinite Father had
wisely and carefully made for ALL Thus we
gathered up the fragments, and they filed twelve
baskets; and men said it was mighty work OF
power which had caused IL e few leaves suddenly to
grow into a great number. /, too, thought it a
mighty and wonderful work. but thought it was
not done the bread, but to the souls of the men,
by creating pity for each othe:, and making them
glad to bestow on others whatever they had. The
poor know, often are made covetous and hard
hearted by their poverty; but the words Of Jesus
had so opened their hearts, that the poorest pro-
duced the bread in their wallets and their garments
so that there was more than enough foI all. Per-
haps, also, the food given to their souls and the
heavenly illumination had taken away the hunger
of the body.-Irom HE Legend Of Thomas Dldy-
mus.